Northern pike are long, slender fish that typically inhabit lakes, rivers and streams in the northern United States and Canada. They are a popular game fish due to their size, which can be 20 lbs. or higher in some cases. Pike are also notorious for striking baits and lures without much reluctance. Their bodies are built for quick, aggressive attacks, and this can catch an angler off-guard if he's not prepared for the tactics and tendencies of the northern pike.
Prepare for Power
Northern pike are extremely aggressive and large. Along with their needle-like teeth, it's easy to lose your bait or lure to a battling pike if you don't have the proper equipment. You'll need a heavy bait-casting rod of around 6 to 8 feet in length--this will help control the line and reduce the risk of a breakage. You should also use somewhere between a 14- and 30-lb. test line and consider a wire leader at the end of the line--this will be too thick for the pike to break through, eliminating any risk associated with its teeth.
Choosing Your Bait
Thanks to the aggressive nature of northern pike, you have a lot of options when selecting your bait or lure. However, the governing rule with enticing a northern pike is to go big. Lures like crankbaits, hair jigs, stickbaits, buzz baits and big spoons are all possibilities. Keep in mind that a northern pike will pursue baits up to 1/4 its own size. Lizards, shad, frogs and crawfish are all great options for bait and can also be used as a trailer on a lure. For active fish--usually found in warmer months--using flashy and fast-moving baits is ideal. In the winter months or anytime pike are sluggish and more concerned about conserving energy than chasing bait, slow-moving bait featuring strong aromas are more effective.
Determining Depth by Season
Where you can find northern pike in the water is often determined by the water temperature. When waters begin to warm in the spring, northern pike can often be found swimming between 2 and 10 feet deep. As water temperatures warm and become hot, the fish will dive down into deeper waters where it is darker and cooler--usually between 18 and 25 feet during the summer. Northern are liable to be found anywhere during the fall--a good rule of thumb is the colder the water, the shallower you will find them. In the winter months, pike will usually settle on the bottom of a lake or near fast-moving waters in a stream.
Member Comments