Northern pike are among the most aggressive predatory fish in the fresh waters of North America. During winter, northerns remained very active and are an excellent target for ice fishing. Built for speed and with a mouth full of teeth, these tough fish will give you an excellent fight. With some forward planning, the right equipment and little patience, you can catch northern pike in winter weather.
Identify Locations Early
When ice fishing for northern pike, it's a good idea to identify prime locations before the freeze. Look for points, rock piles, submerged logs, breakpoints along weed beds and humps. Locating them in the fall before the lake is iced over will make it easier for you to find them during winter.
Fish the Right Time of Day
Pike do not have very good night vision and are usually taken during daylight hours. Unlike other fish during winter, pike are particularly active during morning and evening hours, especially on days that are overcast.
Drill Several Holes
Once you have located an area where pike are likely to be, drill several holes in the ice at different depths. This will improve your chances of finding fish. Also , while most northern pike will fit through a six inch hole, an eight or even ten inch hole will make it easier to get the fish out of the water. This is particularly true if you happen the hook a really large northern pike, which can reach a length of almost three feet.
Use Tip-Ups
Tip-ups are an excellent way to ice fish for northern pike. A tip-up is a device that is placed over the ice hole. It holds a spool of fishing line with a baited hook or lure attached. A short rod attaches to a spring-loaded flag, which is bent down when the tip-up is set. When a pike hits the bait, it pulls the rod and releases the flag to let you know the fish is on.
Use the Proper Bait
When fishing with live bait, use bait fish such as creek chubs, golden shiners, smelt, minnows and sucker fish. Work with bait fish that are between three and seven inches long. This will help to eliminate smaller fish such as panfish and perch from taking your bait. Also remember, the larger the bait fish, the larger the catch. For artificial lures, try jigging flash spoons of varying sizes. Swimming lures specifically designed for ice fishing for large predatory fish, such as pike, are also available.
Fish at the Right Depth
Pike usually run in shallow water no more than 15 feet deep. When fishing in weedy areas suspend your bait closer to the hole to prevent your line from becoming entangled in vegetation if a fish strikes. For clear flats, points and other areas free of vegetation suspend your bait about one foot from the bottom.
Practice Patience
When you get a strike or see a tip-up flag spring up, don't be too quick to set the hook. Northern pike are notorious for grabbing and running with your bait, then turning it and swallowing it. Watch the line spool off the end of the tip-up or your reel. When the line slows, set the hook with a swift upward pull on the line.
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