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Pike fishing tips

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1
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Fall Fishing is here

Fall is here, it is getting cold, and its a good time to fish. The ice is already starting to build on the ponds and shorelines. A lot of people already have brought there boats out of the water. But if you have a small boat I recommend trolling along the shoreline for muskies, jigging for walleyes, top lures through the weeds for Northern/Bass. The walleyes are in the cold shallow waters. Fall is my favorite time to fish, and usually one of the only times I fish off shore. Since the walleyes are in shallower waters, you can just cast off shore for the lunkers.......

Topics: Walleye, Muskies, Pike, Fall weather
5
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Landing a Big fish

If you hook a powerful, explosive musky, striper, or pike don’t bring it near the boat unless you’re prepared to land it. A still-green fish can do a lot of damage and cause you numerous problems if brought to boatside too quickly.

One thing greenhorns do a lot is to reel the fish in too close to the rod tip. Never have a fish any closer than the full length of the rod away. Reeling a big one within a few feet of the rod tip is just inviting trouble. It reduces line stretch, rod flex, and reaction time, giving the fish a better chance to make a last-ditch escape.

If your fish is going under the boat, don't fight 'em, either let them take some line or better yet steer them away by not pulling up out of the water, but to the side and turn their head. They cant swim down if you turn them, but watch out if your using anchors. I've lost plenty of fish on the anchor rope trying to be too gentle.

Watch my latest videos of people breaking rods trying to bring a fish out of water from directly below them rather then pulling from the side into them.

Topics: Landing fish,
9
Vote

Scents that attract and repel

I went fishing one night and my friend and I used the same worms, hooks and bobbers but I was snagging fish left and right when he was barely getting bites. We started to wonder if my scent had anything to do with it. The tables had turned a few weeks later when he had been catching all the fish and I did not, so I did some research. Just like how we pinch our noses for bad smells, the same odor threshold can be said for all species of gamefish. Everything our hands come into contact with such as sun lotion, bug spray, cigarettes and our own human scent can cause fish to turn up their nose and refuse to bite. As the weather gets hotter and the bugs come out, I definitely load up on the bug spray. Even if you think your hands are clean, L-Serine (a tasteless, odorless chemical found in the skin oils of humans) will always be present on every worm, jig, or crankbait you come into contact with. Applying fish scent to your lure will not only attract the fish, but will mask or eliminate these undesirable smells. Fish can spit out a lure or bait very quickly. If the bait they are trying to ingest feels unnatural, or has a negative taste or odor, the chances of you setting the hook are very low. Applying scent will make your bait feel and taste alive, convincing the fish to hold on to the bait for a much longer time, ultimately allowing you to feel the fish first, then set the hook. Of course using scents for attractants vary depending on the type of fish. For example, when dealing with pike or muskie, scent is only useful when they have already made visual contact and are just about to strike. Scents come in a variety of packaging, but I have read more good reviews about spray bottles and will probably buy a few to try out. I wouldn’t want anything that you have to rub in since you’re trying to avoid touching it with your hands. If anyone has any recommendations or input on scents (good or bad), I’d be interested in knowing!

Topics: Scents, attractants, smells
9
Vote

Muskies

Here in Minnesota a good time to fish for Muskies is late Fall/early Winter. When the ice is building up on the shoreline. Most people on the lake have there boats out by then. The ice is a thin layer about 20 feet from shore. I like to take the paddle boat around the edge and troll for Pike and Muskies, even walleye.

Topics: Late, Fall, Fishing, for, Musky, and, Pike
12
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The Follow-Up

When reeling in, after a cast for a Northern Pike or Muskellunge, make a figure eight with your lure every time. When the fish is following the lure, it makes the lure look more realistic, like the lure is actually struggling to get away from being eaten by the musky or pike. You can do more then one figure eight in the water with your lure, but do it smooth and quiet so the fish does not get scared away.

Topics: Musky, and, Pike
20
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Switch it up New rods, lures, baits, and Fishing

Keep the fishing interesting, exciting and unexpected. You never know what you may find. I've made a goal for myself to try and catch and take a picture of every species of fish in the State of Idaho. Not only does this create a challenge for myself, but it forces me to get out of the old habit of using the same lure or bait on the same old stretch of river. You really have to get out there to the high mountain lakes with a new fly fishing rod, or into some of the more famous rivers for a nice Brown or Golden Trout or even Steelhead or Chinook Salmon. I'll also be heading to Hells Canyon and get me a huge Cat and farther north to get my Pike, Musky and Walleye. This Challenge will force me to find new amazing waters and help me to explore the great state of Idaho.

Topics: Fishing, Idaho, Challenge
11
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simple is sometimes better

When fishing, don't be reluctant to use simple set ups!! One of my favorite tactics is using Some split-shot,a hook, and a piece of bait!!! of course, different techniques work for different situations, sometimes just a simple float is best!!! Or even just a small jig-head, i once caught a 27 inch pike on a small white jig-head and a minnow while fishing for walleye!!!

Topics: jigs, splitshot, simple, floats
17
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Northern Pike will play with your lures

Pike will often hit your lure several times before finally taking it. Be patient and keep working the area, and if they've hit your lure once they will come back to hit it again. Northern pike have a huge appetite and will continue to hit your lure. Some fishermen have even reported catching the same pike over and over.

Topics: pike, northern pike, lures
9
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Catch the big Northern Pike

Younger and smaller northern pike spend time in shallower water near reeds and lily pads and other cover. They eat bugs, frogs, minnows and other small food. Medium sized northern pike will usually be near the outskirts of these areas feeding on other small fish.

The really big pike eat walleye, chub, whitefish, and even trout, and they will hang out where they can ambush these fish. Places like rocky shoals, islands, and mouths of streams and rivers are great places to catch big northern pike.

Topics: northern pike, pike, big fish
7
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Cover a lot of water in weed beds and flats

When fishing weed beds and flats use a lure like a spinnerbait. You can cast out and reel it in quickly to cover a lot of water, and it is bright and flashy. Fish will swim up from the weeds to take the lure, so keep it brightly colored and cover a lot of water.

Topics: bass, pike, lures, spinnerbait, flats, weed beds