In this article I will discuss the most common and used pike fishing techniques and their pike fishing lures. If you are new and interested in this highly recommended fishery, pick one or two techniques and learn and observe as much as possible to become a successful pike fisherman.
Pike Spoons/ Crankbaits/ Wobblers
The traditional northern pike lures are pike spoons and different pike crankbaits or wobblers. Many are still using these and catch many fish with them. They move in different depths from the surface to 15 - 20 feet deep and move straight forward with a wobbly and lively movements like a sick or weakened fish. Pike spoons have to be more or less constantly retrieved if the water is shallow, but are most effective when retrieved slowly.
Crankbaits or wobblers are imitations of fish that are made of wood or plastic. They have a small plate mounted under the head at an angle of approximately 40 degrees which will press these pike lures down when pulled forward. The movements are very similar to a fresh fish with some wobbly movements. Jointed wobblers have much more lively movements.
Pikes are fond of these types of lures and especially big silver pike fishing spoons (i.e. Abu`s Toby) and jointed red and white wobblers (Abu`s HILO).
Pike Swimbaits
Pike swimbaits are lures made of soft plastics and come in a large variety of shapes. They are mainly imitations of fish, frogs, snakes and other undefined shapes. The main purpose of swimbaits is to create extremely lively movements which trigger predators to attack. The most effective way to fish with these are to reel them in with a jerking motion. These movements are similar to dying or injured fish, frogs or other living water creatures, and this pattern of movement is extremely effective at triggering attacks from all predators since this represents the easiest prey to catch. When pike see these lures they often attack them from longer distances than other pike fishing lures that are similar to more healthy prey.
Pike Jerkbaits
Pike jerkbaits are very popular among pike fishing enthusiasts because they are very effective for catching pike too. These pike fishing lures are made to look like a fish and must be reeled in with jerks and snaps. This is done by nibbing with the rod tip pointing up. Different types of jerkbaits are made for fishing in different depths of water. Jerkbaits are made to represent dying fish or a weakened fish trying to escape.
Pike Top Water Lures
Fishing with pike lures that are moving on or just under the surface of the water is exciting. Pike that are in relatively shallow areas are always aware of whats going on on the surface as prey in these areas are often very easy to catch, and predators are always looking for the easiest way to fill their stomachs. Because of this, different kinds of pike poppers, jerkbaits or other top water lures are great choices for surface fishing.
It is a fact that pike eat large amounts of ducklings or frogs each year, so the combination of small birds, frogs, small mammals and dying or injured fish on the water's surface triggers ambushes from these predators. Today's top water lures are developed to imitate this group of prey both in looks and in movement. Another fun and exciting aspect of this kind of fishing is that a reaction from a pike is very visible. Often you will feel a powerful pull on the line combined with a huge splash that tears you out of your quiet relaxing state and the adrenaline rushes instantly into your veins. Personally, this is my favourite way to fish. Large buzzbaits or Spook are excellent top water lures for pike.
Northern Fly Fishing
Fly fishing for pike has become very popular and pike seem to like both poppers and large colorful and flashy flies. This type of fishing can be done from spring to autumn in relatively shallow areas. Northern flies are very effective during the spring when the water is cold and the pike are slow. Pike flies can easily be presented slowly to trigger attacks from pike. When the water is warmer and the pike hide in the weeds, it is time to use poppers.
Poppers are "flies" with a bit of floating material which will dive under the surface when you pull the line. When stopped, the popper will pop up and make waves and lively movements. This is irresistible to pikes and an ambush will soon be under way when a pike spots the popper. Haggerty lures has numerous northern flies for sale and I recommend purchasing several of those if you are new to northern fly fishing.
Pike Dead Baiting
Pike dead baiting is increasing in popularity and this type of fishing has been developed and greatly improved over the last few years. With this type of fishing, you arrange a dead bait rig and then throw at an angle into hot spots. There are many ways to arrange the pike bait so that it is presented to the pike in the depths or position where you want it. When fishing in this way you can have lots of additional equipment such as fishing bite indicators, a telescopic landing net, rod stands, keep nets, and many other things to improve and take care of the catch.
Good treatment of the caught fish is a high priority among these sport fishermen. A dead bait-fish is a very good way of catching pikes since this is an easy meal for a pike and most pike will not hesitate to grab it when they spot dead bait in their hunting wanderings. Many anglers puncture the dead bait so the smell of it alone will attract some pike which could be stationary nearby, since a pike has a well developed sense of smell.
Pike Spinners/ Spinnerbaits
Pike spinners come in many varieties and have been well-developed. Ordinary spinners consist of an oblong body, hooks and a rotating blade on the top. Spinners function well for small pike but pike spinners with some colorful feathers at the hooks that are retrieved slowly are more popular among pike. Mepps (black and yellow) or Abu reflex are extremely good pike spinners.
Spinnerbaits developed from ordinary spinners and are very effective in weedy waters or water that has a lot of snags. They consist of a 90 degree bent wire with rotating blades at one end and a big flashy and colorful skirt of hair or feathers with trebble hooks inside it on the other end. Llungen lures and Blue fox make very good spinnerbaits for pike and these are a good choice.
Spinners imitate prey fish and attract pike by sending visual impressions and vibrating signals to the pike since they are sensitive to all kind of vibrations in the water. These northern pike lures are often used by new and young sport fishermen and are a good choice because they usually attract several types of predator fish as perch, pike, bass and walleye.
Pike Ice Fishing
In the wintertime all fish eat very little and their metabolism is slow. They do not grow at all and therefore their appetite is very poor but they do eat sometimes and anglers usually catch them with dead bait or many kinds of pike jigs.
Ice fishing can be a test of patience and often you don't see many fish under the ice , but it can be very rewarding as well. I recall when we were kids we axed large holes in the ice in shallow areas and we laid on isolating plates with covers over the head. This way we could see everything down there, and it was amazing. We saw lots of different fish pass by, some sniffing the bait but moving on, while some took the bait. We often saw large pike sniffing and studying our pike fishing lures before they moved on, but we caught some of those too.
I highly recommend this as this is another exiting aspect to type of fishing. Pike ice fishing jigs are a good choice and swimming jigs are most effective in my opinion. I recommend jigging rapala or jigging shad rap. Jigging spoons are also good. Bomber or Dick Nite make great pike lures.
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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Two For the Spring - Flounder and Sheepshead Make Their Return
Many Texas fishermen associate the fall with migrating flounder and their reentry into the bays in the spring is often overlooked. This is usually because speckled trout fishing takes center stage about this time of year, so it's easy to lose sight of flounder during one of the best times of the year to pursue them.
Flounder can be caught on live bait, dead bait, artificial, flies and plastic baits but sometimes it can be frustrating in attempting to actually get a hookup. Often the flounder will bite a lure and tenaciously hang on to it, even though not hooked, all the way to the boat. Just as you prepare to slide him into the net, the flounder releases the lure. Being quick with the net can sometimes allow you to beat him at this game. One thing to remember if a flounder pulls this trick on you is that he has likely just settled to the bottom very close to where you last saw it. Sometimes the flounder will eagerly hit again if you toss the lure out and drag it back through the area.
The same holds true if you feel the quick light taps of a flounder bite on your lure, but it doesn't take it. If you stop the lure and wait a few seconds, he might decide he's killed the prey and come back for a second pickup. If there's no activity, a cast back to the same area might let you get a second bite at the apple.
Another fish making its presence at passes and in the bays in the spring is the sheepshead. This is a one time event each year to see them in such concentrated numbers. Not only do the majority of fishermen overlook sheepshead, many apparently either think they are not edible, or at least, too much trouble to clean. While the latter may be somewhat true, they are certainly edible and quite tasty.
So, if by mistake, one makes its way onto your hook this spring, instead of the flounder or red you were hoping for, don't be afraid to take it home and fry some up with the other catch. I think you will be surprised.
Flounder and sheepshead can both be caught around piers, but that's most likely going to be the preferred habitat of sheepshead. Sheepshead also like to feed around oyster reefs and structure such as jetties and groins. Look for flounder at passes between lakes and bays, along the Intracoastal and other channels, and along coastal marsh that is drained by tidal currents.
Flounder can be caught on live bait, dead bait, artificial, flies and plastic baits but sometimes it can be frustrating in attempting to actually get a hookup. Often the flounder will bite a lure and tenaciously hang on to it, even though not hooked, all the way to the boat. Just as you prepare to slide him into the net, the flounder releases the lure. Being quick with the net can sometimes allow you to beat him at this game. One thing to remember if a flounder pulls this trick on you is that he has likely just settled to the bottom very close to where you last saw it. Sometimes the flounder will eagerly hit again if you toss the lure out and drag it back through the area.
The same holds true if you feel the quick light taps of a flounder bite on your lure, but it doesn't take it. If you stop the lure and wait a few seconds, he might decide he's killed the prey and come back for a second pickup. If there's no activity, a cast back to the same area might let you get a second bite at the apple.
Another fish making its presence at passes and in the bays in the spring is the sheepshead. This is a one time event each year to see them in such concentrated numbers. Not only do the majority of fishermen overlook sheepshead, many apparently either think they are not edible, or at least, too much trouble to clean. While the latter may be somewhat true, they are certainly edible and quite tasty.
So, if by mistake, one makes its way onto your hook this spring, instead of the flounder or red you were hoping for, don't be afraid to take it home and fry some up with the other catch. I think you will be surprised.
Flounder and sheepshead can both be caught around piers, but that's most likely going to be the preferred habitat of sheepshead. Sheepshead also like to feed around oyster reefs and structure such as jetties and groins. Look for flounder at passes between lakes and bays, along the Intracoastal and other channels, and along coastal marsh that is drained by tidal currents.
Bottom Bouncers For Walleye Fishing
Bottom Bouncers for walleye fishing have been a staple on the Columbia River for as long as I can remember. Made out of wire, these weights allow you to get your bait down where the walleye are hanging out. If you are using live bait, worm harnesses, or even plastics you should seriously consider bottom bouncing.
Bottom Bouncers in the traditional sense come with a fixed arm that attaches to your main line. Your weight will hang down with a wire running through the lead and it will allow you to connect a worm harness or any type of presentation you want to present.
Many fisherman have used three way swivels to get their bait in front of walleye and it works, however if you are fishing a river that is swift, full of rocks or snags, then a bottom bouncer is definitely worth a try. That wire which hangs down allows your bait and weight to skip over the top of rocks and hopefully not wedging itself between rocks.
Bottom Bouncers come in many different shapes and sizes. We prefer weights in the 2-4 ounce range in a torpedo shape because the Columbia River is a fast moving river and we need our presentation to skip along the bottom. We use these types of worm harnesses:
* smiley blades
* dakota blades
* colorado blades
* walleye pops
* spin n glows
Different colored weights have never been a primary concern for us because we don't want our fish attracted to the weights, we want walleye going after the bait.
If you ever get snagged up and you will, don't forget to move the boat back towards the snag and wait till you are past your bottom walker before you start pulling hard. Over at River Walleye Fishing, you can get a more detailed approach on how to beat that snag. Bottom Bouncers For Walleye Fishing.
Bottom Bouncers in the traditional sense come with a fixed arm that attaches to your main line. Your weight will hang down with a wire running through the lead and it will allow you to connect a worm harness or any type of presentation you want to present.
Many fisherman have used three way swivels to get their bait in front of walleye and it works, however if you are fishing a river that is swift, full of rocks or snags, then a bottom bouncer is definitely worth a try. That wire which hangs down allows your bait and weight to skip over the top of rocks and hopefully not wedging itself between rocks.
Bottom Bouncers come in many different shapes and sizes. We prefer weights in the 2-4 ounce range in a torpedo shape because the Columbia River is a fast moving river and we need our presentation to skip along the bottom. We use these types of worm harnesses:
* smiley blades
* dakota blades
* colorado blades
* walleye pops
* spin n glows
Different colored weights have never been a primary concern for us because we don't want our fish attracted to the weights, we want walleye going after the bait.
If you ever get snagged up and you will, don't forget to move the boat back towards the snag and wait till you are past your bottom walker before you start pulling hard. Over at River Walleye Fishing, you can get a more detailed approach on how to beat that snag. Bottom Bouncers For Walleye Fishing.
Cold Weather and Low Tides - The Perfect Time to Head For the Flats
There are often very low tides on the Texas Gulf Coast each winter due to strong "northers" that blow the water out of the bays. The low tides and cold water, however, deliver some of the better fishing conditions for the flats than any other time of year.
When temperatures drop near or below freezing, gamefish and bait will concentrate in deep water sanctuaries wherever it can be found. During the first two days of a norther, tidal currents will be minimal to nonexistent depending on the force of the wind. Starting the third day, however, a rapid improvement in conditions begins to occur and this is often the day that many anglers will head offshore almost guaranteed a high speed ride on slick water.
Back in the bay, the moderating weather and high pressure that sets in also presents great opportunities to flats fishermen. After sitting near bottom for two days with limited activity and food, reds and trout begin to emerge from the depths and venture upon flats and shallow reefs seeking the sun's warmth and a bite to eat. On cold mornings it's not necessary to be on the water at the crack of dawn. Instead, wait until the sun has risen enough to offer some solace to the cold fish. Generally, that will be around 9:00 or 10:00.
During this period of low water, it's often very easy to spot fish sitting on the flats in crystal clear water and conversely it's easier for them to spot you as well. Fish hanging in very shallow water can be very tricky to approach without spooking. A kayak would be the most stealthy of choices followed by wading and then drifting or poling a skiff. Trolling motors will sometimes scatter fish or heard them ahead of the boat and just out of sight and casting range. But at times they can be operated very effectively in shallow water, if done gently.
One thing to keep in mind when running the bays or flats in the winter is that the bay's bottom will be a lot closer to the hull than in the summer. Oyster reefs, lost crab traps, old tires, sunken logs, and who knows what else, are all waiting to take a bite if you're careless. Another thing to remember is to always wear a life jacket when running a boat. While there are fewer boating accidents in the winter, they are more likely to produce fatal results due to hypothermia.
Fishing on the Texas flats in winter can be better than any other time year. This is especially true in upper bay regions of the middle coast that aren't usually crystal clear. It can be a challenge to fish during winter, but it can be the best time of year, too!
When temperatures drop near or below freezing, gamefish and bait will concentrate in deep water sanctuaries wherever it can be found. During the first two days of a norther, tidal currents will be minimal to nonexistent depending on the force of the wind. Starting the third day, however, a rapid improvement in conditions begins to occur and this is often the day that many anglers will head offshore almost guaranteed a high speed ride on slick water.
Back in the bay, the moderating weather and high pressure that sets in also presents great opportunities to flats fishermen. After sitting near bottom for two days with limited activity and food, reds and trout begin to emerge from the depths and venture upon flats and shallow reefs seeking the sun's warmth and a bite to eat. On cold mornings it's not necessary to be on the water at the crack of dawn. Instead, wait until the sun has risen enough to offer some solace to the cold fish. Generally, that will be around 9:00 or 10:00.
During this period of low water, it's often very easy to spot fish sitting on the flats in crystal clear water and conversely it's easier for them to spot you as well. Fish hanging in very shallow water can be very tricky to approach without spooking. A kayak would be the most stealthy of choices followed by wading and then drifting or poling a skiff. Trolling motors will sometimes scatter fish or heard them ahead of the boat and just out of sight and casting range. But at times they can be operated very effectively in shallow water, if done gently.
One thing to keep in mind when running the bays or flats in the winter is that the bay's bottom will be a lot closer to the hull than in the summer. Oyster reefs, lost crab traps, old tires, sunken logs, and who knows what else, are all waiting to take a bite if you're careless. Another thing to remember is to always wear a life jacket when running a boat. While there are fewer boating accidents in the winter, they are more likely to produce fatal results due to hypothermia.
Fishing on the Texas flats in winter can be better than any other time year. This is especially true in upper bay regions of the middle coast that aren't usually crystal clear. It can be a challenge to fish during winter, but it can be the best time of year, too!
Fly Fishing For Beginners
Anglers interested in learning the art of fly fishing and practicing their skills on a half-mile section of Cold Creek at the Castalia State Fish Hatchery are encouraged to enter a lottery for beginning fly-fishing clinics.
There are 135 slots available for the popular program, which includes morning and afternoon sessions each Friday from April 24 to June 5. Anglers vertical jigging are doing OK also. Shore fishing can be decent if you get to a place where there are drop-offs, such as Block House, the Cattleguards or Spider Point. Anglers hook maybe one striped bass for every dozen sturgeon.
Anglers generally find the best fishing two hours before and after a high tide, but fish and other animals also become active around the time of low tide.
Beginners should remember they are banned from fishing for black rockfish, lingcod, greenling and cabezon, leaving surfperch and a few other species open. Chinook angling remains open and catches have been fair to good out of Brookings.
Fly Fishermen should take two or three steps and repeat this swing process after every other cast. Use this swing-step combination all the way upstream until all the water in the run is covered.
Bass Pro isn't dedicated to fly fishing, and their poor quality/selection of fly tackle is evidence of this. I would never recommend anyone go the White River route, especially for a first purchase.
Bass fishing is improving. Use swimbaits in the creek arms. Bass fly fishing has become an increasingly popular sport, and most anglers will agree that it's not just about catching fish.
Some anglers would even regard fly fishing as a kind of religion, and most consider it a relaxing pastime that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life.
Bass fishing has picked up again, although the slow approach with jigs, dart-headed and Carolina-rigged plastic worms still is the best bet.
Bass fishing has been slow, but as temperatures climb, look for fish to go into their prespawn mode. That makes them vulnerable to sight fishing on the beds.
There are 135 slots available for the popular program, which includes morning and afternoon sessions each Friday from April 24 to June 5. Anglers vertical jigging are doing OK also. Shore fishing can be decent if you get to a place where there are drop-offs, such as Block House, the Cattleguards or Spider Point. Anglers hook maybe one striped bass for every dozen sturgeon.
Anglers generally find the best fishing two hours before and after a high tide, but fish and other animals also become active around the time of low tide.
Beginners should remember they are banned from fishing for black rockfish, lingcod, greenling and cabezon, leaving surfperch and a few other species open. Chinook angling remains open and catches have been fair to good out of Brookings.
Fly Fishermen should take two or three steps and repeat this swing process after every other cast. Use this swing-step combination all the way upstream until all the water in the run is covered.
Bass Pro isn't dedicated to fly fishing, and their poor quality/selection of fly tackle is evidence of this. I would never recommend anyone go the White River route, especially for a first purchase.
Bass fishing is improving. Use swimbaits in the creek arms. Bass fly fishing has become an increasingly popular sport, and most anglers will agree that it's not just about catching fish.
Some anglers would even regard fly fishing as a kind of religion, and most consider it a relaxing pastime that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life.
Bass fishing has picked up again, although the slow approach with jigs, dart-headed and Carolina-rigged plastic worms still is the best bet.
Bass fishing has been slow, but as temperatures climb, look for fish to go into their prespawn mode. That makes them vulnerable to sight fishing on the beds.
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