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11/05/2001
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Article/Press
Release
Hunting Hardwater
Wolves
By Chip Leer
They lurk beneath the surface of
a frozen lake. Cruising a well-defined weedline with reckless
abandon, seeking out prey, exploding like a freight train.
This is
Esox Lucious, a fish with a hefty appetite and bad attitude.
Northern pike are the kings of the underwater domain, posing a
challenge to anyone or anything that dares to enter it. This is
their world. Those of us who invade it can only hope to be
prepared. Big pike seem to welcome the opportunity of going
toe-to-toe with even seasoned ice anglers.
 There
are several keys to consistently pulling big hardwater pike.
While finding a spot with small pike is relatively easy, big pike
follow a different drummer. They are a unique animal, possessing
a mean streak, shoulders, and brute strength matched by few
others. It’s those 15 and 20-pounders we covet, and they live in
very specific quarters.
Selecting
the right body of water is job one. The right combination of lake
characteristics usually guarantees numbers of big northern pike,
not just the occasional giant.
Fertility
is key. Fisheries rich with weed growth and the right forage base
are rookeries for big pike. A healthy population of ciscoes,
perch, tullibee, whitefish, shiners, and even trout provide the
proper base for growing chunky northern pike. Thick beds of
cabbage, coontail, or milfoil provide ideal ambush points for
these scrappy critters. Even during the winter months, when most
greenery lies down, big pike still relate to weeded zones. It’s
their natural setting, a comfort zone of sorts.
Outlets
are another piece of the puzzle. If big females don’t have a
place to propagate in the spring and spawn, you won’t find a
stable population of trophy-caliber pike.
The
consummate big pike lake often carries all the aforementioned
qualities. Skip one, and you might be wasting your time. These
bodies of water usually come with a well-deserved reputation for
producing numbers of big northern pike. Isolate these lakes and
you’ve won half the battle.
With
the right type of fishery in your back pocket, it’s time to go to
work…
Finding
the right weeds is paramount. During the winter months, look for
shallow weeds, ones sprouting in less than 15 feet but still
adjacent to deepwater. Offshore depths often harbor schools of
suspended tullibee, whitefish or other high calorie forage. Pike
will sneak out of their shallow, vegetated surroundings for a
quick meal, and then return to their vegetated safe haven.
Defined
weedlines along breaks are ideal, so are weed covered flats and
sunken islands that sit higher than surrounding waters. Be
careful not to stray too far off the edges, because pike like the
security of cover and tend to stay close to home.
Take time
to find the outside weededge and don’t overlook the inside edge
either, especially if pike seemingly disappear during the day.
Pockets inside the main weed flat can also be lethal. If depth
varies across the flat, work the deeper holes. One or two foot
depth variations on a shallow weed flat can make a huge
difference.
Weedy bays
also tend to hold big pike, but don’t waste your time in those
slop-covered bays that you shot ducks over during the fall.
Rather, look for bays sporting established milfoil or cabbage
beds in at least 5 to 8-feet of water.
Tracking
down huge pike requires speed and efficiency, so approach these
areas with a “got to hit them now” attitude. And travel
well-equipped. Uncovering weededges and pockets can be done
quickly with the aid of a handheld sonar unit like StrikeMaster’s
PolarVision, which shoots directly through the ice.
Once you
find these areas, drill a few holes, and with an underwater
camera, look for the richest greens and tallest weededges. Aqua
Vu’s new Smart-Vu underwater viewing system makes this process
much easier by using compass characters to tell you what direction
the camera is facing.
Pike are
aggressive by nature so it shouldn’t take long to determine if big
fish are present. Don’t waste a lot of time in one area – start
hunting. ON ICE TOUR searches often involve several people, but
even with a small group, we blast tons of holes. The drilling
process is sped up dramatically with StrikeMaster’s new Lazer Mag
Ultra. Spread the holes out; fish as many lines as you can mind,
and the law affords.
The
best presentational approach strikes with a one, two punch. Fire
both barrels – a setline and a heavy jigging rod and reel
combination. The Finicky Fish Factory – an enclosed, heated,
jigging unit – is ideal for setline purposes. Strategically place
the black boxes throughout the targeted range. Rig each with a
large sucker minnow or dead smelt. Don’t be shy about minnow size
either; bigger is usually better.
With the
Finicky’s in place, it’s time to get nasty with a jigging stick.
A stout baitcast style rod with a full-featured reel is of the
utmost importance. Consider Berkley’s 36-inch Lightning Rod with
an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur model 4600C3 spooled with 20-lb test
Fireline.
We’re just
guests in their world, and unwanted guests at that. But even fish
with an attitude can be tamed. And don’t be a bucket-sitter with
the jigging rod. Jump from hole to hole. Give it a little effort;
your work will be rewarded.
Lure
choice? Mix it up and have everyone fish different baits. Put
one guy on a bucktail jig; another with a spoon with rattles;
someone else using a winged swimming jig. I’ll start
with Northland’s Airplane while Tommy works a System’s Flyer.
Dress your pike jigs with three to five inch sucker minnows. When
the fish show preference, switch the rest of the group to that
lure until the action slows, and then mix it up again.
ON ICE
TOUR pros frequently use three to five slow, large, and dramatic
lift and fall sequences. This allows the gliding jig to descend
in a semi-circle, often producing explosive strikes. Pause for a
few a few seconds and do it again. Hold on tight, though, because
pike can embarrass you.
An ice rod
absorbing the fight with no other anglers in sight… Others have
no idea what they’re missing. Should we tell them? I don’t think
so. Some of the greatest thrills in life, such as battling
monster northern pike through the ice, can’t be explained,
instead, need to be experienced. |
