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Catching
Winter Pike
By Mike Mladenik
Walleyes are popular with winter anglers, but they can be
unpredictable. Often a first ice frenzy occurs, but once the ice
thickens and cold weather sets in walleyes can be tough to come
by. Feeding periods can occur as occasional fronts move in, but on
average walleye fishing is not for those who seek fast action.
Once walleye action slows,
I have learned to switch over to northern pike.
Unlike
walleyes, the pike action improves
as we move into midwinter. At first ice small pike can be active
but the large pike head for deep water and are inactive. On some
lakes midwinter is the only time when big pike are vulnerable to
fishermen. Big females feel the need to feed and are no longer
timid about hitting your bait. Many a unsuspecting ice angler has
hauled a huge pike out of their favorite lake. Most trophy pike
caught each winter are an accident. So for the fisherman with a
game plan, these trophy pike can become a reality.
Though
pike are present in just about every lake in Wisconsin and upper
Michigan, only a few have trophy potential. A proper balance of
preferred forage and competition from other predators like muskies
is important. Remember, every lake doesn’t grow trophy pike. Of
the few trophy lakes, only a few are prime for midwinter pike. The
actual numbers of big pike in a lake is not the most important
factor when picking a lake. Of course, the more big pike present,
the better your odds will be for a trophy.
One lake can have a high population of large pike but
fishing can be tough. These lakes are usually shallow weedy lakes
with an abundance of forage. Forage can include, shiners, chubs,
suckers, perch and walleye. The
more available forage in the lake, the tougher the fishing. Large
pike have no problem finding a meal, and have no reason to strike
your baits. Action for numbers of pike is good, due to the overall
population, but finding big fish is though.
For lunker pike fish deep clear water lakes. Most
deep, clear natural lakes have a limited forage base. On
larger lakes ciscoes and whitefish are the most abundant forage.
On lakes under 500-acres look for pike to feed heavily on perch,
panfish or shiners. During
the open water period the clear water can make fishing for these
big pike difficult. Except spring and fall, few fishermen even
bother pursuing pike on such lakes. Although the overall
population of large pike may be low, they cooperate well at this
time. By midwinter forage is at a premium and big pike begin to go
on the prowl.
The
secret to finding the larger pike is understanding the forage base
within the lake. You must determine the primary forage and
understand how the baitfish relate to various structures. If
ciscoes whitefish are present, look for pike to work deeper
structure. When perch and panfish are the main meal, pike can make
moves into shallow water.
Both
large and small clear water lakes are productive and choosing a
lake to fish will depend on what is available in your area. Larger
lakes might have several trophy pike but locating them might be
difficult unless you know the lake well. There can be many places
where large pike can hold in the winter. Look for humps adjacent
to deep water to hold the largest pike. The deeper the hump the
larger the pike. Baitfish will suspend off the edges of these
humps. Unfortunately, finding such humps will take both effort and
much of your time. Points and deep weedlines are also productive and can again
be difficult to locate. Spend
your time looking for baitfish and not pike. Once you locate a
school of baitfish, large pike will be in the vicinity.
If
possible try to fish the smaller lakes. Although there may
be less big pike present in a small lake, they can be more
concentrated and easy to locate. Even lakes under 200-acres have
been known to produce huge winter pike. In fact, I
know of a 150-acre lake that has given up one 20-pound
pike. To ensure the
quality fishery continues, catch and release should be practiced
on the larger pike. If you are after a meal, spend time catching a
pale full of panfish. With perch and panfish being the preferred
forage on these lakes, often large pike will move into shallow
water. However, they will seldom venture far from deep water. If
weeds are present, than by all means they should be fished first.
Look for outside and inside turns within the weeds to attract the
larger pike. Another potential hot spot is where weeds mix with a
rock point or offshore hump. If the weeds fail to produce or they
are nonexistent, than work rock points or humps.
With structure being limited, even the slightest point or
smallest hump can hold a big pike.
The
smart ice fisherman will utilize both tip-ups and jigging
presentations. When setting up, try to fish both the shallow and
deep edge of the structure or weedline. The active fish will be
shallow and aggressive. Drill a series of holes and start jigging
with a spoon or jigging Rapala. Set at least one tip up along the
deep edge and one along the weedline.
If you find active fish deep, move another tip up with a
large shiner of smelt to the deep water. Most of the time jigging
will out produce live bait if the pike are active in the weeds.
Even if you find active pike in the weeds, always leave on tip-up
in deep water. When pike are
deep, live bait is the way to go.
Look for major movements in late afternoon. Pike can leave
deep water and head for the weeds. I have experienced peak feeding
periods to dusk. Unlike big walleye, large pike are less active
after dark. If the pike are hitting at dusk, then
by all means stick it out until the action stops. Big fish
have a tendency not to follow the book, so anything is possible.
Prevailing
weather conditions can greatly affect pike feeding periods.
Similar to open water conditions, large pike are less active under
bright skies. Overcast conditions are by far the most productive
periods. The only time bright skies are productive is under
warming trends in late winter. My records have shown that most
trophy pike are taken in pre-frontal conditions. Major snow storms
can be prime for producing large pike. After the front passes and
the temperature drops, expect tough fishing.
When
fishing post-frontal conditions, down size your bait when using
tip-ups. Often walleye size minnows are most productive. The bite
can be light so set your tip-ups accordingly. When jigging, also
try to down size your spoons. Use a drop and fall presentation as
opposed to a vigorous jigging motion. Fishing the post-frontal
conditions may be tough, but it is still possible to take a large
pike. Stick with small lakes at this time.
Don’t pass up the early ice
action once December arrives. For those who have limited
experience or want to learn more there is no better time. For
information on my winter guide service call 715-854-2055, e-mail mladfish@ez-net.com
or see my web page www.fishinginfo.com/go/mikemladenik
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