By Mark Romanack
Name
a fish species that grows big, is exceptionally powerful, has an aggressive
nature and is abundant throughout their natural range. The answer is the
northern pike and while these fish have all these attributes and more, many
anglers turn a blind eye towards the species. Not many anglers seem to
recognize the value of pike, the stubborn fight these fish provide or the mild
flavor of their firm and flaky flesh.
For
those who do appreciate the pike, there are almost no limits to the places they
can be fished or the recreational value this species provides. Found all across
the Midwest, the Upper Great Lakes and in Canada, pike are out there just
waiting to be appreciated.
PIKE THE ANIMAL
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| Pike are most often caught by casting tactics, but trolling is one of the best ways to target adult fish that quickly abandon the shallows as water temperatures warm above 60 degrees. Visible just behind the author’s right shoulder is the Off Shore Tackle Mini Board that was used to present a crankbait out to the side of the boat. |
The
pursuit of food becomes the primary concern of northern pike once the spawning
ritual is complete. Often walleye, suckers and perch in route to their own
spawning haunts run head long into northerns bent on filling their guts.
Pike
are in part a misunderstood species because most anglers rarely encounter adult
fish. Instead these anglers run head long into young and often aggressive pike
that are typically found near weed beds, shorelines with plenty of fallen
trees, marshy edges, patches of bulrush, rocky points and boulder strewn
shorelines. Adult pike only inhabit and
feed in these shallow water haunts for a brief time immediately following
spawning. As soon as the water temperatures creep up above 60 degrees, adult
fish favor hunting grounds that feature a well stocked food pantry located in
deeper and cooler water.
The types of food
available in any given water plays a major role in where adult pike will be
found. Lakes that have lots of crayfish will find northern pike foraging near
rocky shorelines that taper into deep water, around the tip of long points,
submerged rock islands, piers and sea walls made of rock.
If
there are lots of smelt, alewives, ciscoes, shad or emerald shiners in a
particular lake, these baitfish tend to suspend in the water column and so will
pike. Trolling in open water is one of the most overlooked opportunities for
targeting adult pike.
Waters
that have perch or walleye living along defined weed beds will also attract
adult pike. Emerging weeds growing on 8-10 foot flats are also great places to
look for pike while the water temperature is cool. Even better, weed edges that
taper into deep water represent the kinds of places that adult pike hang out
from spring into the summer months.
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Big pike don't live in the same places as their
younger and smaller relatives. To find big
pike in the late spring and summer, anglers
must target deeper and cooler waters; and
trolling is the most practical means of
covering large amounts of water in search of
giants like this.
|
Adult
pike are like walleye in that they are seemingly always on the move in search
of forage. Also like walleye, pike can be found anywhere in the water column
from near the surface to tight to bottom. Because you never know exactly where
pike will turn up, trolling becomes a highly productive means of searching the
water column for active fish.
It’s
important to approach the subject of trolling with an eye towards covering both
the vertical water column and also using planer boards to gain more horizontal
coverage. Using boards converts ordinary power trolling tactics into a deadly
one/two punch that literally saturates the water column with lures.
A WORD ON BOARDS
In-line
boards like the popular Off Shore Tackle OR12 Side-Planer are ideal for most
pike trolling situations. Inexpensive and easy to fish, simply let out a
favorite lure behind the boat and then attach the board directly to the fishing
line via the pinch pad style line releases that come standard on the OR12. When
a fish is hooked, the planer board will respond by dragging backwards in the
water as the fish struggles to escape. The board and fish are reeled in
together. When the board comes within reach of the boat, it is quickly removed
from the line and the fight continued.
In-line
boards cost around $30.00 each. An investment of $120.00 and four boards is an
ideal starting point for anyone interested in getting involved with in-line
board trolling.
CRANKBAITING PIKE
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| Minnow diving crankbaits like these are among the best lures for summer time pike trolling. |
Just
about any crankbait will catch pike, but the best models tend to feature long
slender body profiles. An assortment of both shallow and deep diving models
makes it possible to cover the vertical water column effectively.
In
the shallow diving category some top baits include the Reef Runner Ripstick,
Rapala Husky Jerk, Storm ThunderStick, Smithwick Rattlin’ Rogue, Yo-Zuri
Crystal Minnow and Bomber Long A. A few deep diving minnow baits including the
Rapala Deep Husky Jerk, Storm Deep Jr. ThunderStick, Reef Runner Deep Little
Ripper, Reef Runner 800 series, Bomber 24 A, Yo-Zuri Deep Diving Crystal Minnow
and the Rebel Spoonbill.
LEADERS AND LINES
When
trolling crankbaits for pike, a steel leader should not be used. Metal leaders
tend to rob crankbaits of their action. Because the lures are moving when the
fish strikes, crankbaits rarely end up deep inside the pike’s mouth. Bite offs
when pike trolling are not usually a problem. Simply attach the crankbait to
the line using a round snap and check the line often to guard against nicks or
abrasions that could cause the line to fail.
Quality
monofilament lines ranging in size from 12-17 pound test are ideal for pike
trolling. Line diameter is a handy tool for controlling the running depth of
crankbaits. Use the thinner diameter lines when it’s necessary to get
crankbaits deep and the larger diameter lines when fishing around cover or to
minimize diving depth.
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| Trophy walleye like this are a welcome bonus when trolling for northern pike. Both species commonly inhabit the same waters and both often suspend to feed on alewives, gizzard shad and other pelagic forage minnows. |
Big
pike are tough to come by in all but the most remote waters. In the same token,
lots of lakes have too many small northern pike. In many states and also across
Canada special harvest restrictions are becoming common aimed at solving both
these pike fishing problems. In lakes that have too many small northerns,
special “no size limit” management efforts are used to remove abundant numbers
of small fish.
In
other lakes the harvest of adult fish is closely regulated through “slot
limits” to allow these fish the time they need to grow to adult size. These
special harvest and management rules are essential in maintaining and improving
pike fishing for future generations.
While
pike appear tough, these fish are exceptionally delicate and require careful
handling. For fish that are to be released it’s best to leave the fish in the
water and use a needle nose pliers to pop the hook free.
If
a fish must be netted, put the fish into an aerated livewell for a few minutes
to allow the fish to recover completely before releasing the fish.
