Northern Pike Day

[Eric-Maine]

Dale and I struggled to fire up the smallies today so we settled in to what we refer to as the pike hole. It is a tapering underwater point 20' to 40' foot of water and lousy with pike year after year in November. I was  using 8lb braid paired with an 8 lb seagar floro leader on a 2 power drop shot rod.  Fishing a jackell i shad on an asprin head damiki style fishing on marks on the Lowrance. Dale was doing the same with a silver buddy verticle jigging. First one I hooked came up too easy and broke me off as I was reaching to loosen the drag as it took a look at as and sounded. Looked to be in the 15 lb class. Landed the  2cnd one 4 lbs or so, broke off the next, cut me off, never had a chance. Next on was fun. I saw a deep red line under the boat and dropped. It sank an sank and sank until I realized it was headed. Set the hook, got it headed up and loosened the drag just enough. The drag sang and sang. I would get the fish to the surfacd and it would head south. 4 or 5 times before we got it in the boat. 12lbs

We did catch some smallies intermixed with the toothy critters. 12 or so 2 1/2 -3 1/2 pounds

When we launched in the morning there was an inch of ice in the cove the ramp was at. Luckily the die hards before had broken a path to the lake. Deep water was 44 degree. Shallow water was frozen.


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[Oldfart9999]

An amazing fish, they fight hard, real hard and the bigger ones can put a hurting on your gear. Unless you use steel figure on loosing a bunch of lures. The North East is lousy with them, I've seen summer days where pike caught outnumbered the bass, usually small ones, the bigger pike tend to go deep.
Rodney

[RangerAndBass]

Congrats Eric. Sounds like fun. That's a good looking pike there.

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[Eric-Maine]

Congrats Eric. Sounds like fun. That's a good looking pike there.

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It was fun. I am learning to fish deep with the damiki on fish you can see under the boat. Still not very good at it. Also need to working on using my drag. I haven't used my reels to their fullest. Winnipesaukee and Champlain are getting tough, I need to drop a line size or 2

I am heading south with the boat in a couple of weeks. Are they going to let you out of the north country? We should plan a day on the headwaters this winter.

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[RangerAndBass]

Yes Eric I have done some Lake Ontario drop shotting in 30-40 fow. You do need light line. Its a blast but something I need to do more of.
I can't imagine using that light a line for pike though. Good for you.
No Florida for us this year.  Insurance is tough to get.
Its killing me not getting out to Headwaters.
I'll live vicariously thru your posts this winter!
Good luck

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[BassmanRudy]

Way to go!! Light line action on some BIG toothy fish!! Pike sure are fun to catch!

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[coldfront]

An amazing fish, they fight hard, real hard and the bigger ones can put a hurting on your gear. Unless you use steel figure on loosing a bunch of lures. The North East is lousy with them, I've seen summer days where pike caught outnumbered the bass, usually small ones, the bigger pike tend to go deep.
Rodney

cool water fish.  and those big pike need cold water refuge in summer.  studies around about how higher temps put a lot more stress on those bigger pike.

[Esox obsessed]

Pike and pickerel always put up a good fight
They fight better then any other fish especially after they see the boat, shore you ect

[Donald Garner]

Congrats on the catching there.  Tks for sharing the trip and picture with us.

[Esox obsessed]

You could always just use whatever line you want and a small cheap steel leader
(Managed to get 100 for $15, I personally think the silver ones attract fish, and ive seen bass come up and eat a senko with a steel leader in crystal clear water so they dont care
Also nice catch you could have used the one I caught yesterday for bait