More than one way to catch big Pike!

by Jeff Andersen

Slimmers, Jack Fish, Pickerel, also known as the Northern Pike (Esox lucius), swim the depths of many lakes through out the frozen belt of the US and into Canada. You can call them what you want but there is no doubt they are one of the most exciting fresh water fish to catch through the ice.

Destination: Lake of the Woods on the northern border of Minnesota and Canada
When someone asked me where he or she have the best chance to catch a 20-pound pike I point North and tell him or her Lake of the Woods. A monster of a lake, which is approximately 320,000 acres, just on the Minnesota side but don’t let that intimidate you! Undoubtedly the best time is during the late ice period as the fish “stage” to spawn. This usually starts towards the end of February and early March. There are endless amounts of river tributaries that flow into Lake of the Woods and these are the areas to focus on. You can find these with a simple map search online or with a paper map.

Presentation:
The name of the game is finding how deep the fish are. This can change by the day and sometime by the hour. I have caught fish in 20 feet of water and fish with only a foot of water between the ice and bottom of the lake. Simply the most effective way to find where these fish are is by providing a large spread of tip ups. We usually try and make a line shallow that runs deep. There are two types of strike indicators we use. One is a traditional tip up and the other is Clam’s Arctic Warrior Tip Up. The best part of the Arctic Warrior is you get to do battle with these monster pike on a fishing rod rather then hand over hand approach. It’s truly an innovative system, which allows you to place the fishing rod into the harness, set your bait, set the flag and sit back and watch. When the fish strikes the flag goes up and the rod tips down. I would highly recommend using the Jason Mitchell Mackinaw Series Rod. This is the perfect action with just enough power to handle the hard fighting fish. Using this set up allows me to set the hook as soon as I get to the flag not allowing the fish to each the bait all the way down its throat.

Being Mobile:
If your not catching fishing it’s usually because you’re not fishing where they are. So having a good organized system is a must! Be willing to pack up and move the flags to different depths covering as much water can be the name of the game!

If you are interested in a guided Pike Adventure visit our website at www.LeisureOudoorAdventures.com.
Jeff Andersen
Clam Pro Staffer
Year Round Fishing Guide