| Mid summer is the most misunderstood time for | | | | If I take this approach and we do not catch any big |
| catching giant Pike. Armed with the correct | | | | pike within an hour the boats that are following often |
| information in your ever increasing arsenal of fishing | | | | start to give up on me and leave. More than once |
| knowledge you can make the so called "dog days" | | | | I've heard those departing mention something to the |
| the most productive time of year for truly monster | | | | effect of "I guess all those big fish he caught on TV |
| size pike. | | | | were fake." Those boats will venture off and likely |
| Please remember I'm intending for everyone from | | | | find a shallow bay and catch a bunch of hammer |
| novice to expert to gain a better understanding of | | | | handles and maybe even a few decent 30-inch fish |
| the how and why of midsummer pike fishing. | | | | maybe even a 40. At days end they'll return with |
| As a guide, when I have new guests I hope that I'll | | | | stories of their catch and I am genuinely happy for |
| have the opportunity to speak with them ahead of | | | | them. Then the guests in my boat tell them about |
| time to discuss their level of skill and preference in | | | | the fish that they caught. At this time of year Big |
| fishing methods. Usually it is simply "we want to catch | | | | Pike Do Not Mix with little pike. There are always |
| big pike or bigger pike or giant pike" this is of course | | | | exceptions to every rule. However in general if you |
| just fine with me. | | | | are catching a bunch of hammer handles the your |
| Each morning while I'm waiting for my guests to | | | | odds are very unlikely that you will catch many large |
| arrive at the dock I make sure that the boat is clean | | | | pike in that area at that time. |
| and organized. As my guests arrive I inspect their | | | | Pull them off the shallows |
| equipment as I help load it into the boat and organize | | | | While we are working this hump I will have my |
| it. Keeping the boat organized is important to a safe | | | | guests take long casts up onto the shallowest part |
| days outing. Many potential problems can be avoided | | | | of the structure. I especially like humps, which top |
| by maintaining a safe "working" area. I'll recommend | | | | out at 4-5 feet and have some cabbage and or |
| placing rods in positions that prevent injury and keep | | | | boulders strewn about. I know exactly where to |
| the rods from falling around which is harmful to the | | | | have my guests cast because I have pre scouted |
| equipment and potentially to the people in the boat. | | | | the area and marked it with a small dark marker |
| In a skiff with bench seats I always lay rods along | | | | buoy. You have also done this - correct? I'll have |
| the side of the boat. I place the reels ahead of the | | | | them use rattle traps which will catch plenty of pike |
| bench. This way when the boat vibrates over waves | | | | up to 36 inches but not many over 40 inches. I also |
| the rods will not fall. Placing the reels on the floor and | | | | have them use Suicks, long minnow baits like Cisco |
| rods leaning on an angle is just a mess waiting to | | | | Kids and shallow diving Rapalas. We'll even work it |
| happen. | | | | over with spinner baits and spoons. In most cases |
| I usually suggest retying knots if they have fished | | | | the Suicks will catch the largest pike. Do not drive |
| the previous day. I will suggest this again several | | | | over the shallowest part of the structure. This is |
| times through out the day. | | | | where your most active pike will move up to feed. In |
| Let's start with the dreaded Post Cold Front | | | | your prescouting you likely noticed that you could |
| Now it is mid summer and let's add a mile high sky 24 | | | | catch a lot of small walleye and perch at this spot. |
| -48 hours after a cold front. We know that 24-48 | | | | This shallow spot will often have a variance in bottom |
| hours after a cold front passes the pike fishing will be | | | | make up. For example if your hump rises out of 20 - |
| slow - right? Usually I will suggest walleye fishing out | | | | 30 feet of water and has a large flat maybe 200 |
| on some mid lake humps for a few hours. This is | | | | yards by 80 yards wide and that flat is 8 to 10 feet |
| usually me with wide-eyed stares "what the pike guy | | | | deep and composed mostly of sand. Look for an |
| wants to catch sissy walleye?" This is followed by | | | | area where it reaches up to 4 or 5 feet and the |
| grumbling or plane outrage. If I am allowed I will use | | | | bottom is made up of rock. Or if there is a patch of |
| my sonar unit (a Lowrance x15 - great unit) to | | | | cabbage in the vicinity that's even better. In short |
| search for pike suspended off the sides of these mid | | | | look for anything different, something for the pike to |
| lake humps. We'll use jigs tipped with minnows and | | | | use as an ambush site. |
| fish exactly as we would if attempting to catch | | | | Pull them out of the deep |
| walleye. In fact we will catch plenty of walleye. | | | | One effective method is to position the boat on the |
| Although I will intentionally move away from the | | | | edge of the drop in 10 feet of water. Use an 8-inch |
| sweet spots on that piece of structure if we are | | | | paddle tail shad on a one-ounce jig. Make long casts |
| catching walleye too quickly especially if they are up | | | | into the deep water. Let the jig drop to the bottom |
| off the bottom and hitting very lightly. If a big pike is | | | | then swim it up the side of the hill. If I don't catch |
| active on a spot the walleye will be laying right on | | | | them on the retrieve I'll keep an eye on my graph. If |
| bottom. If the walleye are on bottom but are biting | | | | I spot a big pike below I'll start jigging again. This is |
| aggressively I deduce that there is plenty of food | | | | effective on big pike and big walleye. |
| for the pike. If the walleye are up off the bottom | | | | Remember the Edges |
| 2-3 feet then an active big pike is not likely at work | | | | As the day wears on and more pike become active |
| at that sweet spot at that particular time. At these | | | | you will catch pike in other places across the flat |
| times it is very likely to have a pike grab a walleye | | | | especially on the edges. The primary edge, secondary |
| as it is retrieved. | | | | edge where it drops into deep water, the weed line |
| I've learned to recognize big pike on my graph. The | | | | edge, mud bottom to sand bottom edge, etc. You |
| most active ones are 1-5 feet off bottom. When I | | | | have undoubtedly recognized by now that the |
| spot an active pike I'll hold the boat over top of it | | | | "edges" are key feeding spots for fish of all kinds |
| and jig for walleye. I will have my guests vary their | | | | and the Giant Pike who eat them. |
| jigs depth from 0 to 9 feet off bottom. Very often | | | | Confidence |
| we'll catch a large pike while we are doing this. I | | | | When fishing tough situations like post cold front and |
| prefer to take this approach for several reasons. First | | | | lakes with less than great numbers of trophy pike |
| I will want some walleye for shore lunch. Second, as | | | | you have to "know " that you are on the right spot. |
| we all know, big pike keep bankers hours and prime | | | | Years of experience have taught me that nothing |
| time is from 10 -4. (Except during a new moon when | | | | replaces years of experience. Articles such as this |
| sunrise and sunset can be dynamite). Third and most | | | | help and give you a starting point in your search for |
| importantly is that this method catches lots of giant | | | | more and more knowledge. What I'm hoping to do is |
| pike. | | | | point you in the right direction. And that is not |
| Quite often I'll have 4 or more clients and they will | | | | toward those hammer handles in the shallow bays. |
| follow in a second or third boat. | | | | Of course the mid lake humps are just one location. |