Techniques on Catching the Northern Pike

Pike fishing is one of the most thrilling and fast action you can find in northern lakes as northern pike, or also referred to as wolves, gators, freshwater sharks, dragons, or toothies, are ravenous eaters, aggressive fighters, and are not that commonly sought out by anglers. The fish is trophy material not only because of the size they can grow to but because of the challenge catching them poses for any angler. If you want to take up the challenge of catching the sharp-toothed game fish, here are some tips and techniques to consider: 

Gearing Up to Catch Northern Pike

• Rod - Fishing for pike can be done with a simple spinning rod. A medium-heavy action rod is your best bet as it fits with most pike lures. The fish do not require too much finesse when you’re fishing for them so it’s best to start simple. If you want to do some trolling, a slightly longer, heavy action spinning rod will do. The thing to remember is to get rods that have sufficient backbone, as it will help you cast farther and let you have more control when you fight the fish.
• Reel - Having a drag system with a maximum drag of 15 lbs is ideal to land pike. For trolling, a drag of at least 25 lbs is preferred. The additional drag helps with larger swim-bait lures that generate extra tension on the line. 
• Line - You need to use a strong enough mainline as pike have sharp teeth that can break through some lines easily. Monofilament or braided lines that can withstand 15 to 30 lbs tests are good choices. 
• Leader - Using wire leaders will decrease the chance the fish will bite off when you snag them. A modern titanium leader is one of the best options as it’s very strong, smooth and can be knotted. It also can be used with lures or baitfish. You should use a wire leader of at least 25 to 30 lbs test and is at least 10 inches in length for spinning or 15 inches for baitcasting. A decent job can also be done with the right fluorocarbon leader.
• Net - A big landing net of 20 to 36 inches is ideal so you’ll be able to make sure you have enough room to keep a possible big catch. Rubber mesh landing nets are commonly used for pike as they make unhooking the fish easy and the treble hooks won’t get tangled with them.
• Lures - Surface lures and daredevil lures like being hit up by pike. Spoons, soft plastic swim-baits, inline spinners and jitterbugs also work well in enticing pike as they grab attention yet blend in with the environment. The best colors to lure in pike are chartreuse, red, yellow, and white.
• Pliers - It’s helpful to have a pair of long needle-nose pliers, a jaw spreader, and a fish lip gripper as it makes removing the hook from the pike safer and easier. You can also get an unhooking mat to protect the vulnerable skin of fish and slime coating when you bring it to land. 

When and Where to Fish Northern Pike

Northern pike are best found near any type of aquatic vegetation as it provides them a perfect ambush point for their prey that also like being near it. Look for shallower and weedy areas or look for covers or growths like reeds, lily pads, grass, wild rice beds or overhanging trees and bushes. Fish near the margins as they offer more vegetation and the water is warmer. During cooler seasons, fish over drop-offs in lakes as there will be schools of baitfish swimming around, luring in pike. When you’re fishing for pike in rivers, head to the deep backwaters and use live or dead bait to attract them. You can also target pike in bigger lakes in open water as they confidently hunt in those areas. 

During the summer, pike are most active in the early hours of the day. Another great time to catch pike is during dusk as the low light gives the predators an ideal environment to hunt. Smaller fish are also active during this time, so you can find pike going into a feeding frenzy. You can also go night fishing for pike as they settle in shallow water, though it takes a lot of preparation. The best weather to fish for pike is when either there are clouds, light rain, south or south-western winds, mild temperatures, pre-storm fronts or sudden shifts from high to low pressure. For ice fishing, it’s best to head out during the daytime as you cannot get much action when the light’s gone. It’s also safer to ice fish for pike when the sun is out and there are other people around. 

Additional Tips

1. Cover Water - It shouldn’t be hard to find pike as they move aggressively. You shouldn’t stay in one place if you're not getting any action.
2. Use Loud Colors - Pike are attracted to bright colors because they are visual feeders. Baits that generate a lot of vibration and sound also do well in attracting pike. 
3. Use Big Tackle - Northern pike have big eyes so you shouldn’t be hesitant to use a bigger tackle when you want to draw them in. It also helps attract fish from farther than you casted. 
4. Try Different Baits - Playing with different combinations of bait, sinker and spoons can help you deal with the fierce appetites of fish. 
5. Use Banksticks - Banksticks that are two to three feet long can be very useful when you want to do some ledgering or float fishing for pike from the banks.
6. Don’t Fish Too Close to Snags - This could lead to lure loss so you should keep a good enough distance between your lure and any type of snags.
7. Losing Lure is Inevitable - As you’re dealing with aggressive fish or you cast and the lure snags or hits the bottom, it’s inevitable to lose an occasional lure, so bring many with you.
8. Prepare Live Bait in Advance - It’s better to catch your live bait before you go fishing for pike as the fast action you will experience in fishing for them needs your focus. Catching bait fish while fishing for pike is also very difficult as you’d have to compete with the hungry fish.

Now that you have an understanding of the best ways to catch northern pike, you can now try them out and see what works best for you as an angler.