| Matt Johnson Outdoors On The Hunt For Ice Time Pike |
| Matt Johnson Outdoors |
By: Matt Johnson
Northern Pike are known for their
aggressive nature and dominance
over prey. Pike are also a very
tough fighting fish that like to rip
drag and max out rods. The
explosiveness of hooking a pike in
open water can have similar effects
under the ice. Pike still spend most
of their day searching for their next
meal and they still strike with
vengeance. Pike like to eat and
pike like to eat everything. Dangle
a lively minnow in a pike’s face at it
will get bit. Pound a size 12 jig
tipped with a maggot and a pike
will devour that too. I’m sure we’ve all experienced a time
when we’re out targeting panfish with two-pound test line
coupled with a tiny crappie jig and a ferocious hammer handle
decides to join the party. That always gets my adrenaline
pumping and there is just something about hearing that drag
squeal. Targeting pike through the ice can be a lot of fun and
there are some big fish to be caught. Let’s take a look at some
winter locations and methods for catching Ice Time Pike.
Pike can be found where their food is. This sounds like an
obvious answer and that probably seems that way because it
is. Pike will follow around pods of baitfish, panfish and other
small gamefish. Pike enjoy snacking on a meal of small
bluegills or perch and they do it quite regularly, even in the
arctic winter months. When trying to locate prime pike spots, I
like to find areas where I know panfish and perch tend to
roam. Weedy areas are always good bets for winter pike.
Weeds attract baitfish and small panfish, and as we know,
pike will follow their prey. Pike spend a lot of time cruising a
weed line waiting for an easy meal to present itself. Pike also
like to locate amongst pockets in the shallow weeds or areas
where weeds grow scarce enough for them to aggressively
attack their prey. Panfish have a sense of security amongst
really thick weeds and those are typically areas where you
won’t find a lot of winter pike.
Pike also spend a lot of time cruising flats, both shallow and
deep. Pike like that open space where they have superiority
over their prey. Perch that wander aimlessly over a flat have
no place to go when a hungry pike swims by. Same goes for
baitfish minnows. Some of the largest pike I’ve iced have
come from large flats. Mud, sand, rock and gravel tend to
make of the majority of these flats. Weed flats are common,
but generally these are areas where you will see a lot of your
smaller pike. The larger pike are out near humps and saddles
that are scattered across large open flats. Flats that are
accompanied by deeper water are prime areas as well. Pike
will often time slide off shallower flats into deeper water as
winter begins to wear on.
Underwater points and inside turns are probably one of the
best winter spots for big pike. Areas where you have a large
point that drops into deep water that is connected to or
adjacent to cabbage or vegetation areas. These areas will
sometimes have inside turns where baitfish likes to
congregate. Pike will slide up and down the large point
throughout winter and you can even find some pike holding to
these areas throughout the winter months. Some large points
have all the characteristics of keeping a large pike happy from
early to late ice.
And last but not least, pike will locate near mid-depth
structure. Structure that stands out over the main lake basin
will attract pike. Rock piles, reefs, sunken islands, bars…
these are all areas where you can expect to find winter pike.
Pike will cruise the main lake basin until they see something
they like, or something that draws their attention. More often
then not these areas are holding some sort of baitfish, panfish
or perch.
Locating big pike can sometimes be a waiting game.
Aggressively searching for pike can work at times, but there
are also days when punching a half-dozen holes over a prime
area and waiting it out will out produce hole hopping. When
working a large flat there is no need to punch holes every ten
feet. Covering a hundred yard area might only need three of
four holes. These pike are roaming and are not likely to
situate over a featureless spot for a long period of time. If a
pike is in the area it will stop by and investigate what the
commotion is all about.
I like to jig for pike. My best days on the ice have come from
jigging and my biggest fish have come from jigging. Now, this
doesn’t mean that I don’t use tip-ups, because I still do. I like
to use tip-ups to help me find out what paths or locations the
pike are using more quickly by getting out two lines. If I’m
working a sunken island, then I usually set a tip-up on top or
just on the break of the island and then I’ll work a series of
holes off the island with a jigging rod. Pike like movement and
action and you can often times entice most pike into biting a
moving or quivering lure. Tip-ups are great for the dead-of-
winter when you have negative pike that only want dead bait.
But, when I’m on a hardcore pike hunt I like to take the jigging
rods out. Working a jigging rod and a tip-up can be a deadly
combo and it allows you to cover more water, more effectively.
The lure options available for pike can be endless. Pike will
take a jigging spoon, no doubt about it. A quarter-ounce
jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head has been one of my
go-to pike baits for as long as I can remember. I like a spoon
with a lot of flash and vibration. Spoons that make noise and
get the fish’s attention are very productive. The Flasher
Spoon by JR’s Tackle has been a mainstay of mine for pike
as of late. This particular spoon has a free-moving blade on
both sides of the spoon allowing the blades to bounce against
the spoon creating a lot of noise, flash and vibration. Flutter
spoons also work very well for pike. Spoons like the Scenic
Tackle Angel Eye and the Custom Jigs and Spins Slender
Spoon also account for a lot of winter pike. Spoons are very
versatile and can be fished in a variety of ways and in several
different conditions. I prefer a more aggressive style of jigging
when targeting pike with a jigging spoon. I like to incorporate
a lot of 1-2 foot pops followed by several seconds of shakes
and jiggles. I usually don’t use any pause sequences unless I
get a pike that shows up and just swims around the bait
without eating. The jiggle sequence is usually when the pike
takes the bait.
Another option for pike is swimming lures. Swimming lures can
be fished without any sort of bait at all. Swimming lures are
designed to trigger fish by their natural appeal and action.
Pike will hit a plain Daredevil or Rapala in open water so what
makes things different under the ice? Pike will still strike lures
without bait during the winter as well. The action of a
swimming lure is designed to mimic baitfish and injured
minnows. The circular motion and hops that a swimming lure
gives off when jigged and pumped can really draw in fish from
a distance and cause a lot of reaction strikes. Pike will hit the
lure before they even know what it is that they are eating. You
will find a lot of aggressive strikes when using swimming
lures. Nils Master has a line of swimming lures that have
excellent action and outstanding paint jobs. There are a
variety of options and sizes to choose from and I like to try
and match the forage that’s in the particular lake or body of
water I’m going to fish. For instance, if you know that lake
shiners are the preferred bait in a certain lake then go with a
silver pattern swimming lure. Or if perch are heavily populated
you might want to go with a perch pattern. I like to work a
swimming lure with a lift-fall sequence. A quick 2 foot pump
followed by a return to the original spot. I’ll also add in a few
jiggles and shakes as well. Don’t be afraid to make the lure
quiver or dance while you pull away from a fish if a pike
appears.
Another option for pike is a Flyer jig or Airplane jig. These jigs
are designed to swim in circles and are usually tipped with a
whole minnow through the head. You want the effect of a
dying minnow as you work the bait. Work the jig in a lift-fall
sequence and add in a lot of shakes and jiggles as if falls.
Also incorporate some short, quick snaps when it returns to its
original location. Lead head jigs can be used for pike as well
and shouldn’t be overlooked.
For tip-ups I like to use quick-strike rigs. If I don’t get to set the
hook when a fish bites I want to be sure that a fish is still
going to be there when I get to the hole. A quick-strike rig will
enable you to have confidence that a fish won’t hit and run.
You also get a more natural appeal when rigging up a minnow
or dead bait on a quick-strike rig. A quick-strike rig looks like a
wishbone of sorts. You have almost an upside down V with a
treble hook tied on each end. Usually the V portion of the rig
in made up of some kind of stranded wire or leader. You also
have a blade above each treble hook as well. You attach the
end of your tip-up line (I prefer either coated line or some sort
of Dacron) to the top of the quick-strike rig. Once tied on you
want to position the minnow so the minnow sits in an upright
and natural position when in the water. I like to barely hook
the minnow so it stays alive and can swim. I like to add some
sort of weights about 10 inches up from the quick-strike rig,
which allows me to get the minnow down to the desired depth
and it also helps hold the minnow in place so it’s not
swimming all over.
Locating pike is probably the harder of the two. Once you find
pike they are usually pretty eager to bite. Smaller pike will
stick around panfish filled areas, but the larger pike have a
tendency to move and cruise mid-lake structure and larger
flats. Stay mobile until you find a spot that looks productive
and then give it a few minutes before you move on. If there
are pike in the area, they will stop by to check things out.
Work the jigging rod and tip-up combination. I’m a firm
believer in the effectiveness of using a jigging rod for pike.
You never know what you might have missed if you just set
out two tip-ups and play the waiting game. I can’t honestly
remember the last time when using both a jigging rod and tip-
up that the tip-up out produced the jigging rod. And plus, you
get the adrenaline rush and line stripping action of fighting a
pike on a rod and reel!!
Northern Pike are known for their
aggressive nature and dominance
over prey. Pike are also a very
tough fighting fish that like to rip
drag and max out rods. The
explosiveness of hooking a pike in
open water can have similar effects
under the ice. Pike still spend most
of their day searching for their next
meal and they still strike with
vengeance. Pike like to eat and
pike like to eat everything. Dangle
a lively minnow in a pike’s face at it
will get bit. Pound a size 12 jig
tipped with a maggot and a pike
will devour that too. I’m sure we’ve all experienced a time
when we’re out targeting panfish with two-pound test line
coupled with a tiny crappie jig and a ferocious hammer handle
decides to join the party. That always gets my adrenaline
pumping and there is just something about hearing that drag
squeal. Targeting pike through the ice can be a lot of fun and
there are some big fish to be caught. Let’s take a look at some
winter locations and methods for catching Ice Time Pike.
Pike can be found where their food is. This sounds like an
obvious answer and that probably seems that way because it
is. Pike will follow around pods of baitfish, panfish and other
small gamefish. Pike enjoy snacking on a meal of small
bluegills or perch and they do it quite regularly, even in the
arctic winter months. When trying to locate prime pike spots, I
like to find areas where I know panfish and perch tend to
roam. Weedy areas are always good bets for winter pike.
Weeds attract baitfish and small panfish, and as we know,
pike will follow their prey. Pike spend a lot of time cruising a
weed line waiting for an easy meal to present itself. Pike also
like to locate amongst pockets in the shallow weeds or areas
where weeds grow scarce enough for them to aggressively
attack their prey. Panfish have a sense of security amongst
really thick weeds and those are typically areas where you
won’t find a lot of winter pike.
Pike also spend a lot of time cruising flats, both shallow and
deep. Pike like that open space where they have superiority
over their prey. Perch that wander aimlessly over a flat have
no place to go when a hungry pike swims by. Same goes for
baitfish minnows. Some of the largest pike I’ve iced have
come from large flats. Mud, sand, rock and gravel tend to
make of the majority of these flats. Weed flats are common,
but generally these are areas where you will see a lot of your
smaller pike. The larger pike are out near humps and saddles
that are scattered across large open flats. Flats that are
accompanied by deeper water are prime areas as well. Pike
will often time slide off shallower flats into deeper water as
winter begins to wear on.
Underwater points and inside turns are probably one of the
best winter spots for big pike. Areas where you have a large
point that drops into deep water that is connected to or
adjacent to cabbage or vegetation areas. These areas will
sometimes have inside turns where baitfish likes to
congregate. Pike will slide up and down the large point
throughout winter and you can even find some pike holding to
these areas throughout the winter months. Some large points
have all the characteristics of keeping a large pike happy from
early to late ice.
And last but not least, pike will locate near mid-depth
structure. Structure that stands out over the main lake basin
will attract pike. Rock piles, reefs, sunken islands, bars…
these are all areas where you can expect to find winter pike.
Pike will cruise the main lake basin until they see something
they like, or something that draws their attention. More often
then not these areas are holding some sort of baitfish, panfish
or perch.
Locating big pike can sometimes be a waiting game.
Aggressively searching for pike can work at times, but there
are also days when punching a half-dozen holes over a prime
area and waiting it out will out produce hole hopping. When
working a large flat there is no need to punch holes every ten
feet. Covering a hundred yard area might only need three of
four holes. These pike are roaming and are not likely to
situate over a featureless spot for a long period of time. If a
pike is in the area it will stop by and investigate what the
commotion is all about.
I like to jig for pike. My best days on the ice have come from
jigging and my biggest fish have come from jigging. Now, this
doesn’t mean that I don’t use tip-ups, because I still do. I like
to use tip-ups to help me find out what paths or locations the
pike are using more quickly by getting out two lines. If I’m
working a sunken island, then I usually set a tip-up on top or
just on the break of the island and then I’ll work a series of
holes off the island with a jigging rod. Pike like movement and
action and you can often times entice most pike into biting a
moving or quivering lure. Tip-ups are great for the dead-of-
winter when you have negative pike that only want dead bait.
But, when I’m on a hardcore pike hunt I like to take the jigging
rods out. Working a jigging rod and a tip-up can be a deadly
combo and it allows you to cover more water, more effectively.
The lure options available for pike can be endless. Pike will
take a jigging spoon, no doubt about it. A quarter-ounce
jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head has been one of my
go-to pike baits for as long as I can remember. I like a spoon
with a lot of flash and vibration. Spoons that make noise and
get the fish’s attention are very productive. The Flasher
Spoon by JR’s Tackle has been a mainstay of mine for pike
as of late. This particular spoon has a free-moving blade on
both sides of the spoon allowing the blades to bounce against
the spoon creating a lot of noise, flash and vibration. Flutter
spoons also work very well for pike. Spoons like the Scenic
Tackle Angel Eye and the Custom Jigs and Spins Slender
Spoon also account for a lot of winter pike. Spoons are very
versatile and can be fished in a variety of ways and in several
different conditions. I prefer a more aggressive style of jigging
when targeting pike with a jigging spoon. I like to incorporate
a lot of 1-2 foot pops followed by several seconds of shakes
and jiggles. I usually don’t use any pause sequences unless I
get a pike that shows up and just swims around the bait
without eating. The jiggle sequence is usually when the pike
takes the bait.
Another option for pike is swimming lures. Swimming lures can
be fished without any sort of bait at all. Swimming lures are
designed to trigger fish by their natural appeal and action.
Pike will hit a plain Daredevil or Rapala in open water so what
makes things different under the ice? Pike will still strike lures
without bait during the winter as well. The action of a
swimming lure is designed to mimic baitfish and injured
minnows. The circular motion and hops that a swimming lure
gives off when jigged and pumped can really draw in fish from
a distance and cause a lot of reaction strikes. Pike will hit the
lure before they even know what it is that they are eating. You
will find a lot of aggressive strikes when using swimming
lures. Nils Master has a line of swimming lures that have
excellent action and outstanding paint jobs. There are a
variety of options and sizes to choose from and I like to try
and match the forage that’s in the particular lake or body of
water I’m going to fish. For instance, if you know that lake
shiners are the preferred bait in a certain lake then go with a
silver pattern swimming lure. Or if perch are heavily populated
you might want to go with a perch pattern. I like to work a
swimming lure with a lift-fall sequence. A quick 2 foot pump
followed by a return to the original spot. I’ll also add in a few
jiggles and shakes as well. Don’t be afraid to make the lure
quiver or dance while you pull away from a fish if a pike
appears.
Another option for pike is a Flyer jig or Airplane jig. These jigs
are designed to swim in circles and are usually tipped with a
whole minnow through the head. You want the effect of a
dying minnow as you work the bait. Work the jig in a lift-fall
sequence and add in a lot of shakes and jiggles as if falls.
Also incorporate some short, quick snaps when it returns to its
original location. Lead head jigs can be used for pike as well
and shouldn’t be overlooked.
For tip-ups I like to use quick-strike rigs. If I don’t get to set the
hook when a fish bites I want to be sure that a fish is still
going to be there when I get to the hole. A quick-strike rig will
enable you to have confidence that a fish won’t hit and run.
You also get a more natural appeal when rigging up a minnow
or dead bait on a quick-strike rig. A quick-strike rig looks like a
wishbone of sorts. You have almost an upside down V with a
treble hook tied on each end. Usually the V portion of the rig
in made up of some kind of stranded wire or leader. You also
have a blade above each treble hook as well. You attach the
end of your tip-up line (I prefer either coated line or some sort
of Dacron) to the top of the quick-strike rig. Once tied on you
want to position the minnow so the minnow sits in an upright
and natural position when in the water. I like to barely hook
the minnow so it stays alive and can swim. I like to add some
sort of weights about 10 inches up from the quick-strike rig,
which allows me to get the minnow down to the desired depth
and it also helps hold the minnow in place so it’s not
swimming all over.
Locating pike is probably the harder of the two. Once you find
pike they are usually pretty eager to bite. Smaller pike will
stick around panfish filled areas, but the larger pike have a
tendency to move and cruise mid-lake structure and larger
flats. Stay mobile until you find a spot that looks productive
and then give it a few minutes before you move on. If there
are pike in the area, they will stop by to check things out.
Work the jigging rod and tip-up combination. I’m a firm
believer in the effectiveness of using a jigging rod for pike.
You never know what you might have missed if you just set
out two tip-ups and play the waiting game. I can’t honestly
remember the last time when using both a jigging rod and tip-
up that the tip-up out produced the jigging rod. And plus, you
get the adrenaline rush and line stripping action of fighting a
pike on a rod and reel!!
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