| Feeling the sweet brisk fall breeze being out in the | | | | giant northern pike there. If the smaller ones are |
| open waters is what every man dreams of. The | | | | around, that means they are in no immediate |
| first cast, the first fish, the first smell of landing | | | | danger of being eaten by larger fish, therefore |
| that gigantic northern pike. Feeling the line torpedo | | | | the likelihood of a big pike being around is not |
| off like a cannon shooting a cannonball while your | | | | very good. Giant Northern Pike are very territorial |
| hanging on for dear life, as you get the first | | | | and usually hold in the "prime real estate" of the |
| glimpse of the monster Northern Pike that inhaled | | | | weeds. Prime cabbage real estate can be defined |
| your bait. Have you ever felt these extravagant | | | | as transitional edges of the weed beds such as |
| feelings or if you have and you would like to | | | | drop offs or rocky terrains adjacent to the |
| know and understand more, than this is for you. | | | | weeds, which sometimes can be inside void areas |
| Location....Location...Location... | | | | as well. |
| You need to find a lake that has and is known for | | | | As the fishing season progresses, the key for |
| big pike fishing. There is nothing quite like the lakes | | | | catching larger northern pike is to use larger |
| of Northern and central Manitoba because they | | | | fishing lures. No lure is too large. I have had many |
| are abundant with trophy pike. Once you arrive to | | | | twelve inch fishing lures swallowed all the way |
| the lake, the next question is where do you | | | | down. Large buck tails or jerk baits usually have |
| start? I'm sure you've heard of the rule.... 80% of | | | | the best result. |
| the fish are caught in 20% of the water, and this | | | | One of the most exciting things to see is seeing a |
| rule especially applies here. In late fall the cabbage | | | | giant northern swimming right after your bait, but |
| weeds have established full growth and as fall and | | | | seeing the bite also can be one of the biggest |
| winter approach the pike are looking for a large | | | | downfalls. The most common downfall fishermen |
| meal that will sustain them for the grueling winters | | | | run into is trying to set the hook before they feel |
| that this portion of the globe has. | | | | the bite. Ninety percent of the time if you set the |
| When you spot a good cabbage weed bed, work | | | | hook and you don't feel the bite; you'll not hook |
| the outer edges of the weeds. Approach the | | | | the fish. Always feel the fish before you pull. |
| weeds slowly so you don't scare off the large | | | | The best sign of a good cabbage weed bed is |
| pike. After you have fished the outer weed | | | | when you have set the hook on a monster pike |
| edges, start working the center and then the | | | | and you see numerous weeds getting sawed off |
| backside of the weed bed. | | | | with your line. That is when you know that you |
| If you are catching the smaller pike, although it's | | | | may have hooked a trophy fish of a lifetime. |
| fun, it usually is not a good sign of finding the | | | | |