| Spring is an excellent time to fish for Northern | | | | hand held GPS unit to clock your speed. |
| Pike in Canada. Pike spawn right after the ice | | | | Weedless spoons are premium Pike baits this time |
| melts in spring when the water gets up around 40 | | | | of year. You can troll through small patches of |
| F. | | | | weeds without getting snagged up most of the |
| After spawning Northern Pike get very hungry. | | | | time. |
| Pike are naturally aggressive so they are just | | | | I've heard people say you need large baits to |
| voracious this time of year. They will attack | | | | catch large Pike. This may be true in the summer |
| almost anything. I suggest keeping your fingers | | | | but I've seen 20 pounders on up caught in the |
| out of the water as much as possible, seriously. | | | | spring with an average sized Pike spoon. The |
| I’ve seen a pike lunge out of the water to | | | | Johnson Silver Minnow is an excellent weedless |
| attack a silver spoon dangling from the side of | | | | spoon; just make sure you sharpen the hook. |
| our canoe. I had reeled up my line and sat my | | | | I like to sharpen my hooks with a jewelers file I |
| pole down so my dad could catch the pike he had | | | | keep in my tackle box. No matter what you use |
| on. | | | | make sure it works well and keep all your Pike |
| I noticed the waves were splashing my lure just | | | | lures sharp. Those monster Pike have extremely |
| above the water. My reel caught the side of the | | | | thick teeth plates on the roof part of their mouth. |
| canoe and made a huge bang. The noise surprised | | | | You may have to penetrate that thick pad and if |
| me but my reel kept my rod from going | | | | your lure doesn't have a needle sharp hook it isn't |
| overboard and I actually caught the fish. He was | | | | going to work. That monster Pike will probably |
| an average pike for that area, about 7-8 pounds. | | | | spit the bait. |
| It took us about 45 minutes to reel in both fish | | | | I've had luck with top water baits also. Buzz baits, |
| because they got so tangled up. It’s best to | | | | jitter bugs, and other top water baits designed |
| reel your line in if you are fishing with somebody | | | | for Pike and musky fishing. Remember to move |
| else in your boat so this doesn’t happen. If I | | | | the baits along quickly as mentioned. |
| hadn’t got us tangled up we would have | | | | It's not uncommon for a big Northern Pike to |
| probably caught more than 2 Northern Pike in that | | | | leave the water and splash around similar to a |
| 45 minute time span. | | | | bass. Pike also tend to roll around in your line once |
| Spring Northern Pike tend to lurk in the areas | | | | hooked. Pike can wrap your fishing line up all |
| they spawn in which are the shallow and often | | | | around their body and snap monofilament line |
| swampy areas of the lake. If you know where | | | | very easily. |
| there is a shallow backwater area in a known Pike | | | | It's best to use a steel leader even when using |
| lake you will probably find Pike there in the spring. | | | | braided line. Braided line works great for Pike |
| Casting and trolling spoons are great ways to | | | | fishing, just be careful. Make sure your fishing pole |
| hook into a monster Northern Pike in the spring. | | | | is designed for braided line or you will tear up the |
| Troll the shore lines and close to weed beds. | | | | liner in your eyelets. |
| Points in these shallow areas also provide excellent | | | | Live bait works on Pike almost any time of year. |
| opportunity to land a huge Northern Pike. | | | | If there are any streams or rivers close by you |
| Trolling through the areas where Pike are lurking is | | | | can take a small rig with a hook and worm set up |
| extremely efficient if done correctly. Don't make | | | | to catch creek chubs or other legal baitfish. |
| the mistake of trolling too slow. Pike like to | | | | Set up a rig with a large bobber, baited hook and |
| ambush attack and can move extremely fast. | | | | sinker and cast it into those areas where Pike |
| Trolling less than 4 miles an hour will produce | | | | should be lurking. Sometimes this method will |
| more hammer handles and average size Pike. A | | | | produce a monster Pike that’s too smart to |
| good trolling speed for Northern Pike is 4-5 miles | | | | hit a lure. |
| per hour. If you are in a small boat you can use a | | | | |