Northern Pike
Printed From: The BaitShop
Category: Fishing
Forum Name: Gone Fishin'
Forum Description: Discuss freshwater, saltwater, ice fishing and fly fishing here. Where do you go, what do you catch, and how do you catch it?
URL: http://www.baitshopboyz.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=28150
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 16:19
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Northern Pike
Posted By: Wing master
Subject: Northern Pike
Date Posted: 04 June 2025 at 16:42
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I'm not much of a fisherman. I thought I'd get that out of the way before I get started. I have a buddy that took up fishing for Northern. He invited me to go fishing with him last Tuesday. I dug out my tackle box of stuff I used when me and my dad went to Canada several years ago. I also found my Eagle Claw Backpacker rod and a Mitchell 300 reel. (A classic Canadian setup.) I was ready to go. He took me to his super secret spot. We parked on the east side of the dam and climbed up to the top of the dam over a huge pile of boulders. Then we crossed the dam and hiked about another 2 miles to a cove that he said is where the "bigguns" hang out. I tied my favorite lure, A Len Thompson yellow and red 5 of diamonds, on my line and slung it out into the water and slowly reeled it in. I repeated this process what seemed like several hundred times as I made my way down the bank farther into the cove. I tried every lure in my tackle box. At one point I was standing on a big rock about 5 feet above the water and saw a pretty big carp slowly swim by. Thinking a carp would be better than nothing I cast my lure a ways out and drug it back right in front of him. when it got close he turned and swam away like he was scared to death of my lure. My buddy caught up to me later and said he thought he might have had a bite but he could have hung up on a rock. I think the thought of a bite was wishful thinking. Then we hiked the now 3 miles back to the truck from the far end of the cove. He said he knew of another place that produces fish when you can't catch anything anywhere else so we drove around to the west end of the lake. We then preceded to reenact our first stop. The good thing is we didn't have to hike all the way across Gods green earth to get to this super dooper secret spot. I casted out and reeled slowly in what seemed like another 500 times again using everything I had in my tackle box and this time I didn't even see a carp swim by. well, to make a long story even longer we tried one more place and still I didn't even get a bite. When I got home I put all my Northern fishing stuff away in the very back of the very top shelf in the garage and don't plan on getting it out again unless I make another trip to Canada. I do plan on doing some stream fishing this summer when we go camping but I expect to have about the same luck, ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Replies:
Posted By: d4570
Date Posted: 04 June 2025 at 18:04
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DANG! Maybe you should have been there yesterday. That's what I always hear. Like my Granddaughter always says. " catching is more fun then fishing..."  ------------- Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 04 June 2025 at 22:19
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She's exactly right. Maybe I'll quit going fishing and start going catching. When me and my dad went to Canada we went catching. We would catch one about every 10 casts until we found where they were at. Then we caught one about every third cast. That's the kind of fishing I like. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: BEAR
Date Posted: 05 June 2025 at 08:47
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Yep, where pike exist, they hit everything. Last year on my Canadian trip we got 422 northerns all over 36". 5 of diamonds is still a 'go to" lure. Never had a carp hit a lure????? But did you have a nice day? ------------- “ The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.” |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 05 June 2025 at 17:16
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I never have caught a carp on a lure either. I've caught them with worms or velveeta cheese. I did have a good time. I would have rather accomplished what we went there for. Catching fish. But it was a good time. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: BEAR
Date Posted: 06 June 2025 at 05:27
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Best northern last year 42" on Williams Wabler 4" mirror chrome/silver ------------- “ The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.” |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 06 June 2025 at 21:23
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Thanks for the tip. I'll try to find one. who knows, I might try again. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: BEAR
Date Posted: 07 June 2025 at 08:48
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Was a popular lure in the '60s. so garage sales seem to have them. ------------- “ The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.” |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 07 June 2025 at 20:29
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I see a lot of garage sales when I'm out running arrends. Sometimes I stop and check them out. I'll keep an eye out. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 16 June 2025 at 17:20
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Well, I guess we're going to take another run at it. This time I am going to go at it from a whole different direction. I'm taking a couple dozen worms and some weights and am going to try worms on bottom. The lake we're fishing in has Northern, Walleye, drum bass, and yellow perch. Maybe some others that I can't remember. I don't care what I catch as long as I catch something. Do you guys have any other suggestions on what bait to use or is it better to fish on bottom or closer to the surface? Any suggestions are appreciated. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: d4570
Date Posted: 16 June 2025 at 17:48
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Worms as in night carrolers are good. I like to use jigs with half a worm or small minno, dead or alive. Cast it out and slowly bring it back in a jerky retrieve. I use them for drum, cats, walleye and perch. ------------- Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 16 June 2025 at 20:14
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Thanks D. I'll try the jig too. Yes, I said worm but I meant nightcrawler. I'll try both. Hopefully I'll be back tomorrow with a report. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: d4570
Date Posted: 16 June 2025 at 21:08
 ------------- Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box |
Posted By: BEAR
Date Posted: 17 June 2025 at 07:36
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Night crawlers are ood bait for anything. Thoughts, Northerns hit moving baits best, northerbs, like mushies, have their eyes focused and positioned to feed up (not a bottom feeder). Northerns are attracted to flash, so a single spinner (coloradda) seems to help. As D said cast it out let it sttle slowly then bring it in in somewhat faster in jerks to get some flash. Not much weight needed as hits will be when you are off the bottom. Now walleyes aree much different, they feed close to the bottom and little movement is needed. 10" off bottom is about optium. good luck Remember rule ONE of fishing...any fish can hit any bait at any time no matter what you are doing. ------------- “ The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.” |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 17 June 2025 at 19:55
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Well, I still suck at fishing but things are looking up. After using nightcrawlers with sinkers on bottom with no luck we went to a little cafe before we headed to a different spot. I noticed a sign saying they sold smelt by the cash register so I bought a dozen. We got to another spot and I baited up one pole with nightcrawlers and the other one with a steel leader with a treble hook and a whole smelt. It took a while but about 45 minutes later the little bell I had on the tip of the second rod started making noise. I looked over and my rod holder was turning in the ground and my rod was bending over. I grabbed it and something was hitting it hard. I reeled it in about 10-15 feet and......nothing. When I got it in the smelt was chewed up and about half gone. I did learn a couple things. I'm pretty sure that if I had used 1/2 or maybe 1/3 of the smelt I would have a picture to post. I had 2 hooks of the treble hook hooked through the thick hard center of the back of the smelt. That left about 3 inches hanging from both sides of the hook. Whatever it was that took it couldn't get to the hook. I just reeled it in as far as it took for the smelt to tear in half. It wasn't a successful day but I'll know better next time. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: BEAR
Date Posted: 18 June 2025 at 08:41
"the little bell I had on the tip of the second rod". Did you use that to awaken you?  Yes, smaller pieces of bait do seem to work better. Remember you are not there to feed the fish. You might try CIRCLE HOOKS with bait, they really work better. you don't "set" the hook with them, just let the fish run off a little and slowly get the line tighter, the hook comes up out of his or her throat and catches in the corner of the mouth. That is all I use with plastic or real baits. Sounds like you are getting hooked. did you friend catch anything? ------------- “ The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.” |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 19 June 2025 at 10:32
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I'll try some circle hooks. I've seen them but didn't know what they did better. About the bell. I was fishing with two rods. At first I was using a lure on the second one then later nightcrawlers. I didn't want to miss any movement of the first rod and a bell works good for that. I did learn one thing about having a bell clipped to the end of a fishing rod. Take the bell off when you cast. I'm glad they come in packages of two. I might be getting hooked. I really do like to fish if I catch something. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: BEAR
Date Posted: 19 June 2025 at 11:56
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LOL lots of Green people complaining about small bells polluting our rivers and lakes!! ------------- “ The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.” |
Posted By: d4570
Date Posted: 19 June 2025 at 14:01
 Wing I was showing my GD this thread. Her response. ------------- Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 19 June 2025 at 20:20
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She for sure showed me up with that fish. Did you ask her if she has any pointers for me? I'm pretty sure she's the one I should have been asking. Great picture. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 19 June 2025 at 20:22
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I added one little bell for them to complain about. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |
Posted By: d4570
Date Posted: 19 June 2025 at 20:34
She gives me pointers. ------------- Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box |
Posted By: Wing master
Date Posted: 22 June 2025 at 09:50
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I'm pretty sur she's a natural and we have to work at it. ------------- I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on. |