Northern Pike Fishing Tips and Gear. In this episode we talk about northern pike fishing and the tips and gear we use to catch a boat of pike in the spring.
In Scotland we run 50lb braid, that way we can just bend the treble on snags and save lures. If we are using mono we half that weight and most people don't use fluro as a main line here. Thick fluro does make a good wire trace replacement. Great video BTW.
Anthony - you do such a great job presenting your tips and gear ... even I .. a 60+ year old lady with zero fishing experience who doesn't talk a lick of "fishing speak" can understand what your saying. So THANK YOU so much for the education. I'm hoping what you shared will apply to fall fishing as my husband and I are going to be checking off a bucket list item and fishing the willow very soon (it is the end of Aug 2021 as i type this comment) .. hopefully the fish will come and the bears will stay away (ugh ... i didn't even think of bears until you mentioned something about them when responding to our first inquiry regarding site recommendations on the willow) Thanks again .. appreciate your sharing!
I got a trip booked in North bay Ontario Lake Nosbonsing in july for 2 weeks I'm deffinetly gonna be using everything you spoke about on that lake. Thanks man!
Great content again. On point about needlenose pliers. I have a full complement of release tools, including good nets (medium sized and huge), a lip grip, hook cutters, and jaw spreaders for fish who are very difficult to unhook. I generally unhook the fish in the water or the musky live well, if it's especially difficult. And mash down the barbs, which helps unhook the fish and sometimes my finger. But then it's important to keep contact while playing the fish, and have some mono on the business end for shock absorption, so fish that aren't so well hooked don't throw the hook or tear out too often. Sometimes I've found it necessary to pass a hook out through the gills and cut off the split ring with the hook cutter to free the fish, then just reattach the hook with a new split ring after the lure is removed, and I'm back in business, and the fish fine. I also have a lanyards on my release gear, so I can unhook the fish in the water, and not have any of the gear go into the drink. Interestingly, fish that seemed very difficult to unhook have managed to somehow spit the lure out in the live well.
Pike also have an enzyme in their saliva that doesn't allow for blood clotting. I had a small nick in my finger from a 12 inch northern and I bled and bled and bled the whole 2 minute walk home. I've never bled that much over such a small poke lol Good tips. I came here because there is a massive northern hanging around in 4ft water under a local bridge, I can't seem to trigger it to strike. It will dart back and forth, check out lures, and make large territorial splashes but won't take the bait. Pike season isn't open for keeping for a few weeks yet and there are lots of shallow weed beds in the area too. Could be protecting a nest or something until spawn is over?
great video we are going upto chippewa flowage for the first time first week of june. hoping to use some of the baits you recommended to get some pike in the boat!
The Chip is one of my favorites! If you are specifically targeting pike, I'd recommend the The west bays with deeper weeds. That's where the bigger ones will be. Just be prepared, alot of quality muskies in there!
@@AnthonysOutdoors i've never actually caught a musky on purpose lol got a couple while walleye fishing when they eat the walleye but i do plan on taking my musky gear not really sure how much time i will dedicate i know very little about musky. we will be spending a week there so depending on how hard it is to find fish might try alittle of every species
@@Reshako Well it shouldn't be hard at all to find pike and walleye. If you find shallow weeds. There will be hammerhandle pike in them. Keep your limit and bring them into the resort you are staying at. There is a Pike Improvement project going on this year and everyone you keep gets you a raffle ticket for the grand prize!
@@AnthonysOutdoors oh ya i watched your video on the improvement project lol. well if you wanna get up there for a day or something get ahold of me i decided to rent an 18 ft from one of the resorts instead of hauling my boat up so there will be plenty of room!
Hey Anthony! So, I need to do a little Mepps shopping. You talked about silver/gold/fluorescent spinners, but are there some tail/feather colors that you find especially helpful? I'm thinking black, white, and chartreuse would cover most bases. Your thoughts / recommendations?
we've done best with the brown natural color. But black, white, and yellow have also worked. Honestly the fish will tell you. The weather could be the same but one day they prefer one combo over another. It's really easy to dial in with 2 people in the boat. But I think blade color is more important.
@@AnthonysOutdoors Agree on "fish will tell you" and "easy to dial in with 2 people"...Seems I can always dial in faster with 2 or 3 people in the fishing party.
I always use a leather glove and needle nose pliers when working near a pikes mouth. Nearly lost my pinky to a pike a few years ago! It was bleeding terrible and hurt like hell. Folks, don't forget about their teeth!
haha, yeah that can happen. There have been days on our pike trips where the Largemouth and Smallmouth are in a frenzy, and on other trips we wont catch a single bass. On our last trip we caught some really nice pre spawn females up shallow with the pike.
@@matthewmarcussen461 Excellent choice. Shallow dark water warms fast. I'll be puddle jumping around the Clam Lake area on the small national forest lakes for the N. Wi Musky Opener.
Why would you allow the chance of a fish to get two or three sets of trebles in its mouth, with no leader? Those fish may have their mouth pinned shut with those trebles and slowly starve . Always light wire or heavy fluorocarbon ! Rediciculous to chance that and why you should be ashamed of even saying that. Braid wont hold up to their teeth, it's low stretch and thin diameter is gone on a hookset or couple runs .
You're right. That's why if you watch any other video you'd see, I always use leaders. Instead you made yourself look pretty dense. Thanks for watching.
In Scotland we run 50lb braid, that way we can just bend the treble on snags and save lures. If we are using mono we half that weight and most people don't use fluro as a main line here. Thick fluro does make a good wire trace replacement. Great video BTW.
I can't wait! Only a few days away before we get up north!
Anthony - you do such a great job presenting your tips and gear ... even I .. a 60+ year old lady with zero fishing experience who doesn't talk a lick of "fishing speak" can understand what your saying. So THANK YOU so much for the education. I'm hoping what you shared will apply to fall fishing as my husband and I are going to be checking off a bucket list item and fishing the willow very soon (it is the end of Aug 2021 as i type this comment) .. hopefully the fish will come and the bears will stay away (ugh ... i didn't even think of bears until you mentioned something about them when responding to our first inquiry regarding site recommendations on the willow) Thanks again .. appreciate your sharing!
Thanks for watching! We will be back there Laborday weekend for 4 days. With the falling water temps the fish should start sliding up shallower.
Great video to follow up with your chart video. Solid work
I got a trip booked in North bay Ontario Lake Nosbonsing in july for 2 weeks I'm deffinetly gonna be using everything you spoke about on that lake. Thanks man!
Thanks for watching! Ontario is the land of giant pike! Don't be afraid to upsize your gear and lures that time of year.
Great content again. On point about needlenose pliers. I have a full complement of release tools, including good nets (medium sized and huge), a lip grip, hook cutters, and jaw spreaders for fish who are very difficult to unhook. I generally unhook the fish in the water or the musky live well, if it's especially difficult. And mash down the barbs, which helps unhook the fish and sometimes my finger. But then it's important to keep contact while playing the fish, and have some mono on the business end for shock absorption, so fish that aren't so well hooked don't throw the hook or tear out too often. Sometimes I've found it necessary to pass a hook out through the gills and cut off the split ring with the hook cutter to free the fish, then just reattach the hook with a new split ring after the lure is removed, and I'm back in business, and the fish fine. I also have a lanyards on my release gear, so I can unhook the fish in the water, and not have any of the gear go into the drink. Interestingly, fish that seemed very difficult to unhook have managed to somehow spit the lure out in the live well.
I use the 1 oz 5 of diamonds and cast it then work it like a jig! Or cast it then walk it on the surface! Great video.
Great video. Can’t wait to get out and slay those pike. Tight lines and shout out from Canada.
Thanks for watching!
heading up to springstead wi may 15th can't wait, We enjoy your videos.
Thanks for watching! We will be on an island on the Willow Flowage that weekend. Best of luck!
Thank you for making a video describing this, so I don’t have to continue explaining it to people so that we’re all able to fish with an equal chance
Thanks for watching!
My first trip to Lac Vieux Desert in about 4 weeks. Cannot wait! Thanks for the videos.
Thanks for watching. LVD is on my bucket list of lakes to hit. Hopefully this fall or next year.
Pike fishing in upstate new York is epic !!!!
I bet! New York is a state I have yet to fish in.
Great video 👍
Thanks for watching!
Pike also have an enzyme in their saliva that doesn't allow for blood clotting. I had a small nick in my finger from a 12 inch northern and I bled and bled and bled the whole 2 minute walk home. I've never bled that much over such a small poke lol
Good tips. I came here because there is a massive northern hanging around in 4ft water under a local bridge, I can't seem to trigger it to strike. It will dart back and forth, check out lures, and make large territorial splashes but won't take the bait. Pike season isn't open for keeping for a few weeks yet and there are lots of shallow weed beds in the area too. Could be protecting a nest or something until spawn is over?
I did not know that about their saliva.
nice vid Tony
Great video friend 👍
Thanks for watching!
great video we are going upto chippewa flowage for the first time first week of june. hoping to use some of the baits you recommended to get some pike in the boat!
The Chip is one of my favorites! If you are specifically targeting pike, I'd recommend the The west bays with deeper weeds. That's where the bigger ones will be. Just be prepared, alot of quality muskies in there!
@@AnthonysOutdoors i've never actually caught a musky on purpose lol got a couple while walleye fishing when they eat the walleye but i do plan on taking my musky gear not really sure how much time i will dedicate i know very little about musky. we will be spending a week there so depending on how hard it is to find fish might try alittle of every species
@@Reshako Well it shouldn't be hard at all to find pike and walleye. If you find shallow weeds. There will be hammerhandle pike in them. Keep your limit and bring them into the resort you are staying at. There is a Pike Improvement project going on this year and everyone you keep gets you a raffle ticket for the grand prize!
@@AnthonysOutdoors oh ya i watched your video on the improvement project lol. well if you wanna get up there for a day or something get ahold of me i decided to rent an 18 ft from one of the resorts instead of hauling my boat up so there will be plenty of room!
Chip...Big tooth Nirvana. Hope to get there some day.
Great video..Thank you very much...
Thanks for watching!
Awesome video! Great tips explained very well....I am now a subscriber!
Thanks for watching! I'll check out your channel when I'm off work!
@@AnthonysOutdoors nothing special...just me having a little fun! Appreciate you taking a look😄😃😀😆
with baitcast i use minimum.50 lbs pound braid because we reel very fast and line snap in two
Iv found out that where I live the rapala fire tiger husky jerk will out fish anything
Hey Anthony! So, I need to do a little Mepps shopping. You talked about silver/gold/fluorescent spinners, but are there some tail/feather colors that you find especially helpful? I'm thinking black, white, and chartreuse would cover most bases. Your thoughts / recommendations?
we've done best with the brown natural color. But black, white, and yellow have also worked. Honestly the fish will tell you. The weather could be the same but one day they prefer one combo over another. It's really easy to dial in with 2 people in the boat. But I think blade color is more important.
@@AnthonysOutdoors Agree on "fish will tell you" and "easy to dial in with 2 people"...Seems I can always dial in faster with 2 or 3 people in the fishing party.
I always use a leather glove and needle nose pliers when working near a pikes mouth. Nearly lost my pinky to a pike a few years ago! It was bleeding terrible and hurt like hell. Folks, don't forget about their teeth!
Hi Anthony,
Where do you get your green and black lures? Are those a Mepps #5? It looked to me like those are blade baits.
Green and Black blade Mepps #5 we usually pick up at the musky shop in Minocqua WI. But they can be found online as well.
Good to know. I find the “typical” colors found online at Scheels, Fleet Farm, or Cabelas.
Every time I target pike I get nothing but when I go for bass they are everywhere
haha, yeah that can happen. There have been days on our pike trips where the Largemouth and Smallmouth are in a frenzy, and on other trips we wont catch a single bass. On our last trip we caught some really nice pre spawn females up shallow with the pike.
Targeting pike, a much more elusive fish, is challenging by comparison.
You goin to the flowage again
Yup we will be going to the Willow Flowage. Be heading up there middle of next week.
@@AnthonysOutdoors me and the guys are goin to turtle flambeau memorial weekend
@@matthewmarcussen461 Excellent choice. Shallow dark water warms fast. I'll be puddle jumping around the Clam Lake area on the small national forest lakes for the N. Wi Musky Opener.
Yup goin for musky opener
Why would you allow the chance of a fish to get two or three sets of trebles in its mouth, with no leader? Those fish may have their mouth pinned shut with those trebles and slowly starve . Always light wire or heavy fluorocarbon ! Rediciculous to chance that and why you should be ashamed of even saying that. Braid wont hold up to their teeth, it's low stretch and thin diameter is gone on a hookset or couple runs .
You're right. That's why if you watch any other video you'd see, I always use leaders. Instead you made yourself look pretty dense. Thanks for watching.