Fishin’ Talk would like to share your fishing pictures and Stories with our readers. Each story and/or picture that is sent to us for the Fishin’ Talk Blog will be entered for a monthly draw throughout 2012. The winner will receive a FREE lure from Pelican Lures. The shipping expenses are included. All you need to do is to send us your fishing story and/or fishing picture.
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Of all the game fish you can catch in North America Pike are the easiest. Pike will hit just about any lure. The most popular lures for Pike are the “red & white” curve, (made by Pelican Lures, Len Thompson and Eppinger) and the yellow “five-of-diamonds” first made by Len Thompson and since also made by Eppinger. Pelican Lures has “one-uped” both of these manufactures by developing the 10 of Diamonds, (5 on each side). Pike also will hit jigs, Rapalas and Thundersticks, etc. Some of the biggest pike are caught with small jigs while Walleye fishing. It makes sense because the big pike will patrol the outer parameter of the schools of Walleyes.
Big pike generally do not bother with small minnows, frogs and bugs. Their main food is Walleyes, small hammer-handles, Suckers, Chub and Whitefish. The big pike will hang out where they can ambush Walleyes. The prime ambush area is points leading into bays. They will also hang around rocky points, shoals, islands and other places where there are Walleyes. The best place to get a big trophy pike is at the mouth of a stream or river, narrows between islands and water-flow between lakes. The big pike just sit there waiting for Walleyes to swim through. Walleyes tend to migrate around a lake all year, whether it’s moving to find cooler water, deeper water, more food or even finding their spawning grounds.
There are many places where you will find Northern Pike in Lakes. Generally, you will find small to medium size pike in the back of bays where there are thick weeds, lily pads and wild rice. This is where small to medium size pike feed on small minnows, bugs, frogs and each other. Out near the edge of the weeds, the pike will get bigger because the pike have the food of the bay to their back and also have the chance of taking a small Walleye swimming by the outside of the weeds. So where are the big pike?
I love my lures from Pelican. I have about 12 different designs that I always use when competing with friends and family. I am out fishing the “Len Thompson only guys” and while some use only spinners or soft baits they are upset that they can’t keep up. My only peeve is that my favorite hooks have to be purchased online because stores don’t carry them. But I guess that might be a good thing.
We went stripe fishing at Smith Lake in Alabama yesterday. Caught 7 in the 10-14 lbs range. 5 of the 7 were caught on the gizzard shad or scad 2 oz. spoons. Way out fished everything else including live bait. Jigged the spoons down as far as 56′. Worked great…best spoons on the market.
Sid Minton
As the water starts to warm up in late spring, you will find that the Walleye will go a little deeper or hide in the thick weeds. At this time of year the jigs or jigging spoons work best for me. Sometimes I attach a short twister tail to my jigging spoon. I make sure the jigging spoon and the twister tail are a bright colour. If you use a twister tail make sure it is unscented. You can also attach a small minnow to the jigging spoon.
I often jig straight down in thick weeds in the 5 to 10-foot range or off rocky points or shoals where there are drop-offs. When it’s windy, then I just drift and jig over the hot area.
If you enjoy fishing for Northern Pike and Walleye (Pickerel), Besnard Lake, north of Prince Albert Sask, is just the place for you. The people at Besnard Lake Lodge will take good care of you and if you don’t catch any BIG one, let me know, because you will be the first. Arriving at the dock after an enjoyable day of fishing with Saskatchewan’s finest guides, the staff will pick up your catch and take it to the modern filleting shed where your fish will be filleted, labelled and frozen. When you go you need to take the XL Spoons from Pelican. I have never been disapointed by them.
In the evening the big females start to come shallow whether it’s to return to their spawning beds or feed on minnows along the shore. Big Walleyes do get caught during the day but if you are looking for a 10-pound plus trophy, evening and night is your best chance. Troll really slow and really close to shore or along the weed lines with the Pelican pumpkin or golden trout trolling spoon and have lots of line out. You may want to stop the boat and cast if you find a sand bar or sandy bottom that is within close proximity to the weeds that they hide in during the day. When casting make sure you change to a casting spoon. On bright clear evenings you could also expect success with a fire tiger spoon.
You can cast or troll with lures along the shore and catch Walleyes. In my experience the trolling spoons have worked great since the digitally designed spoons came on the market. I now have the Pelican yellow walleye spoon and the sardine spoon in my tackle bag. These worked wonders for me in clear water or on bright sunny mornings and evenings. During darker times or in less clear water my favorites were the pumpkin seed and the golden trout lures. Make sure you use the trolling spoons for trolling. They work much better for walleye since they are not as bright.
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