Icefishing 201 (Special topic: Pike)

[Ken+]

Last year, Italian visitor Andrea graduated from Icefishing 101.

This year, he enrolled in Icefishing 201. Prof. MuskieBait decided that today's special topic is northern pike.

The Toronto area received some cold weather last week and some smaller lakes just received safe ice. The decision was to find such a small lake and teach a lesson on pike.

The Prof. gave Andrea a refresher on using the auger to drill a hole. With only 8" of ice, it was quickly demonstrated. As Andrea proceed to create 3 other holes, The Prof. rigged up one rod and picked out an unfortunate 4" shiner to be sacrificed to the pike.

Just as The Prof. and Andrea were setting up the lecture hall (aka Clam Expedition shelter), the bell rang! The Prof. got to the rod just in time to see it full bent and going down the hole! No worry...The Prof. is very wise...he had clipped the rod with a carabiner securely tied it with rope to the crystal ball (aka Humminbird 160 portable).

Unfortunately, the line tension tipped the wily pike off and the fish let go of the bait.

After the lecture hall was prepared, Andrea received a lesson on how to respond to a pike hit. Andrea was given two rod to target pike, while Prof. MuskieBait have one rod to target pike, and one rod to target perch and crappie.

An hour later, Andrea had a chance to practice his new knowledge. However, in the excitement he forgot what he was taught.

About 15 minutes later, Andrea got another chance to practice...but again, his excitement got the better of him...

So Prof. MuskieBait repeated the lesson.

1) Pike hits - indicated by a dipping strike indicator, or ringing bell, or rod doubling over, or rod pulling toward the hole...or all of the above.

2) Open bail - the intelligent Loccio (have to speak Andrea's language to explain sometimes) is very wary of filo (line) tension. Fish must not feel tension!

3) Pick up rod, undo the carabiner clip, and remove rod holder. Meanwhile, allow the pike to take line off the reel. The fish must be allowed time to turn the bait and take the bait full in the mouth.

4) Close bail, reel the line tight...and set the hook!

Okay...so another 30 minutes later, Andrea finally got it all together!

Prof. MuskieBait congratulated Andrea on a job well done, and gave him a passing grade.



Soon, Andrea got another bite and put his new found knowledge to work again perfectly. As a result, Andrea received 100%.

As Andrea was releasing the pike, Prof. MuskieBait heard another rod signal a bite, and finally he too got to reel one in.

A little later, Prof. MuskieBait noticed that the shiners on his pike rod seemed to be stuck on a piece of weed. The area is very weedy with some tall strands of vegetation. Once in a while, the shiner would swim around the weeds and get tangled. Prof. MuskieBait looked down the hole...and lo and behold...it was a big pike...with the shiner completely disappeared in the pike's wide mouth! Immediately, Prof. MuskieBail opened the bail, unclipped the rod and removed the rod holder in one swift move.

"Big pike, big pike! Reel up all the other lines Andrea!" Shouted Prof. MuskieBait as the pike began to take some line. Too late...the fish swam and wrapped one rod. Oh...no problem, the tangled line came off. Oh no! Another tangled line! Cut it, cut it! No...came off too...phew! The fish took 2 runs, then ran into the third line! Before Andrea can reacted, the tangled line snapped. Man! What luck! The fish is still attached!

A couple more runs later, the fish were circling under the hole. With the long body and broad head, it took Prof. MuskieBait some maneuvering to get the head up the hole...then with one swift bear paw, the fish was scooped up!

Beauty pike for Prof MuskieBait's Life Accomplishment List



The proud Prof. displaying his catch...



And teaching Andrea a lesson on how to make the 6lb, 28" fish look like a trophy



After the big pike, the action continued to be great! However, most of the participants remained small...





By 12pm, the activity slowed. It allowed time for Prof. MuskieBait to take a picture of his lecture hall...



...and the condition of safe ice (8" of clear, black ice).



By 3pm, all activity had ceased. Andrea said he had enough practicum already, so Prof. MuskieBait decided to call it a class.

At end, the total result was - Andrea 4 landed, 3 missed; Prof. MuskieBait 3 landed, 2 missed.

Prof. MuskieBait hoped that next weekend he can give a special topic lecture on walleye ice fishing.

[PhishingPhanatic]

Nice report, thanks Ken. As cold as that looks, I'd like to try ice fishing some day. Something about fishing inside of a building or shelter looks fun. Plus, you wouldn't need to haul out a cooler to keep your beer cold

[Ken+]

Nice report, thanks Ken. As cold as that looks, I'd like to try ice fishing some day. Something about fishing inside of a building or shelter looks fun. Plus, you wouldn't need to haul out a cooler to keep your beer cold

Got shelter, heater, and some naturally chilled great Canadian beer (ie...leave them on the ice...but keep an eye out for the vultures...aka other people on the ice ). I'm just a PM and a short flight away Come on up for a visit!

It's not so bad in a heater hut...it can get warm enough for you to be comfortable in a sweater...but walking to the fishing spot and setting up everything in the cold will likely freeze you first

[PhishingPhanatic]

I actually went ice fishing once, for trout in a well-stocked lake in Upstate NY. We used tip-ups baited with night crawlers, and caught a ton of rainbows and brookies. It was fun to sit around the fire on the shore and watch for your flag to go up, and then handline a trout out.

[Ken+]

Ahhh...brookies are very wary to vibration on the ice. Sitting on shore while waiting for a brookie bite is the best tactic Good job!

Flags and hand lines are fun...but I still like the feel of a fish on the rod better I started off icefishing with both, but eventually sold / give away all my flags and tip-ups. Now I only use rods as dead sticks with strike indicators or floats...or fish lures on the rods

[cyril1974]

This is great stuff Ken.. never went for Pike, but Ice fishing for Walleyes was my all time favorite!! Lake Moraine State park, we would get muskies on sometimes by accident.. ahhh the good old days!

Charles

[Ken+]

This is great stuff Ken.. never went for Pike, but Ice fishing for Walleyes was my all time favorite!! Lake Moraine State park, we would get muskies on sometimes by accident.. ahhh the good old days!

Charles

Pike are great fun through the ice (well...when is pike fishing not fun? )

I like walleye too. They can be unpredictably hot or cold though. Hopefully I can find them next time...but I heard my intented fishing lake is getting fished out It'll be much harder finding any fish that is left

[Thelonereeler]

Reminds me of home (upstate NY, near Buffalo).

Nice pics, made my mouth water, Northern Pike are some of the best tasting fish I've ever had. You won't eat Pike if you try and set the hook when they bite, you gotta let them run after the strike. When they stop to swallow the bait, set the hook and have some fun, they're good fighters. Thanx

[firebeforice]

As a total warm weather person, you Canadians are some dedicated fishermen! Those are some nice sized fish anywhere. Hey do they fight in cold water like that?

[Ken+]

As a total warm weather person, you Canadians are some dedicated fishermen! Those are some nice sized fish anywhere. Hey do they fight in cold water like that?

They fight alright. They'll run below the ice all over. Usually, the small fish will try to make two runs. The big one actually went for 4-5 runs. We were using 6lb mono mainline and 8lb fluoro leader, so we played the fish lightly and carefully. If we use heavier line or wire leader, we would get less bite...so light line and light gear was the way.