Northern Pike Fishing Techniques

Northern Pike Techniques by Michael Sakowski

Northern pike are a great fish for those that like action! This fish will follow your lure up to the boat and sometimes even snap at it as you are lifting it out of the water. Pike are fighters on the line and will make numerous runs before you can boat them. They are just one crazy fish! So how does one catch this prize? Read below for my favorite northern pike fishing techniques.

Early Season Northern Pike Techniques
In the early season pike are not quite as aggressive as during warm water periods. For this time of year, with water still cold from winter, you must slow things down a bit. Instead of large crank baits or spoons, one should use a 1/8 oz or 1/4 oz jig tipped with a sucker minnow or twister tail. Fish on drop offs near weed beds. Cast out and let the jig and minnow sink nearly to the bottom and then use a twitching action to bring in the jig, reeling in the slack. Vary your retrieve to find the best depth. Sometimes the northern pike can closer to the surface and sometimes they can be deeper. In addition to jigging, you might set out a large sucker minnow or two under a bobber.

Early Summer Northern Pike Fishing Techniques
In the early summer, pike will get more aggressive. If the panfish are on their spawning beds, you may find some monster pike lurking nearby. To fish the panfish spawning areas, first keep in mind that you are fishing in water that is a foot or two deep so the fish will be quite spooky. You will have to keep your distance and try fishing these areas more toward evening in very clear lakes. I have found that a floating Rapala works great for fishing the panfish spawning beds. Cast the Rapala from a distance, let it sit till motionless, and then start a retrieve with sharp short twitches, reeling in the slack. Don't be surprised if a monster smallmouth or largemouth bass clobbers your lure in addition to the pike!

Another technique for early summer is to troll a floating Rapala a long distance behind your boat or canoe. Use one or two split shots ahead of the Rapala to get it to the depth you desire. If the lake is very weedy, you may need to troll a weedless spoon in place of the Rapala.

Summer & Early Fall Pike Techniques
In the midsummer, the pike become much more aggressive. You will be able to use larger crank baits, spoons, spinners, and spinner baits. A great bait for weedy areas is a spinner bait since it is essentially weed-less. If you are fishing heavy cover, make sure to use some heavier line to horse the fish out. Try fishing heavy cover as well as near drop-offs. A nice way to cast your crank baits is to slowly drift along a shoreline and cast as you drift. A trolling motor can be helpful as well.

If the weeds are not too heavy, trolling can be very effective in the summer months. A floating original Rapala as well as spoons attached to a swivel (to minimize twist) can work well when trolling. In a canoe use your paddle to maintain speed. In a boat, a trolling motor is needed.

Late Fall Techniques
In the late fall, the pike slow down and you must also slow down your presentation. Fish with jigs tipped with minnows fairly deep. Try to fish about 3 feet or less from the bottom. I have even had luck fishing dead smelt directly on the bottom during the later fall months. Fish near drop-offs and around structure.