In most locations, pike spawn a week to several weeks after ice out, when water temps nudge into the low- to mid-40°F range. In many waters, spawning occurs in far reaches of bays, or connected sloughs, while the main lake is still locked in ice.
What temperature is best for pike fishing?
The optimal temperature lies between 8-15 degrees Celsius , but they can survive between 4-23 degrees Celsius. When the pike hatches, the larvae will be around 8-9mm and hardly developed.
What is the best month to catch pike?
The best time of year for pike is fall, as the water temperature is slowly dropping and the pike feed and hunt very actively and aggressively. More specifically, September and October are, by far, the best months to target pike.
Is pike fishing good after a storm?
Favorable weather conditions for pike include a low-pressure system with moderate temperatures, overcast skies, and southern or southwestern winds. Rain does however have a somewhat more negative effect on the pike’s appetite and should hence be avoided .
Do pike spawn under the ice?
Northern Pike during the late winter move to their spawning areas under the ice , which are in shallow dark water bays with good sun exposure, having dark soft bottom and a lot of old standing vegetation from the previous year. A creek flow into the bay makes it an ideal location.
Where can I buy late ice northern pike?
Shallow bays are the number one place to start your search for late ice trophy pike. If the lake you are targeting has a shallow bay on the north end, start there. Northern bays will receive the most daylight from dawn until dusk, heating them up faster and promoting the most life.
Do pike like deep or shallow water?
Most of these fish are caught in shallow water . Big pike, however, go deep. Many times they are in water 15 feet deep or deeper. At these times, a big deep running lure is needed.
What time of day are pike most active?
Pike in the morning are more active than usual. Early morning right before the sun rises is an excellent time to target hungry pike. You can either find them in open or shallow water hunting down their first meal of the day.
What eats pike in winter?
Northern Pike remain quite active throughout the winter months, making them prime targets for ice fishing. Anglers typically suspend dead bait like suckers, smelt, ciscoes, herring or other large forage fish beneath tip-ups and wait for flag to pop, indicating a strike.
Where do big pike hang out?
Any areas of slack water are prime places to find big pike. Whether a bay set aside from the main flow, adjoining dyke, rear of an island or behind a man-made structure, these features create the perfect slack water where pike like to lurk.
Are pike active at night?
Northern pike are most active during the day when their sense of sight allows them to ambush prey. The peaks for pike feeding are early morning and late evening when the water is coolest. Pike need to sleep just like any fish but they can be quite active feeding prior to bedtime .
Can you catch pike in April?
April to May
The males gather in wait in the shallower waters to be joined later by the larger females. During spawning, much the same as other species, the pike is too pre-occupied to be interested in feeding and responsible anglers will have hung up their bait rods in march to leave the pike to it.
What colors do pike see best?
“I find that in the early spring, the pike really prefer the bright orange and chartreuse colours. Yet, come fall, silver, grey, and black combinations that imitate ciscos and other congregating baitfish seem best. So I tend to use bright lures in the spring and flashy baitfish patterns in the fall.”
Is pike fishing good after rain?
“Weather definitely affects pike,” says In-Fisherman Field Editor Matt Straw. “ In summer, the fishing can be good when a long-term rainy front parks itself for a while and brings consistent winds . Even shorter-lived rains and storms can turn fish on.”
Do pike feed in cold weather?
During the winter months, the water temperatures drop and in turn, this slows down the metabolism of the pike. This makes the pike very lethargic and much less likely to chase a lure. Based on this I believe dead or live baiting is the best winter pike fishing bait for the winter months .
Do pike feed when spawning?
Pike are predatory fish and are 100% carnivorous. This means that the fry will need to get something of a head start and this would be incredibly difficult if they were to spawn at the same time as other fish. With almost a month’s advantage, the fry has the opportunity to feed on newly spawned fish as they arrive .
Do pike bite while spawning?
When Pike Bite Best
By mid-May the spawn is over and the big fish look to regain all the weight they lost during the spawn process. This is a peak time to catch some giant fish!
How shallow do pike spawn?
In reservoirs and lakes, the pike’s spawning bays or flats typically have a depth of 1 to 6 feet . In rivers, the fish will seek out shallow streams and tributaries or spawn in shallower backwaters of roughly the same depth with little or no current at all.
Do pike like deep water in winter?
If there’s enough deep water and enough combination habitat, pike may use a bay all winter . The biggest pike tend to use bays during early and late season, however, and prefer main-lake habitat during midwinter. Feeder Creek A—Current attracts pike at early-ice and late-ice.
What depth do pike like in winter?
When your flag goes up on a tip-up, and you have a fish, adjust the rest of your tip-ups to that depth. Often northern pike can be found in less than 10 feet of water during the winter months, so start shallow and gradually work your way to deeper water.
How do you catch a big pike in the winter?
Why do pike stop feeding?
During the spawning season, the females don’t feed much . It’s soon after the spawning season when the female leaves the eggs to develop on their own and starts hunting for prey. At that time, every other fish crossing their path is in danger.
What’s the best bait for pike?
Soft rayed fish that have lots of natural oil in the skin and flesh make the best dead baits for pike fishing. These natural oils leech into the water and help to attract pike that may be cruising in the area. Some of the best dead baits are smelt, alewives, small whitefish, chubs, and the always popular sucker.
How do you target a large pike?
- Bring Heavy Leaders. ...
- Keep Your Romance At Home. ...
- Get A Gripper. ...
- Pack Serious Heat. ...
- Pick Heavy Duty Assemblies. ...
- Know Where To Look. ...
- Learn Northern Pike Reading. ...
- Use Daredevil Lures.
What is northern pike favorite food?
It eats mainly fish and frogs, but also small mammals and birds fall prey to pike . Young pike have been found dead from choking on a pike of a similar size, an observation referred to by the renowned English poet Ted Hughes in his famous poem “Pike”. Northern pike also feed on insects, crayfish, and leeches.
What eats pike in summer?
Here they snack on walleye, suckers and bass . River mouths are also a great place to catch big pike, especially when the walleye and bass start to make evening migrations into the current. Most of us probably know that pike like weeds. The green and cream mottled side of a pike is really just weed camouflage.
