Northern Pike Fishing: Pike Fishing Secrets

Big pike are hungry ambush predators who are not going to bother with sissy meals like small minnows, frogs, or bugs. You have to think about this when you're out pike fishing, pursuing those trophies. In the border waters, most northerns will eat Walleyes and other "smaller" fish, but ones that are way above minnow size. Look around for places where a big northern pike could wait in ambush for a walleye, and then just side swipe it for lunch. Those are exactly the types of rocky points, islands, and other similar areas that the big northern pike like to hang out at. If you want to go trophy pike fishing, these are the locations you need to find.

One thing that's hard to argue with, and that's that out of all the big time game fish you can fish for in Ontario, Pike are by far and away the easiest to find and catch. The reason for this is the aggressiveness. Northern Pike will hit just about any lure imaginable, and in any color combination depending on the time and area. Rapalas, and even big magnum rapalas are excellent choices to go after some of these giants. It's the fight and snapping fishing lines that make giant pike hard to catch. But these fish are fun because they are so aggressive. More than once I've caught a pike, let it go, cast a new lure, and had the exact same fish slam into the lure again.

There are many different websites, books, DVDs, and other sources offering a wide array of pike fishing tips out there, and sometimes it can be difficult to guess at which ones apply to your favorite fishing hole. While pike can act differently in different environments, the good news is that they are very aggressive fish who tend to share several predatory traits wherever they're located. The good news for this is that it means tracking down pike is made a lot easier because of their own aggressiveness.

1) Use a lure that has a lot of movement. This is part of the reasons that rapalas are so effective in many areas. By nature most northern pike are extremely predatory and very territorial. A lot of movement = angry pike wanting to show the intruder who's boss.

2) Bigger lures = bigger fish. To some extent this is true anywhere, but this is especially true of pike. Once they get to a certain size, they're not going to bother with tiny frogs or jigs (although I've seen many a baby duck disappear behind mom and never surface again). If you want a trophy pike, use a bigger lure that still has heavy movement.

3) Tray a rattler. Some anglers swear by fancy blinking lights, but there's a reason rattler lures have been around for decades. Noise gets attention, and if nothing else is working, try annoying them into hitting your lure. Northern pike are aggressive, this is a strategy that could definitely pay dividends.

What makes Northern Pike fishing so attractive to many freshwater sports anglers? There are many reasons I've always loved pike fishing. These fish give a huge fight, and even small pike, or "snakes" if you prefer the slang, can really put up a fight that makes it fun. There are also many 8-14 lb pike throughout Canadian and Minnesota lakes, which for a kid is a fantastic fight and a whole lot of fun. Add in being able to toss that fish right on the grill, and that's a little slice of heaven right there. There are many reasons to love northern fishing, from the challenge to the fight to the taste of the fish itself. Add in the chance to chase down a trophy sized fish for the wall, or some places like Alaska where there is no limit due to them being an invasive species, and the benefits of fishing for pike become obvious.

There are three types of fish in the pike family that include six species. While most people think directly of the northern pike when they here about the pike family, there are actually several other fish involved. Many people know about the Muskie, which is similar to the pike in many ways but is known for getting even larger and being even trickier to hook. Excellent eating and with a reputation as an incredible fighter, muskie can be quite challenging but they are also an equally rewarding freshwater game fish and many people enjoy pursuing this intelligent and erratic trophy sized fish.

The tiger muskie is also a member of the northern pike family and is a literal cross between a muskie and a northern pike, which are closely enough related to breed. The tiger muskie is known for being large, extremely aggressive, and combines the best traits of both fish. A giant tiger muskie fights extremely hard, can grow to massive size, and are delicious to eat. in fact, many fresh water anglers consider the tiger muskie to be one of the most delicious and best eating fish around period.

Obviously we know about the northern pike, especially since you are looking over this lens. The last group of fish which are technically in the pike family are the smallest: the pickerel. There are three types of pickerel, which are the: redfin pickerel, grass pickerel, and chain pickerel. These fish can be found throughout different parts of the United States and while they show the same aggressiveness as other members of the pike family and are good eating, they won't reach quite the same size.