Stalking Early Spring Trophy Pike: Part II

Rigging for bait stalking pike...

So far we have a plan and the hardware to get us a good shot at a trophy fish, now we need to feed them something they will fall for in this cold water pre-spawn environment. Mood dictates an appropriate presentation, and in this case bait choice too. Live bait does work well, such as 6-12" white suckers, but dead baits offer more appeal to hungry cold pike. Fresh water smelt and herring has consistently proven to be the right bait under these conditions. These oily baits secrete a scent trail that triggers a pike to feed readily when live bait is greatly restricted in appeal to action. Since the water temperature is not far from freezing, aggressive presentations is a low percentage game at this point in time. In conditions where the temperature is rapidly and steadily rising, crankbaits such as a Salmo Whitefish SW 13 SX BS, Salmo S-12 Sting, Rapala Countdown #11, or the Rapala #13 Husky Jerk may produce high numbers of active fish and should be kept handy should these conditions arise. Fan casting crankbaits over mud flats can be a very effective method of covering ground and locating active pike plus the action can turn explosive if the pike are on the feed.

One situation where crankbaits shine is when the early stages of a smelt run on reservoirs coincide with pike concentrations near the mouth of a bay or creek arm. An abundance of food may increase pike feeding activity but a glut of forage will often make bait sets a low percentage game becoming lost in the crowd of available food.

Two basic bait rigs work well under most pre-spawn conditions, the slip float rig, and the bottom slip rig. The slip float rig is much the same as others you may have used in past months while ice fishing. A slip float rig consists of a float set to slide from the leader section to a point were a stop bead and slip knot has been placed allowing ease of casting and depth control. The big difference is size; these floats will need to suspend bait that may exceed 1 lb., such as a large herring.

The 10 1/2" long 5/8" diameter Lindy Little Joe UAF 110 Pole Float is a good choice for a slip float. They are weighted allowing the presentation to be pulled under with little effort; therefore, not spooking a wise old pike. Thill Floats in the 4"-6" cigar style makes for an excellent choice during springtime conditions where longer drifts are in order. They offer a high amount of buoyancy combined with a minimal overall size. Either choice of float has enough weight to make casting less cumbersome in wind.

A crafty option that is new to the pike game is the addition of flash to a suspension rig. This unique piece of equipment is placed above the bait attracting a pike to the bait offering hanging below. One ideal flash rig is the Mack's Smile Blade Flash Lite system. The Mack's Smile Blade is innovative in that the construction of the blade is adjustable while extremely light in weight so it will turn emitting a flash in a 360 degree radius with as little as a = mile an hour push upon its reflective surfaces. This can easily be achieved by the slightest wind or currents producing a bobbing motion to fuel the Smile Blade and trigger a strike.

The Flash Lite blades are rigged on a steal leader with a high quality snap on one end and an equally high quality swivel on the other. This can be easily added to a quick strike leader below a float to produce additional attraction and bite off protection when the need arises. Individual blades can be pre-rigged on leaders if a more subtle flash is desired. Originally designed for trolling scenarios they are extremely effective with live and dead bait presentation such as this. Mack's Smile Blades and Flash Lite rigs can be found online or in quality tackle stores near you. These new blades are hot for many species and were responsible for some big wins on the PWT Circuit last season.

Leader choice for both the suspension rig and the bottom set rig should be constructed from quality leader materials; such as Bait Rig's Quick Strike Rig or a titanium leader. Longer the better is the thing to remember as bite offs and high abrasive conditions will raise havoc on the first 3 foot of leader or line above the bait itself. I often make my own leaders from stock 7 strand wire and start them at 3 ft with many up to 5 ft in really tough creek arms conditions where a lot of timber or brush is encountered. Quality hooks are a must, hooks such as Partridge VB quick strike hooks, 6 o/t circle hooks and a stinger, or Excalibur treble hooks. I prefer the Partridge Vb.'s or the circle hook and a stinger as they will not harm a fish as much and a released fish shows less stress, wear, and tear.

Dead baits should be thawed prior to use or they tend to float up. On a bottom set rig this may be advantageous, but not necessarily the case on a suspension rig. Proper hook placement on these jumbo baits is crucial to insure a good hook up. The head should be hanging downward on a suspension set. Place the first hook in the bait just above the tail and the bottom hook at the base of the head. A helpful hint is to carry a bag of small dental bands to aid in holding the bait to the wire leader while casting. One band worked over the first hook and placed about mid way between the first and second hook will greatly help prevent bait loss on long hard casts.

Bottom slip set rigs are much the same as the float rig with the addition of an egg weight just above the leader to hold the bait in position. The crafty Europeans have many productive variations to a bottom set and it's well worth experimenting with once you read up on them a bit. We are in the Stone Age compared to the advanced bait presentation tactics developed by Europe's top bait fisherman. I would recommend further reading on their tactics if you are serious about bait fishing. Might just very well make for some good bank side reading while waiting for a pike to make that big run?

Bait set placement...

Putting this all together we know to look to creek channels feeding into bays to locate pike. Look also for likely runs that hunting pike may fallow with careful consideration given to inside corners and points. Large mud bays are a crapshoot so just get the bait out there and see if they cruise on by.

You can up your odds by studying area topography carefully noting wear old creek channels brush up against shoreline areas, flooded timber, or brush. Often these old channels are like highways to pike moving in and out of bays, most certainly a high percentage area worth staking out and making a few sets. Necked down areas funneling into creek runs is a choice location and should be sought out if available. Suspension rigs in these areas may be best run high off the bottom. If the estimated depth of the creek is 8' set the bait at 4'. Pike will often swim midway up in the water column while searching for a quick meal as they cruise the bays and channels.

A good plan is to mix it up, one high, one low, and feel free to experiment. This flexibility will pattern their preference much faster and up your odds considerably in landing the trophy pike of your dreams.

Responsibilities we all must share...

Angler ethics is a critical issue we all face and often we need to make snap decisions of what fish to keep, or if a location is posted should we do the right thing by asking the land owner for permission, or just sneak on in. Regulations, laws, ethics, and personal needs dictate what fish you choose to keep for eating, hanging on the wall, or possibly to be released to grow even larger.

As anglers we must choose the appropriate option for all our sakes. Land access is a concern that effects all anglers, be considerate and ask before you fish. Most landowners are willing to allow access if you show them the respect that they deserve. By not following this basic expression of respect it often leads to areas being closed to all, for good! Every landowner that has denied my request has had the same response; "People just don't respect the area so I shut it down for good." Can we blame them, if their land is trashed or mistreated by careless individuals driving off trails and causing damage and soil erosion? The golden rule does certainly apply to this situation, and if followed will ensure a good place to fish for all fishermen who do show the appropriate respect to the landowners and the environment. Most of us do, but many more could improve their landowner relations skills and show appropriate respect for the environment.

Ahhh at last, spring and the simple pleasures it brings with it such as a good day in the sun and a pike on the line, a hard combination to beat for sure. I hope you can find time this spring to stalk a pike from a favorite creek or bay. With a bit of luck and preparation you may find that trophy pike of a lifetime eager to squeal off a few yards of line and race your heart into spring.

Good fishing to you, and if at all possible please release pre-spawn fish to fulfill their cycle of life and produce the next generation of drag squealers for all to enjoy. A photo is worth ten thousand meals or more if that big female pike has the opportunity to reproduce.

Top Photo: The author, Ed Carlson, with an early season northern and bonus walleye. Right Middle Photo: FBO Field Staff member, Loren Desjardins, caught this nice ice out northern in a shallow back bay of Lake Sakakawea. Left Middle Photo: Keith Miller of Mandan, ND caught this dandy northern from the Missouri River. Bottom Photo: An angler practices catch and release while shore fishing shortly after ice out.