Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Northern Pike Fishing Tactics?

Something I have been curious about lately. Does working a lure at the boat in a figure 8 work for Northerns like it does for Musky?

At times�.

One of the best things Ive seen for pike is counter-intuitive. If one is following the lure, snatch it away from him as quickly as you can, then throw back to the same spot. I promise you won't get it away from him a second time.

Everyones impulse is to slow the lure down so he hits it. Do the opposite, make it appear like its trying to get away.

Very good point.

Thanks. Never thought of that.

When we see them following to the boat we'll slow the lure almost to a stop and then not quite jerk it but pull it away in an escape motion. Triggers a strike if they're inclined, sometimes they're not. If not we'll short cast over them to give them another look though splashing a lure down right in front of them can be a good tactic too with the splash triggering a strike particularly if they are a little better than neutral.

If trolling a spoon (use a ball-bearing swivel), let your rod tip drift back a bit and then snap it forward - will sometimes turn a follow (if it's there) into a strike.

The figure 8 works good if you see them coming for it close to the boat. One time I had a pike come up 10' from the boat, at a buzzbait I was throwing for muskies, and it saw the boat or me and took a dive out of sight. I made large oval with the rod about 2' in the water and the pike came up and nailed the buzzbait before I completed the oval. I use a large oval instead of a "8" in the water. That is the only pike I've caught on a figure 8 though, and I end every cast with a figure 8 weather I see a fish following or not. Other than that fish all the pike I've caught have been at least 20' from the boat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj7XEpUed4I

My wife made a short pike video,,all the haters blasted her for rough fish handling,,it just went into the dogpot anyway!

Ha! That was a great video!!

most often an immediate speed "increase" after a short strike
will initiate a hookup when trolling for northerns.
it works on saltwater species like wahoo also. its always good
to make slight changes in your trolling speed and direction
on occaision.

Best northern technique I know is to try to concentrate only on walleyes. ;-{>8

That's when I catch those hammer handles, would swear it's the same one over and over again.

Yeah, my best northerns came when I was bottom bouncing for walleye.

My 42 incher came that way though not bottom bouncing. Was working a tickle tail (think fuzz-e grub) with a minnow across mud flats about ten feet deep in hopes of enticing a negative walleye. Light action rod with 6# line made for some fun! There are big carp in that lake and I thought I had one. Horsed it to the surface and then all hell broke loose.

42" is my tops as well. Came on a #9 Rapala while making a big turn.

Didnt measure it. Would this one make 42?




An earlier one did make 42�I measured him�.

Nice fishes!

(You are aware of the UFO in the top picture, right?)

Nice indeed! Hope the UFO guys didn't steal your spot.

You wont believe this but we actually saw a bonafide UFO over that same lake one day�seriously.

Pard caught a couple 42 inchers�.