Set up for Pike

[larryours]

Going to Quebec this Spring for Bear hunting, have a good lake to fish for Pike, have caught a few pike there on previous hunting trips, like opions from individuals that pike fish alot, what type lure, #line, I know I'll need steel leaders, something that works but not that expensive, since this trip is primary bear hunting, if kill bear, then fishing will become primary

[wrenchman]

dare devils buck tail spinners and lots of the spinners you would youse for large bass just make sure they have a eye so you can attach your spinner to the leader.
Make sure you can youse barbed hooks if not stock up before you leave.

[gd357]

I've been on a couple of pike fishing trips, and I've had the best luck with Mepps #5 spinners and a white bucktail, or redeye spoons. Also, caught quite a few on long stickbaits like the Rapala Original. I'd advise using the heaviest line that your reel/rod is rated for. Walleye tackle did fairly well for us, although we didn't catch many over 25". If memory serves correctly, I was using 12# line. Good luck!

gd

[kt]

in quebec the pike have always been a fish for when the walleye arent hitting for me. my grandfather kills them on redeyes. he has an absolute monster on the wall at home that he caught on a 15" river chub or as the french call them "white fish" personally the topwater is the most fun. because when they grab it they really smack it. I like the big zara spook or the spittin' image, they do that walk the dog action. last year my uncle was in a nearby boat making fun of my zara spook. so i cast it past him, pulled it right past bow and a 3 footer exploded on it. loved it
that was ten# line, on such a bait though i believe a wire leader will kill your action, good luck

kt

[Steverino]

Some years ago, I used to be really heavy into muskie fishing and would make my annual pilgrimage with buddies up to Canada to look for the monster 'fresh water wolves.' We would typically catch a fair amount of big Northern Pike during the course of our trip. As mentioned already and I have never been able to figure out quite why, those Red and White Daredevil spoons where amazing.

We's heave-ho these big spoons on heavy muskie tackle (more like broom sticks than rods, really ) into the backs of shallow bays with submerged cabbage or coontail and watch the underwater clouds of silt form as the long, dark- shadowed torpedo images on the other side of polarized lenses would just hammer the snot out of those spoons. There were times that they would hit those spoons so hard that there would literally be flying spoons sailing through the air if a fish or you missed the hookset.

The only thing that I can figure out is that the fish up North aren't exposed to the same hammering (fishing pressure) as back home.

There were times that I was actually getting bored catching pike on spoons and began emptying out the bottom of my tackle boxes on my casting deck to the dismay of my buddy in back, just to see what lures that I never seemed to have any luck with-could catch pike in Canada. The majority did. The ones that did not were relegated to garage storage.

KT's story also reminded me just how viscious pike can be on topwater baits. The most devastating topwater strike that I ever witnessed never came from a muskie but a big pike (48") that hammered a floating glider bait in Georgian Bay. We had just finished cleaning fish before supper when my friend grabbed his pole from the boat and figured he'd chug a few casts off the deck of our lodge. On the fourth cast, I witnessed a northern come completely out of the water and pounce on top of my buddy's glider bait. As he set the hook, we both just high-fived each other and shouted excitedly at what we both witnessed.

I guess my point to my entire diatribe here is that big baits often do catch big fish so if you have a couple of large "muskie" baits like Suicks, Eddie Baits. or the like, pair em up with a heavy, stout rod and heave-ho!

[kt]

oh and if you really want a handful, i have been bouncing a curly tail or jigging a leech on 6# test and had nasty big pike grab it. they dont always make it to the boat
kt

[jmarriott]

Find the cattails around the stream inlet to the lake. In the spring the warmer stream water brings in shad. Get a couple of big old poles with 20 lbs test or better some large bait hooks and Shad bait and matching bobbers and of course the leader. Sit back relax and catch some big old pike. Not even a real need to get up at the crack of dawn about 11 am is good.

[CanWoodsman]

Large perch coloured believers / swimwizz's. Min. 6" but 8"-12" are even better. You need heavy gear to pull these.

Good Luck