Ice Fishing For Pike Tips

[AlbertaOutdoorsmen19]

I'm heading up to the lake this week to try some ice fishing. The lake is big and holds perch , pike , lake trout and walleyes This lake has various rocky reefs , drop offs etc. In the summer right in front of my cabin I can land big Pike up to 42 '' in a cabbage bed that is around 10-13 ft of water.

Where should I start to fish and what would be the best thing for pike , I don't have a tip up or anything like that I'll just be using a medium action ice rod. I did try earlier this winter, fishing in the same spot where I was catching pike all summer and did not get a bite. :(

I just need some pointers of when , where and how to ice fish for pike as I am 16 years old and new to ice fishing.
Thanks,
AO19 :wave:

[munyee4321]

tips ups wth quick strike setup and either smelts and herring.

I usually set up 1 foot from the bottom, anywhere from 8 ft of water to 20+.

seeing as i just reread your post and you don't own any tip ups.. try and get some there some cheapies at walley world if they are not out.

Otherwise if your using a rod, depending on what the bite is like at the lake, Iv caught pike jigging different colors of curly tails, lipstick jigs that look like perch, just a jig head with a minnow, lucky 5 of dimonds spood. All are tipped with a minnow. Also pickeral rigs work as well, a little less action in them but they do work. If your really patient you can just fish a treble hook with a small or medium sized smelt and jig that and let it sit caught them doing that as well.

[JohnnyCustom]

X2 on Wal Mart. Grab a cheap tip up and a quick strike. I like using 8-10" smelts, 1ft from the bottom or so. I like to set the bait so it's looking down at the bottom but not too much of an angle.
Good luck

[npauls]

you could make some cheap tip ups to. If you have any bleach bottles laying around just go get some ice line and tie it to the handle. Then just wrap the extra line around the top of the bottle. When you get out there just set your rig up so it is just off the bottom and your bleach bottle is sitting a few feet away from the hole. When the pike grabs your gear it will pull the bottle over top of the hole but is to big to go down the hole so it just unwinds the extra line you have. when you see it in the hole just run over and set the hook.


Hope this helps and hopefully you can post some pics if you can hook into something.

[AlbertaOutdoorsmen19]

Thanks everyone,
Now what is the best line to use for a tip up and where should I fish during late winter/early spring.
I also forgot to say that their is a creek that runs into the lake and I usually land a few perch and the occasional big pike right where it start flowing into the lake during the summer. Would this be a spot to fish in winter?? Just wondering.

But overall I'll head over to wally mart and pick me up a Tip up and try my best!

[munyee4321]

Thanks everyone,
Now what is the best line to use for a tip up and where should I fish during late winter/early spring.
I also forgot to say that their is a creek that runs into the lake and I usually land a few perch and the occasional big pike right where it start flowing into the lake during the summer. Would this be a spot to fish in winter?? Just wondering.

But overall I'll head over to wally mart and pick me up a Tip up and try my best!


This late in the game i would avoid fishing anywhere near the creek that runs into the lake.

Good line for tip ups, the stuff that's come with a few of them will suffice until the next season otherwise if you have time pick up 50lbs or more dacron line and don't for get steel leaders!

Where to fish... start off shallow 8feet or so, no hits in a hour move it out or to a different stop try deeper. Its hard to say, guys say near the end of ice, fish shallow.

[slingshotz]

Thanks everyone,
Now what is the best line to use for a tip up and where should I fish during late winter/early spring.
I also forgot to say that their is a creek that runs into the lake and I usually land a few perch and the occasional big pike right where it start flowing into the lake during the summer. Would this be a spot to fish in winter?? Just wondering.

But overall I'll head over to wally mart and pick me up a Tip up and try my best!

Be careful if you are fishing near a stream inlet as the ice might be very thin and dangerous. You're lucky to have a nice spot like that and a cabin. Good luck!

[AlbertaOutdoorsmen19]

Munyee,
I picked up an HT tip up and some herring and some braided nylon line. They were sold out of their quick strike rigs so the guy at the Fishin' Hole told me how to make my own out of a bottom bouncer, pretty simple but strong.
Anyways you talked about steel leaders. Could i just use the normal steel braided leaders that are used during open water for pike??

Thanks everyone for the tips plan to head out tomorrow afternoon. I will post pictures of my monsters :D
AO19

[diamond k]

Make sure your lake is open tomorrow

[AlbertaOutdoorsmen19]

Lake is open until may 1st!
:D

[hit_theice]

where is your lake? I am still looking for somewhere i can go icefishing a few more times. thanks

[AlbertaOutdoorsmen19]

The Lake is up in northern manitoba. I Just drove 9 hours to get my last hard water fix in ! :lol:

[fish-man]

If you don't have a tip up you can always prop your rod against a tackle box, chair etc. Just make sure you set your drag VERY loose and pay attention to the rod. A lot of pike will "hit and run" with your bait and you don't want to lose your gear.