tips for finding my 40" pike

[S_Mooj]

What areas of the lake should i target for my first 40"?

What type of structure to do they like to hang out around?

what depths do they tend to hang our around?

Edge of weed beds? ect.

Any tips for locating my first gator are much appreciated!

willing to put in the work to find the right spot, some help with what i should be looking for is awesome!

Thanks in advance

[Remps17]

First you need a lake that grows 40 inchers. Not all lakes are created equal.

If you got a productive lake in mind, find a large bay that drops off to deeper water. Use as big of bait as you can get your hands on, either leave it on the bottom or a couple feet above bottom.

Pike will follow their food so keep that in mind. Having deep water close by is something to keep in mind and is often overlooked.

Good luck with the gators. Post some pics when you find her.

[lromanchuk]

First you need a lake that grows 40 inchers. Not all lakes are created equal.

If you got a productive lake in mind, find a large bay that drops off to deeper water. Use as big of bait as you can get your hands on, either leave it on the bottom or a couple feet above bottom.

Pike will follow their food so keep that in mind. Having deep water close by is something to keep in mind and is often overlooked.

Good luck with the gators. Post some pics when you find her.

Exactly this. If the lake doesn't hold a good number of 40+ inch pike, chances are you won't catch one.

My biggest pike comes in 6-12 FOW with a 10-14 inch bait laying on the bottom.

[Talking moose]

Great big herring or small to medium sucker on a predator rig under a tip up on a big southern reservoir in 5-12 fow.

[Topshot]

Read my post What is your best all around jig/lure?
Topshot. Large Pickerel rig hooks, large smelt, 1oz weight, rod holder, bell, breaded 30lbs test line. Good chair and lake. Ice fishing is the best so you can have a beer and wait for it. Also be prepared because if in tent you need a bat or gaft as we found out.

[EZM]

Read my post What is your best all around jig/lure?
Topshot. Large Pickerel rig hooks, large smelt, 1oz weight, rod holder, bell, breaded 30lbs test line. Good chair and lake. Ice fishing is the best so you can have a beer and wait for it. Also be prepared because if in tent you need a bat or gaft as we found out.

Leave the gaff hook at home - they are against the law for use in Alberta waters.

[Talking moose]

Read my post What is your best all around jig/lure?
Topshot. Large Pickerel rig hooks, large smelt, 1oz weight, rod holder, bell, breaded 30lbs test line. Good chair and lake. Ice fishing is the best so you can have a beer and wait for it. Also be prepared because if in tent you need a bat or gaft as we found out.

Cody?

[HuyFishin]

Cody?

are you saying "cody" because you think we are being trolled haha

[tool]

I’ve caught a number of 40”+ pike in the summer months. 1 casting from shore with a #5 Meps spinner.
1 casting from the same location with a small shallow running Rapala plug with “side to side” action.
Several trolling down a small river in an undisclosed location pulling a medium to larger size Cotton Cordell crankbait. (About 4-5” long)

[Talking moose]

are you saying "cody" because you think we are being trolled haha

Ya, I’m wondering.... very “Wilburlike” threads.

[WayneChristie]

Read my post What is your best all around jig/lure?
Topshot. Large Pickerel rig hooks, large smelt, 1oz weight, rod holder, bell, breaded 30lbs test line. Good chair and lake. Ice fishing is the best so you can have a beer and wait for it. Also be prepared because if in tent you need a bat or gaft as we found out.

if you need a bat or a gaff to land a pike through the ice go take up knitting or maybe go fishing with someone who actually knows how to fish. and I have a suggestion for your "pickeral rig too but Id get banned :bad_boys_20:

[58thecat]

Read my post What is your best all around jig/lure?
Topshot. Large Pickerel rig hooks, large smelt, 1oz weight, rod holder, bell, breaded 30lbs test line. Good chair and lake. Ice fishing is the best so you can have a beer and wait for it. Also be prepared because if in tent you need a bat or gaft as we found out.

Non alcoholic beer and your good to go...no gaf...some good advice but some not soooo....


Location on a lake that has the potential to grow a 40" pike....no sense setting up on a stocked trout pond....:sHa_sarcasticlol:

12' or less of water with weed structure, lots of bait fish, 8" or bigger herring, two trebles...weight to get it down....bait 12" from weight...you can lay on the bottom, suspend just off the bottom etc....now ya gotta play the set up....good luck.


Ohhh one more thing is I always poke a few holes through the bait fish to assist in getting it down and getting the juices out as in scent....

[Freedom55]

if you need a bat or a gaff to land a pike through the ice go take up knitting or maybe go fishing with someone who actually knows how to fish. and I have a suggestion for your "pickeral rig too but Id get banned :bad_boys_20:

What he said.

[The Fisherman Guy]

What areas of the lake should i target for my first 40"?

What type of structure to do they like to hang out around?

what depths do they tend to hang our around?

Edge of weed beds? ect.


I just finished a 4 part series on Instagram which answers all of your questions above - @gibsontilley on Instagram for the details.

[HuyFishin]

I just finished a 4 part series on Instagram which answers all of your questions above - @gibsontilley on Instagram for the details.

aahhhh so you're gibsontilley!

[The Fisherman Guy]

aahhhh so you're gibsontilley!

One of em' anyway!

[fishn_palmer]

Great big herring or small to medium sucker on a predator rig under a tip up on a big southern reservoir in 5-12 fow.

:test:

one of a few from the weekend. still waiting on my 50" lol

https://i.imgur.com/qyDwaH2.jpg

[Talking moose]

:test:

one of a few from the weekend. still waiting on my 50" lol

https://i.imgur.com/qyDwaH2.jpg

Wow! Beast! Did that pig break 45”?

[58thecat]

:test:

one of a few from the weekend. still waiting on my 50" lol

https://i.imgur.com/qyDwaH2.jpg

well after seeing the pic...what is your set up? cuz the proof is in da'puddin':)

no hills, no tree's...must be the secret:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[fishn_palmer]

Didn't get an exact measurement as I didn't want her out of the water long. Slightly larger than my 40" rod. Around 42 - 43"

Talking Moose has the right idea. Love using the ifish pros with homemade quick strike rigs. Somethings are better left secrets, but no bats required lol.

[Ribolovac]

Beauty!

[buckman]

The right lake,the right spot,big bait,and put in the time. Oh and a little pinch of fisherman's luck.

[WayneChristie]

2 part video of the 44 I got my baby brother hooked up with, it wouldnt take his bait no matter what we did but she hit mine as soon as I moved it so I handed him the rod. No Clubs or gaffs involved :bad_boys_20:
https://youtu.be/76AXbVNv4xQ
https://youtu.be/5IyxaXM5n1U?t=9

[WayneChristie]

I will add one piece of advice for mamma gators, once you are setup and have your holes drilled, put your gas/propane auger away, the noise draws smaller pike and drives away bigger pike, they didnt get that big being dumb :fighting0074:

[liar]

Years ago i read a book by a pike " trophy hunter " . The short of it was " big pike eat big pike " . Try big , and i mean big , lures that mimic pike .

This guy talked about using five pound pike for bait . I think this was in Europe somewhere .

[Remps17]

I will add one piece of advice for mamma gators, once you are setup and have your holes drilled, put your gas/propane auger away, the noise draws smaller pike and drives away bigger pike, they didnt get that big being dumb :fighting0074:

Agreed.

Often when we are fishing pike and there is a few of so we can have a good tipup/tipdown spread, we will run your standard 6” baits then have a couple with large 10”+ bait. Those holes might not see a flag all day till the evening.

Sometimes you get lucky and drill on top of some big pike but leaving that bait soak all day and not move it or disturb the area has worked great for us. Majority of our big fish come as the sun starts going down. So while everyone else is packing up stick it out a little longer.

[HuyFishin]

I will add one piece of advice for mamma gators, once you are setup and have your holes drilled, put your gas/propane auger away, the noise draws smaller pike and drives away bigger pike, they didnt get that big being dumb :fighting0074:

This makes alot of sense. I'm searching for a 45 incher so this helps alot.

[WayneChristie]

This makes alot of sense. I'm searching for a 45 incher so this helps alot.

my best was 46, but I got beat by a couple ladies both with 47 inchers so I need to up my game, the hunt starts next week! theres a res near Calgary most people dont associate with monster pike but I would bet good money there are records swimming in it. fortunately Im surrounded by monster waters :sHa_shakeshout:

[Battery]

Great big herring or small to medium sucker on a predator rig under a tip up on a big southern reservoir in 5-12 fow.

Yup. Caught my 45" last year in 6 FOW in a southern reservoir with that exact method.

https://i.imgur.com/vdyLN7Z.jpg

[Talking moose]

Yup. Caught my 45" last year in 6 FOW in a southern reservoir with that exact method.

https://i.imgur.com/vdyLN7Z.jpg

Beauty! Some tanks in this thread!

[35 whelen]

Years ago i read a book by a pike " trophy hunter " . The short of it was " big pike eat big pike " . Try big , and i mean big , lures that mimic pike .



This guy talked about using five pound pike for bait . I think this was in Europe somewhere .Guiding up north caught lots and lots of big Pike with 3,4,5 Pounders in their gutt

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[mooseknuckle]

I got too impatient here in alberta, hopped a float plane in northern sask. $1800, coupke hundred beers, and an absolute blast with friends!!! Few 40's, 45's and yes even a 50!! ill try and dig up some pics. If your interested we put a couple groups together every summer. Trip of a lifetime.

[Crankbait]

terrible quick pic but a great place to start drilling holes

[WayneChristie]

terrible quick pic but a great place to start drilling holes

That's my experience too if there is one hog there will be more around too, they seem to travel feed and scavenge in pairs or more. Case in point a 17 pounder caught by someone I took out and before we could put a new bait down there was a 25 pounder on the second line. Treat the big girls well, the big one caught by my brother was caught by me 2 weeks earlier and by someone else a week after my brothers turn. And yes you get to know individuals by scars and patterns . Also helps with the hunt when you know they will be in the same area sometime during the day/evening. I've had to fish for one individual for 3 weeks solid to finally outsmart her.

[Crankbait]

That's my experience too if there is one hog there will be more around too, they seem to travel feed and scavenge in pairs or more. Case in point a 17 pounder caught by someone I took out and before we could put a new bait down there was a 25 pounder on the second line. Treat the big girls well, the big one caught by my brother was caught by me 2 weeks earlier and by someone else a week after my brothers turn. And yes you get to know individuals by scars and patterns . Also helps with the hunt when you know they will be in the same area sometime during the day/evening. I've had to fish for one individual for 3 weeks solid to finally outsmart her.

Yes agreed they have routes. One area we fish , we've caught the same gal a few times, from when she was a mere hammer handle and now she's a nice 32" gal. But we don't catch her at the other hole/route, but have repeats from that neighborhood. Not sure if it was posted here, but pike have an area they cruise of about 6 kms,, we think sometimes that we've got on time for the train stop but other factors are at play....

And we fish

[Crankbait]

The most BIG gals out sauntering I've seen is seven and the biggest leads. In threes in the shallow presentation, they move in an angle pattern, lead closest to shore and last just a bit further out.

I love them, underated, abused and not just lumbering food vacuums,,, very stealthy.

To the op, not all Pike hit the same from lake to lake,, some wander off with the bait, others inhale the bait, others know where your hook is,, they inspect their food, so that first bump is a test of you and knowing when to set the hook. I primarily fish three big pike lakes and I have a different rig/manner for each of them as I've learned their behavior in their home waters.

[Topshot]

Don,t be a hater, Never did use a gaff, the thought to use it to move the line so we could get the fish out of the hole. Its gone. The bat was to stick in the mouth so it will bite it to help pull out of the water. Be prepared because the 20lb plus in the tent got away because the line broke 2 feet out of the hole and the fish slowly sank back down. It was when he closed his mouth that it would go back down the hole. If we had something stick in its mouth we would have got him. That was with pickeral rig and we had music playing. Also southern Alberta not north. You dont get them everyday to be not prepared.

[martyparty]

Nice thread and pics! Thx guys

[Topshot]

pickeral rig