Favorite Pike Rod

[Tyangelo]

Just curious what all you gator hunters use for your pike rods?

I've come to become a die hard fan of the 6'6" Ugly Stik. If I'm wrong, I've got a 7' one too. Great for casting everything from smallish spoons from 00 and beyond, and even will even handle trolling the big 10" softbaits at Wabamun. Love these rods.

[Calgaryguy1977]

It's funny because I find a decent $30-50 rod of any kind will work just fine for any fish. If I want to cast further that's when I use weights or a heavier spoon. As far as pike go I only went fishing for about an hour once this summer for them and landed a small one on a panther martin with my cheap ass berkley rod (25 bucks I think for the rod itself.)

I should mention after I caught my first trout on a fly rod I only used my spin cast once since......lol

[Tyangelo]

I tend to agree with ya man, although Ive found the Ugly Stik to especially hardy, especially the guides, and the rid tips. Never had a problem with them breaking after years of abuse.

[Cal]

7' shakespear uglystick light with a Daiwa BG 15 reel on it, 10 lb mono. Not very specialised as far as gator hunters go but I've had/have far more specialised rigs and have come to prefer keeping it simple and versitile.

[WayneChristie]

7' shakespear uglystick light with a Daiwa BG 15 reel on it, 10 lb mono. Not very specialised as far as gator hunters go but I've had/have far more specialised rigs and have come to prefer keeping it simple and versitile.

Same rod, with spinning reel also, but I use 30 pound powerpro to cut thru the weeds and handle whatever happens to bite.

[Tyangelo]

I'm a big fan of using spinning reels, with 15-17lb Stealth superbraid. The stuff is so bombproof you almost don't need a leader...almost....

[Jayball]

Good thread...

For about 15 years I used my ugly stick with a Shimano reel (2500 or Sidestab I think). It did the job real well and I was always happy with it... very good set up. My kids use it mainly now. That rod rod will be around forever.

However just recently I did splurge and upgrade to a bait-casting rod and reel setup. I wanted a rod with good spine that I could troll with with and a reel with some heavy duty drag options. I chose a St. Croix 6.6 Avid... and an Abu Garcia Ambassador 6500 C3 series. The reel has taken a bit of getting used to but with the help of many on here, I have really started to master casting with it. I now easily outcast my buddy's spinning reels regularly.

Did i "need it"? No. It was just my preference and bought it on a spur of the moment. I am sure that a good 6.6 ft medium action rod with a mid size reel will do anyone just fine. As for line... I am recent convert to Power Pro, and I use on everything. just my preference.

I also fly fish for Pike and I have two different fly rigs for them as well.

[Fishfinder]

I'm a big fan of using spinning reels, with 15-17lb Stealth superbraid. The stuff is so bombproof you almost don't need a leader...almost....

I am curious as I do not use leaders. Do pike spin in the water and slice one's line or do they simply chomp it off?? bombproof.....good word:)

[Jayball]

Same rod, with spinning reel also, but I use 30 pound powerpro to cut thru the weeds and handle whatever happens to bite.

I love Power Pro. Expensive... but very well worth the investment. I also like the more immediate feel of action.

[Jayball]

I am curious as I do not use leaders. Do pike spin in the water and slice one's line or do they simply chomp it off?? bombproof.....good word:)

With their teeth being so sharp, it is more of slicing action when they take the hook or make a run. I think rolling has little to do with it although I may be wrong. In all my years of fishing I have never gone out pike fishing without a wire leader (even with PowerPro). Cant stand losing lures.

[Fishfinder]

With their teeth being so sharp, it is more of slicing action when they take the hook or make a run. I think rolling has little to do with it although I may be wrong. In all my years of fishing I have never gone out pike fishing without a wire leader (even with PowerPro). Cant stand losing lures.

I hear ya, I fibbed a bit, I do use leaders at Rattlesnake lake for the pike. Don't know why I do though lol, they're pretty tiny outta there. Got lucky last year and managed a 38incher outta the SSR and a 4+ footer that was lost at shore...grrr. No leader used. Have yet to catch a pike this year, i miss em:) Thanx for the reply to my question.

[Cal]

If I'm jigging for walleye I dont use a leader and I've landed plenty of pike without a leader, but I've also lost lots of them too, kinda depends on how you hook them and to some extent what lure your using. When fishing for walleye I find a good compromise is to use a snap swivle, while not a leader it is often enough to keep the line out of the pike's mouth. Heavy, stiff mono also works to a degree, the heavy line used to snell hooks for pickerel rigs will usualy catch a few pike before they get too nicked up.

[aulrich]

If the lake your fishing has smalish pike say a 5lb would be big, you can get away without a leader. If your pike fishing everywhere else use leaders, your sort of screwed if you are walleye fishing and pike is a by-catch, I don't like using leader while fishing walleye.

[TexasTornado]

St. Croix 7ft Heavy, great for trolling big baits & ripping top water through weed beds

[Tyangelo]

If a big Jack takes the hook deep enough to have line in it's mouth, those numerous small teeth in the top jaw can easily cheese grate your line off, especially mono. A leader is just extra assurance for your $15 plug coming back.

[Fishfinder]

Just curious what all you gator hunters use for your pike rods?

I've come to become a die hard fan of the 6'6" Ugly Stik. If I'm wrong, I've got a 7' one too. Great for casting everything from smallish spoons from 00 and beyond, and even will even handle trolling the big 10" softbaits at Wabamun. Love these rods.

Ugly is the only way to go IMO. You can switch up your line and leaders, but from my xp have never had a pike or any other fish bite my line. Just tire them out and let them swim if they want to, eventually they will submit. Even the huge pike I pulled outta the SSR last year, mono 12# and a lil patience.

[Tyangelo]

Interesting. I've definatly lost lures due to sharp teeth. Especially ones with trailing hooks.

[seahawkfisher]

i also am a fan of the ugly stik; hav mine rigged with a quantum hypercast spooled with 10lb fireline. i also use 44lb rio fluroflex for a leader and have never lost a hook to breakage or teeth (lost one to a poor knot tho...)
cheers

[Geezle]

Ugly is the only way to go IMO. You can switch up your line and leaders, but from my xp have never had a pike or any other fish bite my line. Just tire them out and let them swim if they want to, eventually they will submit. Even the huge pike I pulled outta the SSR last year, mono 12# and a lil patience.

I've definitely had fish get the line in their toothy mouths...the first pike I caught this spring broke my line off on shore....I was pitching spinners to what I thought were goldeye and this big ol' pike comes and swallows my hook. I got him in okay, but as soon as I got him on the shore the line broke and he almost got away with my spinner.

Soft swimbaits like the Storm Wildeyes are bad for being taken deep, by both pike and walleye...but they work!


And now to get this back on topic, my pike rod is a 7' medium action Ugly Stik with a Pflueger Trion reel and either 20lb or 30lb line depending on how snaggy the river is where I'm fishing. :)

[-JR-]

What I use for walleye I will use for pike as I like a light rod for casting all day with some back bone in it .Was a firm believer in the ugly stick for years ,but it has no back bone,the rod just bends over and realy can't feel the fish .
Once you tried a rod with back bone you will never go back. Its all in the drag ,has to be set so not to break the 10 pd line.
Brings me back to a fishing trip using my alterlite with 6 pound line.
Fishing was slow and got tired of casting a larger rod.
Caught 3 -12pound pike in a row.

[aulrich]

I have used light line with the same result but heavier line are more prone to bite off. One year I had 6" leaders up for my time at the cabin that summer I had a number of bite offs, including a big super shadrap, and I am not counting snap offs during the fight, these were you feel the strike and even before the rod loads fully it is off.

I switched to 12" and it has pretty much gone away. Pike have never struck me as leader shy so if your targeting pike there is no point hadicapping yourself.

[WayneChristie]

[QUOTE=aulrich;657686]If the lake your fishing has smalish pike say a 5lb would be big, you can get away without a leader.
I found last winter ice fishing with bait even the smaller pike would bite thru 30 pound powerpro so I always use leaders now.

[fitzy]

I use a 6.5 foot Berkley lightning, its designed for super lines and has small eyelets and lots of backbone. It works great for casting, trolling and handles lures from a 1/4 oz to 1oz with ease.
I would never go fishing for pike without a leader, I find you can catch big fish on 6 to 8lb with ease if you use a long leader, I prefer 18inch.

[Duramaximos]

What I use for walleye I will use for pike as I like a light rod for casting all day with some back bone in it .Was a firm believer in the ugly stick for years ,but it has no back bone,the rod just bends over and realy can't feel the fish .
Once you tried a rod with back bone you will never go back. Its all in the drag ,has to be set so not to break the 10 pd line.
Brings me back to a fishing trip using my alterlite with 6 pound line.
Fishing was slow and got tired of casting a larger rod.
Caught 3 -12pound pike in a row.

I was begining to think I was the only one who considers the ugly sticks to be on the mushy side. I find they have very little sensitivity, especially compared to my St.Croix.

They are decent for the price and durable, but far from great, imo.

[WayneChristie]

What style of uglystik have you used? I use a medium action and have no problem feeling the fish, from small perch to big pike with it, especially with powerpro line. They are also great when big fish makes a run and wraps your rod right around your pontoon boat, pretty sure a stiff rod would be in 2 pieces about that point. But thats just my choice, to each his own thats why there are so many different options :bad_boys_20:

[Crusty]

D.A.M. SUMO Spin 25 - 1.95M, best by far.

[fitzy]

What I use for walleye I will use for pike as I like a light rod for casting all day with some back bone in it .Was a firm believer in the ugly stick for years ,but it has no back bone,the rod just bends over and realy can't feel the fish .
Once you tried a rod with back bone you will never go back. Its all in the drag ,has to be set so not to break the 10 pd line.
Brings me back to a fishing trip using my alterlite with 6 pound line.
Fishing was slow and got tired of casting a larger rod.
Caught 3 -12pound pike in a row.

yea I have a 10ft ugly that I used for trolling on downriggers, I have used lots of them in the past and don't like them, absolutley no backbone way to soft.

[The Great White Hype]

Good thread...

For about 15 years I used my ugly stick with a Shimano reel (2500 or Sidestab I think). It did the job real well and I was always happy with it... very good set up. My kids use it mainly now. That rod rod will be around forever.

However just recently I did splurge and upgrade to a bait-casting rod and reel setup. I wanted a rod with good spine that I could troll with with and a reel with some heavy duty drag options. I chose a St. Croix 6.6 Avid... and an Abu Garcia Ambassador 6500 C3 series. The reel has taken a bit of getting used to but with the help of many on here, I have really started to master casting with it. I now easily outcast my buddy's spinning reels regularly.

Did i "need it"? No. It was just my preference and bought it on a spur of the moment. I am sure that a good 6.6 ft medium action rod with a mid size reel will do anyone just fine. As for line... I am recent convert to Power Pro, and I use on everything. just my preference.

I also fly fish for Pike and I have two different fly rigs for them as well.

That is a step up indeed, I also changed to baitcasting over a year ago now. I use a 6'10 Shimano Compre and a Johnny Morris gold is the 20 size, and I find casting this this to be simple, and the distance, accuracy, and strentgh of the drag far superior to my old spinning setups. Spinning will always hold a place, but it will be for more finnesse fishing...

[soggysocks]

Last year, I was fishing for walleye and ended up with a 7'' pike on the line. Got him to shore, was removing the hook and he bit my line off above the weight...Swam down a bit and got stuck in the rocks. lol had friend try and pick him up so we can get the hook out and he got bit when he grabbed at him. Finally got him back to shore and when I put the forceps in his mouth to remove the hook he chomped down and started grinding his teeth on forceps...

That was 10lb fluoro to boot so it don't take a big fish to chew through your line

[Newly]

I use a 6'6" Quantum PT Tour medium heavy fast action with a Quantum Burner bait cast reel tied up with 20lb Power Pro. Bait caster is definitely the way to go, especially when fishing in the junk!