clear lake question and funney pike bites

superspud · #1 01-09-2009, 12:01 PM

Hey there.
i have been fishing clear lake this winter and have had good luck. but the size is usually small, the biggest being about 71cm. i fish the south end, and usually get about 6 fish a day. just wondering what the north end of the lake is like? any better in size?

also i and getting tons of flages like over 25 a day, but the fish only takes it for about 3feet then drops it and dosent come back, and or hits the the next hole. could there be something wrong with my set up? ofr is it just real small pike playing with me.
i am using a horizontal rig with a smelt.
any advice would be great.
and or if anyone wants to throw a pm my way about a spot i would be very thankful.
Shane

jjstar · #2 01-09-2009, 12:05 PM

I remember having a very similar prob in Saskatchewan a few years back, we switched to having half the baits being just minows. Turns out we started getting walleye and jumbo perch in the same spot. So may be just something else in the area also. Also had more pike hitting the smaller bait so maybe just size preference

Mish · #3 01-09-2009, 12:26 PM

I've never caught a real monster out of Clear Lake. Nothing more than 10cm over limit. It's a big lake, but if there are big fish there, I have yet to see them.

Never ice fished it so I'm not sure about the tip up situation.

#4 01-09-2009, 03:37 PM

I'd guarantee there's some monster pike in there. I've seen small pike cause the situation you describe, i've also seen lake whitefish and walleye do it. Clear Lake is mostly full of pike though so i'd put money on pike doing it, but not neccesarily small ones. For pike like that i've had great luck hooking two trebles together with a short leader and having one in each side of the smelt. Use a bigger bait though or they'll swallow it deep.

OutwardBound · #5 01-09-2009, 05:13 PM

There are some big pike in Clear lake, I caught into one last summer, but lost him close to the boat. he was at least 20 lbs and my bro in laws Ex girl friend caught this one there. I've never done anything special to catch them, and i don't know if there are lots because every other fish is like Mish said just under the limit to just over the limit. I have also caught one Burbot in there before. Middle of the day ice fishing.

Dustin

#6 01-09-2009, 06:17 PM

First burbot i've heard of coming out of there, thats cool. I have heard of a few monster trout being caught a few years back. The odd one must still get in there through the canal.

SANTER · #7 01-09-2009, 06:37 PM

There is a big fish in that lake. I caught 125cm pike in there
I will try and post picture... this pike was very heavy

dodger · #8 01-09-2009, 07:26 PM

Good pics there Dustin!!
Dodger.

dodger · #9 01-09-2009, 07:35 PM

Hello superspud.
I found that when Pike drop the bait fairly quick it is when they feel resistance when they take the Smelt. On days when there doing this I just open the bailer and have a small weight hold my line in place off to the side of the hole. So when the Pike hits he pulls the line off the weight and then he's running free with no resistance from the real.
My $0.02 worth, Dodger.

Mish · #10 01-09-2009, 07:47 PM

Is there truck access on the ice at Clear Lake?

brianscott · #11 01-09-2009, 08:27 PM

We still going out tomorrow buddy?

Got my gear all waiting by the door lets go hammer some more of them ugly b@stards.

Call me

brianscott · #12 01-09-2009, 08:30 PM

Mish, access is from the south end, i dont know aboput the north end
access is nice but a 4x4 is def recommended seen some trucks hit some deeper drifts and nearly get stuck there.

Ice is 18+ inches so its all good.

Brian

rustynailz · #13 01-09-2009, 08:56 PM

Yeah, I'm not saying there aren't large fish in there...but the average is very small.

I've had crazy numbers of flags there but the fish are usually just dinks. Go small and you'll catch them, but really, why bother? It's still fun running for the flags and you don't even hurt the dinks.

Mish · #14 01-09-2009, 09:05 PM

Thanks for the info, Brian.

South end is where the boat launch is?

Hope I land a big one!

superspud · #15 01-10-2009, 01:37 AM

yup still going bud, ill give ya a shout early in the morn. about 7. give ya directions to my place there will be 5 of us so i hope we can use you truck for transportation. as well as my jeep./
call ya about ten to 7

superspud · #16 01-10-2009, 05:54 PM

had a ok day today, just 7 pike, and we threw them all back though one was a keeper.
the girlfriend caught her first fish today! and she loved it. was a great time.
thx for the advice guys.