Walleye and Pike fishing questions

Calgaryguy1977 · #1 06-23-2010, 12:27 AM

Ok i'd like to have a decent fight and a bigger fish than the rainbows I've been catching. I already got the rod and line what I would like to know from you is what do you use to catch em (specific lures, spoons, jigs etc) and please be honest!
Also what kind of action/movement do you put on your line.

Secondly can someone tell me where in or around calgary is the best place for them? I'm mostly a shore fisherman. I have been considering and angler kayak though. For the time being I will be shore fishing though. (within say 2 hours of calgary)

Again guys, thanks in advance. I must say this is one of the best communities (forums) I have been involved in as most everyone on here is real and honest and the **** talk is to a minimum. Also, I wouldn't mind finding some people to fish with on here!

Im all ears!!......

Cheers!

Guitarplayingfish · #2 06-23-2010, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgaryguy1977

Ok i'd like to have a decent fight and a bigger fish than the rainbows I've been catching. I already got the rod and line what I would like to know from you is what do you use to catch em (specific lures, spoons, jigs etc) and please be honest!
Also what kind of action/movement do you put on your line.

Secondly can someone tell me where in or around calgary is the best place for them? I'm mostly a shore fisherman. I have been considering and angler kayak though. For the time being I will be shore fishing though. (within say 2 hours of calgary)

Again guys, thanks in advance. I must say this is one of the best communities (forums) I have been involved in as most everyone on here is real and honest and the **** talk is to a minimum. Also, I wouldn't mind finding some people to fish with on here!

Im all ears!!......

Cheers!

Well as far as fishing spots, you probably wont wanna come all the way to lethbridge so I wont bother with spots I know. As for hooks though, It all depends on water, water temperature, weather.. Lots of things. Don't be scared to try a couple hooks until you figure out what pattern the fish are after for the day. When fishing for pike, I like to use williams, 5 of diamonds, soft plastics (pike, walleye, perch), Jigs with minnow or soft plastic tail, Ive caught some monsters on spinners, and also on spinnerbaits to name a couple. The beauty of pike fishing is pike are kind of stupid. They will bite anything up to 2/3rds their own size, so dont be scared to try big hooks. Although, that being said I have caught some huge pike on tiny trout sizer spinners too, so it all depends on what the fish are after that specific day. Also, Like I just said, they will bite anything. If it ****es them off, they will bite it. If it scares them, they might bite it. If its looks edible, they will probably bite it. All you need to do is try out a couple hooks, and don't be scared to mess around with your presentation (jigging the rod and such, so the lure swims start and stop, imitating a baitfish ) until you start getting hits. Remember, baitfish dont have specific patterns, be totally random.
Good luck!

jesse34567 · #3 06-23-2010, 08:33 AM

google map Pine Coulee Reservoir

It's an hour from calgary near stavely alberta

tons of walleye to catch

and a boat dock to fish of off

Calgaryguy1977 · #4 06-23-2010, 08:56 AM

Actually I would be open to places in Lethbridge......I'd say anywhere that would be drivable for a day long fishing trip.

Calgaryguy1977 · #5 06-23-2010, 08:59 AM

Hey Jesse are they safe to eat out of there do you know?

DarkAisling · #6 06-23-2010, 09:19 AM

There is a zero limit on the PCR walleye. The mercury is high in the fish out of PCR, and there is a mercury warning in effect for the walleye (which no one should be eating, anyway!). The pike and burbot also have high mercury counts. A perfectly healthy adult male could eat the pike and burbot, but women and children should avoid all fish out of PCR.

fish-man · #7 06-23-2010, 09:22 AM

I hope you aren't fishing for walleye because you are expecting a big fight on the end of your line.

A curlytail jig is a nice, cheap lure that effectively catches both, keep it near bottom and reel slowly to pick up walleye.

Calgaryguy1977 · #8 06-23-2010, 09:26 AM

Well they both must put up a better fight than rainbows. Secondly I'd like to try eating them too!
Thanks for all the info so far guys...keep it coming!

Guitarplayingfish · #9 06-23-2010, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgaryguy1977

Well they both must put up a better fight than rainbows. Secondly I'd like to try eating them too!
Thanks for all the info so far guys...keep it coming!

Where are you getting your rainbows from? In my opinion bows are one of the greatest game fish... There is nothing better than hooking on to a wild rainbow trout in a cold mountain river. In castlegar I was flyfishing rapids and catching 2lb rainbows.... They fought just as good as many of the 10lb pikes I have caught around alberta. Brood trout are lazy, and they don't fight too great. Im guessing thats why your unsatisfied with the fight.

jesse34567 · #10 06-23-2010, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgaryguy1977

Well they both must put up a better fight than rainbows. Secondly I'd like to try eating them too!
Thanks for all the info so far guys...keep it coming!

You must be catching small rainbows, if you hook anything over 2lbs the fight is amazing. Have anything you caught jumped 1 to 2 ft out of the water?

AriahJade · #11 06-23-2010, 01:01 PM

My family and i fish up near Edmonton, so as for locations i cant help you. For lures however, we fish for pike/walleye 2-3 times a week at different locations. On sunny days we have been having great luck with Thompson spoons, especially the red and white, or the orange and brass, for some reason we have more luck up here with a brass spoon than a silver one. Last Sunday up at paddle river we caught 5 walleye, 3 of these were of a good size (over 45 cm) and 8 pike, 5 of these over the 63 cm keeper limit, in approximately 2 and a half hours of fishing. On Saturday we lost track somewhere over 20, but we were out at Wabamun lake for most of the day, however, 2 of these fish were absolute monsters. The only lake we have found where spoons didn't work was Isle lake, but the water is exceptionally cloudy and mucky. There we had great luck on red colored, short bodied deep divers, ranging in size from 3-5 inches, we caught 9 fish in 3 hours. My fiance prefers to use a #2 Thompson red and white, and my orange and brass is a #0.

Big Red 250 · #12 06-23-2010, 01:54 PM

Buy some red & white Daredevils, pack of leaders and have at er.

SushiUnagi · #13 06-23-2010, 02:45 PM

I totally agree with jesse and guitar.

I've been catching pikes just by casting towards to the shore and reeling it back to the boat...be wary that pikes do tend to follow your bait all the way back to you...so keep an eye for one if it follows then just do figure 8s to entice the strike. I've reeled in too fast once without looking and the pike jumped out of the water for my lure but missed.

I've had success with rapalas (jointed, clackin', and xraps) and 5 of diamonds as well for pikes. Not experienced at all with walleyes, though my first fish caught was a walleye and I was using a clackin'.

Exactly like guitar mentioned, don't be afraid to use big fat lures. I'd recommend you bring all sorts of sizes...start with biggest and then downsize from there if no strikes.

I've seen people catching walleyes after walleyes at the dock in PCR. They make it look so easy. I hope I'll be like them one day. Definitely an excellent location for shore fishing and PCR is not that far from Cowtown. If you live in the south end of the city it probably takes you less than an hour to get there.

As for somewhere close for pike: I'd suggest you try Chestermere...lots of small pikes and probably a small enough lake you can kayak on as well. I don't think they charge for launching kayaks.

If you are looking for walleyes to keep, I do know Travers allows that but it has to be a certain size. Not sure about mercury level there.

IMO if you want to eat fish, just go to a sushi restaurant.

Hope this helps!

I'm sure if you search the threads you could find lots of places that people would suggest for pike. I've heard Wabamun (by Edmonton) is piker's paradise.

luckyme · #14 06-23-2010, 04:19 PM

shore fishing in travers it's been slow lately,i don't know about last week?

fisherwoman · #15 06-24-2010, 12:41 AM

For pike I like to use a smelt on a wire line with a single hook on the end. You can buy them and the packs come with a needle to tread the smelt on. Then I fish like a lazy man.

For walleye I use a pickerel rig and big fat dew worms.

But Always check the the place you are going to allows bait, because many places dont.

Calgaryguy1977 · #16 06-29-2010, 12:27 AM

Thanks for all the info guys!!! I'm not overly familiar with pickerel rigs though. One question though, I have the 5 of diamonds and I often wonder if you guys put bait on the hook portion or just throw out the spoon with nothing on it?

luckyme · #17 06-29-2010, 12:45 AM

personally i just throw spoon without bait but i do have several spoons with different colors with me and 5 diamonds is a must.my buddy sometimes put curled tail or twister once a while but never seen with bait (bait fish).

Geezle · #18 06-29-2010, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgaryguy1977

Thanks for all the info guys!!! I'm not overly familiar with pickerel rigs though. One question though, I have the 5 of diamonds and I often wonder if you guys put bait on the hook portion or just throw out the spoon with nothing on it?

Lures like your 5 o diamonds spoon are meant to be fished without bait. If you put bait on the hook it'll affect the action of the lure and it won't work properly.

WayneChristie · #19 06-29-2010, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesse34567

You must be catching small rainbows, if you hook anything over 2lbs the fight is amazing. Have anything you caught jumped 1 to 2 ft out of the water?

nah pike dont jump

wallydigger · #20 08-06-2010, 09:08 AM

ok so usuallly i go to little bow (travers resivoir) near vulcan and if you are a shore fisherman there are some public docks that can produce quantity using a small jighead tipped with a minnow (availible at the store) the action i use is dragging and bouncing along the bottom but if the dock is to crouded witch it usually is if you walk across the parking lot there is a large tree over some rocky shoreline right next to the beach i use a pickerel rig witha BIG weight and some minnows leacches work well too cast straight out tighten youreline and wait for that lunker wally to gobble youre bait. also you can drive to the spillway im not sure howto though great fish there big ones to i fish from a huge boat so i have a better oppurtunity. thanx

wallydigger · #21 08-06-2010, 09:17 AM

what is the best way of fishing pine coulee from the dock??

jesse34567 · #22 08-06-2010, 11:16 AM

standard jig and minnow combo

fish-man · #23 08-06-2010, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

nah pike dont jump

Lol... I caught a 10ish lb pike in the river a few years back that went into a big pile of logs... I started poking around in there with my rod tip in hopes of getting him out. The fish jumped waaay up into the air and came down so hard it knocked itself out

Calgaryguy1977 · #24 08-06-2010, 12:54 PM

Hahaha Since if posted this I caught some bigger trout on the bow and have a new earned respect for the fight trout put up now! LOL
I also ended up landing a small pike by accident in Carburn Park in Calgary....rofl.

FishBrain · #25 08-06-2010, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgaryguy1977

Hahaha Since if posted this I caught some bigger trout on the bow and have a new earned respect for the fight trout put up now! LOL
I also ended up landing a small pike by accident in Carburn Park in Calgary....rofl.

Did the little pike still have my fly in him? lol

fitzy · #26 08-06-2010, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesse34567

You must be catching small rainbows, if you hook anything over 2lbs the fight is amazing. Have anything you caught jumped 1 to 2 ft out of the water?

Try a 22lb pike that is jumping... major fight!! Although from what I hear the pike fishing is way different down south. I prefer to fish shield lakes where the 5lb pike will give you cramps in your hand catching them.

I would recommend buying a ratlnrap in either blue silver and orange or a firetiger pattern, some of the biggest fish I've caught have been on a ratlnrap.

fitzy · #27 08-06-2010, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geezle

Lures like your 5 o diamonds spoon are meant to be fished without bait. If you put bait on the hook it'll affect the action of the lure and it won't work properly.

Try replacing the treble hook with a single and adding curlytail jig, if you use it gives it crazy action when reeled slowly and if you do the lift to 10 and drop to 2 to catch fish following when you are closing in on the boat it drags the hook back farther and followers can't help biting.

thefisher · #28 08-15-2010, 03:09 PM

ariah jade where were you fishing before wabamun