Pike tip ups near shore

I have an observation I wanted to get a comment on. I have been ice fishing for only 2 years and have been setting up tipups for Pike. A vast majority of the flags have come from tipups located within 6 feet of the shore. I fish alot of smaller lakes and ponds, so I’m not really aiming for the bigest fish, just like catching whatever bites because the kids love it! Am I on to something with the tipups near shore, or just pure coincidence?

according to my understanding there are more smaller forage fish like perch and bluegills near the shore, especially rocky bottoms for perch. the pikes will cruise these rocky bottomes near the shore looking for these small forage fish. and since it is shallow I believe it is easier for them to hunt anyways. alot less looking around for them. but they do bite out in the deep sections of the lakes too. the point is, where ever there is small baits there are pikes. and most of the small baits like perch like to be near the shallow shore.

The shallow bite is a numbers game for me. Usually pretty reliable action, pike and bass.

Most of my bigger fish at this time of year come from out deeper, often on a dead bait just a few feet below the ice over 18-20+ feet. Those big girls like to chow on fish that winter has claimed…all of the nutrition with none of the work.

I thought I read a MNDNR stat for the littoral zone (<15 feet deep). Something like 80% of fish in a lake are located less than 15′? Anybody else recall this? It’s been a long time since I read about this and I’m a little foggy.

Ferny.

We always catch most of our pike close to the shore. Believe it or not but at times there is only a foot of line plus the steel leater sticking below the ice and the pike just nail it.

I think Pike and even Walleyes will corner there prey in the shallow water under the ice.They say even walleyes spend most of there time up in shallow water but I think this differs some in the larger lakes that have structure.