I didn’t know they were ever inactive!
Seriously, they are a cold water fish and spawn right after ice-out. I fish some of the smaller rivers here in NE Iowa, and if the walleyes aren’t cooperating, I can sometimes con a pike into hitting a big minnow suspended below a slip-bobber.
When the water starts rising, look for anyplace they can get out of the current – pike and current is like turtle-wax and sandpaper, never a workable combo. Kensyl(sp?) posted a few times last spring about fishing the mouths of feeder creeks where there was 3-4′ of water and pounding them pretty good. Link
I usually fish them right after ice out in the backwaters of the Mississippi. Any slough will do. Or like Gianni mentioned, mouths of feeder creeks in the shallows have also been good producers. Usually I have the best luck with anything shiny. Silver Rattlin Raps have been really good. Good Luck!
I caught 6 yesterday in the first half mile below the Red Wing dam. Two bite offs. 4 the day before. Lots of pike activity right now… particularly mid-day if the day is warm and the sun is shining!
They’re so active they’re a pain in the butt! 
Don’t ask us to feel sorry for you, James.
Those of us that have yet to hit the open water might find that a hard pill to swallow (‘Specially us pike lovers).
Had two caught out of my boat last Friday and saw several more in other boats caught in shallow sand.
Yeah, I know Gianni. I’m not likely to garner much sympathy and to be honest, I’m really only faking my dislike for them. To be honest, anything that pulls back puts a smile on my face.
The thing about pike though……………even the smaller ones…………..the fight is usually good and fun, the smaller ones eat pretty good if fresh, BUT……….there’s always that hesitation once you get them boatside about getting them unhooked! For me, that’s one of the biggest adrenalin surges of messing with them! I hate to say it but it’s that “thrill-seeking-danger-presence” that keeps me downright passionate about the big ol’ toothy ones! Granted, any fish can poke ya, but gators…………they can put on a hurtin’ for certain!
I had that problem on Saturday – shore fishing I hooked into a big prespawn female gator while casting with light spinning gear. Standing on the bank, no net, no idea how I’m gonna get this fish up – finally just iron-man’ed it and reached into all that teeth-n-hooks for a gill grab. Made it out without any puncture marks in my skin.
I’ve pretty much decided that even if you don’t need a boat to get to where you fish, you need one to haul around all your gear. Walking through the woods with all that crap and then not having a net was just too much.
I HAVE NEVER TRYED FISHING FOR PIKE BUT IM GOING TO GIVE IT A TRY.I WAS WANTING TO KNOW WHERE YOU WOULD FIND THEM THIS TIME OF YEAR AND WHAT TO USE . I WILL BE FISHING FOR THEM FROM THE MISSISSIPPI SHORE.
THANKS
And the ol’ heart was pumping a little “extra” when you’re “going for it”, wasn’t it!?!?! It’s like hooking into the devil and wondering if you’re going to get away with it this time too!? It’s a nervous excitement, for lack of a better description. LOVE IT!!!
I’ll never forget my first muskie…………….fight, fight, fight ……………….then, when going for the reach, another bursting headshake and it threw the lure loose from it’s mouth but right into the aluminum of my boat!!! My hand, my face………….it would’ve been ugly! The treble wasn’t deep into the aluminum, but in deep enough to hold the lure up and support the weight and rocking motion of the water! I was duely impressed………….and a bit frightened! A definite respect was established that day……………….and I’ve been hooked ever since!
Bammorris: if you follow the link in my first post, there’s a report from kreading’s pike extravaganza last year that gives locations and baits. Right now I think they are in the sloughs and backwaters, but very soon they will be moving up into the creek mouths to spawn. This is especially true with all the rain in the forecast.
In reply to:
…been hooked ever since! (stillakid)
Too funny bud.
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