Big pike/musky anybody?

the last 3-4 yrs i’ve been studying and fishing walleye almost everytime i hit the water but before that i was a huge monster pike/musky fan…lately i’ve been getting an itch to get out after some of them drag smokers….the little snakes get to be a pain in the butt but i’d love to hook into some more 18 lb plus fish like i used too…anyone ever have any luck fishing for these hogs in pool 4 or the backwaters? i got pumped up reading some articles and posts so i looked through all my rods/reels and boxes…i seen the ol musky rod and my big lure box now i want to give it a shot…haven’t fished for any monsters in a few years…any tips? i’ll be back to share some of my tips that have landed me quite a few pike/musky over 15 lbs….but i’m going fishing now ….my biggest pike has been 18 lbs and my biggest musky has been 25 lbs but i’m hopin to beat that this season…good luck to everyone on the waters peace

The only place I can think of right at ice out is the lock side of the dam on the upper end of pool 4. I have never caught any big pike in that area but I have not targeted them either, the snakes are there in good numbers and the bigger fish should be as well.If we have high water for a considerable amount of time after ice out, the lake right off the main channel by hay Creek can be accesed and has good numbers of toothy critters prowling around. You need high water to get to this area by boat.

In mid/late summer, depending on the water levels, normal pool levels being the best, the area right in front of Everts Resort gives up some big pike. It seems once a year some one will hook in to a big one while shore fishing or casting off the docks. The back water area right off the WI back channel known as Goose lake puts out some big pike during the summer. The area around the rush river on Lake pepin is a hot spot for pike goers as well.

These are some starting points for you. Maybe someone who is more active in pursuing pike on pool 4 will speak up and share some more areas

thanks Dustin, sounds like some nice little spots to start my search….a little tip i have for you guys is that when your catching alot of the little pike, if you can find some colder water near you’ll be well on your way to catching some hogs….pike around 5-6 lbs are most active and feed when the water is around 67-72 degrees but the nice pike over 10+ live and feed in waters around 50-55 degrees…thats why you hear of so many big pike getting caught in or at mouths of trout streams….just that difference in water temp is the difference between catching the little snakes all day and catching a true trophy…good luck

p.s. if you go chasing any make sure you got the right setup and the equipment you need…these big guys are strong and can wreck things in a hurry

Right at ice out I have good luck in the shallows of Mud Lake or the upper harbor of Bay Point. Any shallow water that warms up fast will hold northerns in the early season. Later in the year I have good luck at most of the stream mouths on the river. Hansen’s harbor in Lake City puts out some nice pigs every year as does the springs in the boat houses at Red Wing. I’ve had good luck rip jigging the deep trough at Goose Lake too. hope this helps.

Gator Hunter

Hansens Harbor I fear to go into there and fish…Heard way to many stories about that dude ….I knew people that kept trailers there.

Because of the stories I’ve heard about the onwner at Hanson’s Harbor, I’ve NEVER ventured in there to fish. One time we were trolling the shoreline outside the harbor and he started cussing us out… claiming we were too close and getting in the way of his customers.

Gator, have you fished in there before, or just heard it from other guys?

I believe that guy actually found his butt in court over harrassing anglers and he lost! Since the harbor is connected to the lake and can be accesed without crossing his property he cannot claim ownership or harrass anglers in any way. Go in there. Fish away. If the guy even looks at you funny tell them him you know that you can be there legally and that any further inturruption on his part will result in you calling the sheriff & / local CO’s. He has a history of trying to bully anglers on what is a public waterway.

I’ve fished in there many times. After he got dragged into court he doesn’t say much to us anymore. Some of the better pike I have caught there, however, have been just outside the harbor in the shallows. I also seem to get a quite a few in the deeper (10-12ft) water when I troll for walleyes along there. You never know what will bite on that breakline. I’ve caught walleyes, bass(largemouth and smallmouth), perch, crappies, and northerns there while walleye fishing.

Gator Hunter

That’s good info to know, Thanks. I hadn’t heard anything about him going to court and losing. I’ll give it a try in there sometime.

WHOA…my pike/muskie forum turned into the crazy guy forum i should go there and tell him how i can’t wait until i go in there and fish like mad

I heard about the whole court deal , Did’nt he flash a gun or threaten some guys fishing in there and the guy happend to be CO’s or Policemen or something of that nature. That’s what I thought I heard but I may be wrong.
Tim

I’m pretty sure it was a couple of guys fishing a bass tourney. They were pitching the docks and he came out and raised hell with them. He was running a boat around them making a wake all over and scaring the fish. That’s what I heard anyway.

Gator Hunter