Another cold front moves through the La Crosse area making for a tough time putting together a pattern for camera shy fish. Jeff Jensen made the trip up from the south and every time he does well, he brings either gusting winds, thunder storms, cold fronts or, all of the above 
We both knew it was going to take some work to catch fish but we were up to the task. After getting spanked on Pool 7 during the Blue Fleck invite, even after pre fishing Wednesday and finding fish in the slop, I couldn’t wait to get back on familiar waters. The game plan even changed from Bass to Toothy’s hoping to save the weekend while having a great friend make a trip to catch fish. Pool 8 pike saved face for me, so take that Carla 
Being back on water in my own back yard had the confidence level back in the green. It is always fun playing boat maid and introducing someone who has shared there waters with you, your waters with them, and it was my turn to take the pressure of finding hook ups.
After tilling some weeds and plowing some sand we arrived on the spot. It wasn’t long and Jeff had the first snot rocket in the boat. The little pickler flew across the surface and killed Jeff’s buzz bait. That was it for the buzz bait, Jeff wasn’t happy with the way the bait was running so he made one change after another. A chatter bait ended up being the bait of the day for Jeff, thanks for the new bait buddy 
Jeff will fill you all in on the technique he was using to produce mad aggressive pike right along side of the boat. At one point I stuck the nose right in the pocket of a blow up while Jeff enticed the hungry fanged finned swimmer into crushing his bait. Where is a video camera when you need one? Note to self, save money for video cam 
Yes Blue, this fish hit that big honkin’ bait boat side during a half fig 8 move
First thing in the morning the Pike were hangin’ around the edges of thick weed mats and lily pads. There was hardly any flow present in the area the baits were being tossed to speak of. Whaling baits up into the cover and pulling them out to an edge of at least 3fow is where we found the early morning bite to be but, this bite did die off around 10:00am. With arms starting to feel the work out of huckin’ baits for two straight days and the bite turning off, it was time to turn are attention to some current. Because of a low river stage and no flow the areas I target are skinny waters with cover on the sides. You can think of it as the nozzle on the end of a hose, once you neck down the water flow it becomes a lot faster. With a transom mount trolling motor boat control is a handful in such waters. When alone the anchor is used a lot to hold the boat in position while an area is worked over. With Jeff in the front of the boat the boat was kept in position while I kept playing boat maid
Jeff did have a couple more blow ups while the boat was being kept in position. Every now and then the opportunity was there for me to pitch a white ribbit, this did give my equipment a chance for a work out, battling this Pike in the heavy current and eel grass made for a fun little boat dance in the back and a great net job by Mr. J
With time coming to a close it was hard to call it quits so Jeff could hit the trail and head back home. With an anchor tossed over the side we cracked a good bye barley and did a rewind play by play of the weekend. It is always hard to call it a day when the fun is at an all time high. But it was to be over, lucky for a few more pike that I’m sure could have ended up with a sore face yet on this day There will be more good times to come 
Good luck fishing people 
Great Job Guy’s, Thanks for the report Bret
Nice job on the pike
Looks like it ended up being a good day of fishing for you 2 
nICE peter pike’s fellas!
Can’t thank you enough Bret for the hospitality and the run down on pool 8. What a great week-end! Like stated, getting our
spanked on 7 the day before it was time to get bit. I could see the confidence coming back by just being on home waters so I knew we were going to be in for some net grabbin. 
)Getting a huge swirl and a miss I instantly started doing the “rip dance”! Keep in mind that this was only a few feet in front of Bret and I. After 5 seconds of rippin the pike turned and destroyed this oversized bait. Quite a sight eh buddy? Two- three powerful runs and he was in the net,smiled for the camera and released 
Yep, hands were shakin for a few minutes after that. To me, that’s where it is!
On with the pike. I know,I know, sometimes these fish are scorned by other game fisherman and if I were a true tournament fisherman I probably would feel somewhat the same. Honestly, I absolutely love these fish! Being a true blue Musky fanatic, they are the closest I can get to pure boatside excitement and dynamite packed blow ups on the southern portions of the river.
As Bret knows, I’m a little nuts when tossing these baits for pike but being erratic and ripping baits in front of a follow can produce some heart pounding blow-ups!
Never have caught a pike follow on a figure eight yet on the river but have busted hundreds on the Mississippi version of the 8. When getting your bait along the boat never just lift it in and cast. Always rip jig that bait 2-3-4times.The faster and harder the better. Even if you rip it where the bait comes flying up out of the water that’s no big deal. Not sure if they don’t prefer that.But make sure you let it flutter fall and keep ripping. Rod tip in the water? No big deal, heck, splash it around a little…the more commotion the better.
Yesterday I was tossing the Musky version of a chatterbait(yes blue, that was a figure 8 you saw me doing
Thanks again Bret for the fine hospitality and the wonderful guiding job. Boat maid? I don’t think we had it phrased like that but it rhymes with “boat itch”
Time flew by like always and it was sure hard to hang it up. We both learned a few thing and had a ton of laughs. Until next time
Can anyone say Pike tournament? Mabe someday
Nice report Bret and congrats to you and Jeff on some great looking northern pikes!
Super sweet write up Bret and nice reply and add on Jeffery. Even though i cant stand it when pike steal your bass gear you gotta love it when they destroy a bait along side the boat. I was going to ask if that was a musky chatterbait and you answered it. Looks like you had an awesome time and glad you got into some very nice fish. Dan
Very nice fish guys. The three of us need to get in the boat together one of these days. I can’t imagine what would come from it, but I would like to give it a run
way to put a hurt on the the slimers guys
Great read!! Looks like a great time!! Good job guys!!!!
Nice report guys!
Catching pike is always a ton of fun.
Looks like a ton of fun! Thanks for the report.
Joel
I would have loved to been a plastic bass lure in the box and listened to that show
Great read and I can almost picture that episode.
Nice slimers indeed BreTT
At least it wasn’t a bass report.
Congrats guys on some dandies!
congrats on the nice fish. Looks like fun.
Jeff must have been buying more clatter baits at Cabela’s when I saw him Thursday afternoon racing for the door. I didn’t even have a chance to stop him. He did have on his IDO shirt to make me recognize him. Maybe we can talk next time Jeff.
The big Northern are biting on Pool 9 also.
Sorry I missed ya Jimbo.
That’s the only way I can get out of Cabelas without dropping more coins…….checkout, put the blinders on then run
Good luck on 9