Rainy Lake, Minnesota fishing report Big Pike

New this season due to our diverse customer base we’ve elected to ATTEMPT seperating our Pike fishing reports from our Walleyes. Later on this spring if I can keep our “Search and Destroy” team off Crappies we will also attempt to provide further focus on our late ice Pike/Walleyes. Time restraints in front of a computer screen versus staring down an 8 inch hole will likely determine the longterm reality of this increased effort.

Northern Pike on Rainy Lake continue to fly under the radar of many anglers, but are available in large numbers in a ELITE size structure. Understanding the seasonal movements of this large predator fish remains critical to drag screaming days on the ice. Pike hold “Top Dog” honors in our 220,00 acre trophy fishery. They are most always located amongst the most abundant food source. The confusing factors with these large Jacks is due to the enourmous heads on these fish few of our smaller game fish would be advised to expose their undersides in these stained waters.

There are a variety of angling methods that can be employed to “Tank Tangle” with big girls. There is the age old technique of flagging these monster with tip-ups of course. Many fisherman also like to employ a traditional rod and reel. Currently I am in contact with Thorne Bros. Rods to have them design a rod capable of handling the load of a big “Jack” yet fulfill the sensitivity of a high quality graphite blank.

For anglers that like to see the springing flag into the sunshine of a cold January day I would highly recommend a hole covering system for your rigs. Whether you prefer to utilize a Frabill Orange and Round or manufacture your own hole cover with a slot for the traditional tip-up the sealing out of “Mother natures fury” will enhande free spinnig and minimize untimely ice ups. I HIGHLY suggest and will only employ a quick set rig that allows your bait of choice to be hooked just behind the head and just on top of the back tail. Two leaders are ran wtih small spinners to the seperate treble hooks. This method allows pig pulling for immediate hook sets and greatly increases efficient catch and releases on trophy caliber fish. Gut hooking big fish is not something we promote, and I assure you 20lb fish will inhale a big bait if allowed in a very short period of time.

The second alternative as I referenced earlier is to simply “MAN UP” and tackle the beasts via Jig stick. Search and Destroy team member Andy might have some words of wisdom on Rod designs due to his rod remnants from our last trip. Sometimes when truly targeting a specific species and not simply targeting…….anthing you need to put both feet into the ring of fire. What I’m referring to is if your going to fish for elite pike……Gear up for elite pike. Let the 5-6lb fish swim to others girly set-ups as they slow cook the brats on the grill nearby and hurl footballs. Rig up with soft tipped yet heavy backboned rod capable of handling the load efficiently and effectively. I suggest a heavy braided mainline with a hand tied flexible thin wire leader. The leader quality will greatly increase the action of your presentation therefore produce far more strikes than the cheapest wire in a package. Remember Big fish can be weary so attention to details can be critical at times. There are multiple presentations to soak, but my favorite 2 would be a wide gap bucktail in white/red tipped with a smaller sucker minnow hooked head up, or a larger slender spoon with oversized hooks again with a smaller sucker or shiner. Active pumping of these presentations suspended in the water column will serve anglers well on big gator haunts.

It is advised to utilize a 10 inch hole for efficiently tipping the bottom jaws of these freaks towards the sunshine. I am as guilty of the next for not taking the time to switch augers when fishing Big Pike. I assure you this extra precaution over the course of a season CAN and WILL make the difference betweeen a Thrown Ice rods in disgust or Multiple “Knuckle Bumps” around the horn between fishing teamm members. Big pike through the ice is most always a group effort when hooking up. “FISH…FISH….Marcum OUT…and your fishing partner ready……AND WILLING to risk life and limb on your angry trophy”. Remember a 10-30Lb Pike is capable of eating larger baits, and small children. 99% of anglers would never dream of employing some of the bait we utilize. At times decoy sized sucker minnows will be in high demand and not overlooked by serious Pike hunters. When laying the graphite to these “Girthy Gals” Don’t provide your team with the Grandma Bette hookset. A Sharp meaningful snap into the jaws of death and then calling for your special teams players to grab your legs is highly is wise.

Over the years I’ve had customers refer to pike as snakes, Jacks or Hammerhandles. The scoffing nature of some anglers often reveals the lack of elite fish they’ve encountered through the ice. Spending a lifetime on the water or shuffling atop the ice I receive little thrill crossing the eyes of a small “girly” fish of any species. On the contrary when in hand to hand combat with a trophy pike through an 8 inch hole…..COUNT ME IN BOYS!! The thrust of power generated by a massive pike sends a chill to the soul of most any honest ice angler. Each week we are fortunate enough to share the ice with different anglers from across the Great USA. Working hard to effectively place each angler in a location where dreams come true remains the ultimate challenge that keeps our drive alive. There are few guarantees in the world and fishing is I assure you……..IS NOT one of them. We like to believe utilization of our network of local knowledge greatly tilts the table in your favor of to ice your next PB. I believe there is no substitute for consistent time on big fish waters fishing dominate seasonal patterns. We are currently on a big fish run right now on 3 seperate patterns. Yesterdays 32,34,36 and 42 inch pike along with many smaller eater pike had flags flying high and rod tips bent LOW!! I encourage our guests to plan far ahead for Pike trips with Rainydaze Guide Service. Our return customer base is running around 70% so each year our schedule tightens, and our schedule is pre-booked earlier for next seasons “Battles On Ice”. In closing I’d like to add the “Qoute of the Week”. Jerry coming from Iowa is simply a fun guy to fish with. It is my belief that he has considered the Northern Pike as a ROUGH FISH over the years, but as we hovered over some massive pike structure yesterday with the rest of his crew I was able to over hear a fun chain of events. Sitting outside I hear “WHERE DID THAT COME FROM??!!” As a fishing guide you become tuned into things that might mean someone is seeing fish or is hooked up. I then heard the sweetest words on the ice “Gotta Big One Chris!!” I hustled to the shack and witness Jerrys Jig stick bending all the way to the CORK!! This fish is head thumping like a dolphin. After many drag screaming runs I watched the face of this determined angler change from concentration to joy on a man that likely isn’t known for much outward emotion. As I slid this massive fish out a undersized 8 inch hole the moment that drives an angler to sit on a frozen sheet was now upon us. The thrill of victory overcame the entire group of anglers, and Jerry says to me in a soft calm voice “I guess these big pike are Kinda Fun!!”

I’ll take that!! And Jerry…..It’s Kinda fun fishin with ya too!!

Guys give those big pike a try!! I assure you hooking up a 42 inch pike that looks like she swallowed the family poodle…….Kinda fun!!