Northern Pike: Down and Dirty
by Bruce DeShano
Northern pike are among our most vicious game fish species. Snake, water wolf, and gator are just a few of the colorful names this fresh water barracuda has earned from devoted anglers.
Despite a reputation for being a shallow-water fish, adult northern pike are more apt to be found in or near deep water during most of the year. After the spring spawning season, northerns take up temporary residence in submerged weed beds and eventually move to open water as spring runs into summer.
For most of the fishing season, pike are found in water deep enough to warrant the use of downriggers. Ironically few anglers chase northerns with downriggers and, not surprisingly adult pike are rarely taken during the warm-water periods of the year.
The noticeable absence of adult pike on angler's stringers and live well's has sparked more than a few tall tales that explain why these sought-after fish are seldom taken in summer. One of the most amazing theories actually suggests that northern pike shed their teeth during the summer months and therefore don't bite well at this time of year.
Horse apples! Dog day northern pike don't disappear or quit feeding, they simply seek out deeper and cooler waters. Downrigger trolling is one of the best patterns for locating and tempting these free swimming fish.
Downriggers are deadly when fishing water from 20 to 60 feet deep. Designed to present baits at specific depth ranges, a portable downrigger is the ideal tool for northern pike trolling.
The Riviera Model 500 rigger is an excellent choice for serious downrigger fishing. This manual model can be mounted on the deck of larger boats, attached to a rail system, or mounted on the gunwales of small aluminum boats.
Designed to handle up to a 10-pound downrigger ball, these American-made riggers start at approximately $150 each. Two riggers are recommended for most fishing applications.
Riviera downriggers come equipped with 200 feet of 150-pound test stainless steel cable, cable terminator, adjustable rod holder, deck mounting plate, quick release hold-down knobs, an Off Shore Tackle single line release, and gear driven depth meter.
The angler should invest in a set of 6- and 10-pound downrigger weights. The lighter weights are best when trolling at slow speeds and from 20-40 feet below the surface. Heavier 10-pound downrigger balls are best when trolling below 40 feet or at higher trolling speeds.
Flutter spoons and stickbaits are the ideal trolling lures for northern pike. Magnum Wolverine Silver Streak spoons designed for salmon fishing are among my favorite northern pike spoons. A wide range of body baits including the Mann's Loud Mouth Jerk Bait, Rapala No. 13 Husky and No. 18 Floater, Bomber 25A, Storm ThunderStick, Bagley's Bang-O-Lure, Rebel Fastrac Minnow, and Cotton Cordell Ripplin' Red Fin are prime pike baits.
Pike can also be taken on a variety of lesser-known lures. An unusual trolling lure, the Ping-A-Tee was designed to tempt fall salmon. Built to offer a slow and seductive side-to-side wobbling motion, the Ping-A-Tee fished at slow speeds is an unlikely favorite for northern pike trolling.
Musky baits like the Swim Whizz, Suick, and Depth Raider are other top-producing northern pike lures. Larger baits often produce the biggest fish, but small lures will trigger more strikes and may be the only baits that produce when fish are inactive.
When using downriggers a wide variety of trolling leads and lure combinations should be used. Experiment with leads ranging from 10 feet to 100 feet or more behind the ball. Spoons are most effective when run fairly close to the downrigger weight. The best action on most spoons is achieved with a 10- to 20-foot lead length.
When pike are active, short leads will produce excellent results. However, spooky fish or those suspended fairly close to the surface call for stickbaits run on longer leads.
Body baits can be run on longer leads and trolled at a wide variety of speeds effectively. The work horse lures of pike fishing, shallow- and deep-diving cranks can be used with excellent results.
Both spoons and body baits must be fished with a downrigger release that has a firm tension. The Off Shore Tackle OR1 release designed for salmon and trout fishing is ideal for hard-fighting northern pike. The firm tension of this release guarantees a northern will be solidly hooked before the line trips free.
Another Off Shore product, the OR2 Stacker Release, allows two different rods and lures to be fished from a single downrigger. A stacker release consists of two medium-tension releases attached to a short length of steel leader material.
Rigging stackers is easy and the most effective way to troll multiple lines at various depth levels. Fish stackers by first setting a favorite lure 10-100 feet behind the boat. Attach the line into the release attached to the downrigger weight and lower the ball 10-15 feet below the surface.
Next set a second line with a spoon and a short 10- to 20-foot trolling lead. Attach one of the stacker releases to the downrigger cable and the second one to the fishing line. A cross loc snap is also clipped over the downrigger cable to prevent losing the stacker release.
The release attached to the downrigger wire holds the lure securely at that depth level as the downrigger weight is raised or lowered. The second one works as a traditional line release, tripping when a pike slams the stacked lure.
By using stackers, a variety of depth ranges can be fished quickly and efficiently. It's best to run the stacker line with a longer leader than the main line to avoid tangles.
This type of trolling calls for a downrigger style rod, level-wind reels, and 10- to 20-pound-test monofilament. The new super braids on the market like Stren Powerbraid, Berkley Gorilla Braid, Fenwick Iron Thread, and Spider Wire combine thin diameter and low-stretch properties that are bound to become popular with pike trollers.
Summer pike may be suspended over large expanses of open water where they feed on suspended whitefish, ciscoes, or shad. These toothy predators are also frequently found along fast-sloping drop-offs. Breaklines that feature heavy weed growth with deep water nearby are ideal places to find hungry pike.
Adult northerns cruise the open water edges of weed lines hoping to find prey like yellow perch, walleyes, suckers, and other fish straying too far from the protection of the weed cover. Sticking close to a meandering weed edge requires the angler to keep a constant watch on his electronics.
Observe the sonar unit religiously while trolling. When the boat shows the first sign of sliding into shallow water, steer towards deeper water to avoid tangling your lures in the weeds. A zig-zag trolling path along the weed edge helps to add extra action to trolled lures.
When a fish is hooked, slow down the boat's speed to avoid pulling the hooks free from a twisting and rolling northern pike. Slowing down the boat makes for a more sporting fight and helps prevent the boat from sliding too far off track during the fight.
Trophy northern pike are in limited supply in most waters. Save a few of the smaller fish for the table and release the larger adults for spawning stock.
Downriggers and northern pike are a natural combination. This year take the chase for northern pike into the deeper waters few anglers explore.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Bruce DeShano, owner of Off Shore Tackle, is a serious angler who spends countless hours on the water perfecting his fishing products and angling skills. A touring walleye pro on the In-Fisherman Pro Walleye Tour, Bruce is one of the finest multi-species anglers in the nation.
