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PIKE HUNTING


WALTERCRAFT

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Crappie,crappie,crappie,blah,blah,blah.

I'm looking for some pike!! Is there anything special about setting tips out there in the lake? Should i be going closer to shore? In the past i've caught them by accident with tiny jigs, in the main lake, but i don't know if there is anywhere specific or just everywhere? Are suckers better than smelt? I'll be heading up on sat.

thanks ahead for any help, Walt.

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I will also be up on Red this coming weekend. Never fished for Pike before on URL, so I'm hoping we see some monsters. Pike will basically bite all day long, correct? Or are there certain times of the day that prove best? Plan on using tip-ups with some suckers. Is there something that out there that might work better?

-Steve

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I am no expert but I have had better luck for pike in about 10' to 11' of water. I set the tipup for about 6' under the ice.

Good Luck

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KING, HOPE TO GET A COUPLE BIG BOYS TO TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF.

MAYBE I'LL SEE YA UP THERE. DON'T FORGET THE GAFF!!

WALT.

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We were there the 26 -29 on tue we got a 45 inch pike with a 20 1/2 inch girth! fishing it 12 feet of water about 8 feet down and we used suckers.

good luck

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I missed a nice northern Last Sat in 12 feet, using Big sucker minnow, 3 feet off the bottom. Apparently 14 lb fire line isn't enough for this northern. Had it on for 30 seconds and then snap... it was a nice fish.

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I FEEL THE NEED FOR PIKE!

IS 20LB TEST BRAIDED TIP UP LINE ENOUGH OR SHOULD I BE USING THE TOW ROPE FROM THE TRUCK?

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Gaff??

With the ice getting as thick as it is, once the fish is turned up the hole, it'll practically jump out of it.

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What is the average thickness right now. Looking at coming up this Sunday, and then again next wknd while we're at Winnie.

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HANSON, YOU'VE GOT TO TURN THEM UP THE HOLE, SOMETIMES THE BIG FELLAS DON'T TURN UP WITHOUT A LITTLE HELP.

DON'T WORRY, I'LL BE GENTLE.

WALT.

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Hi here ya Walter. Just be nice to them if you plan on letting them go.

I've seen some guys on Lake of the Woods gaffing Pike in the spring and I shake my head at there methods and the handling of the fish after it is out of the hole. With the protected slot of 30-40 up there, you think you'd be a little more careful with a fish you have to release.

Good Luck to you and post photos when you get the big girl.

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HANSON, I'VE SEEN SOME GOOFBALLS IN THE PAST UP THERE GAFFING LIKE THEY WERE HOOKING A SAILFISH. NOT NICE. I'LL BE RELEASING ALL THE PIKE, SO I'M X-TRA CAREFUL. I NEED TO GET 'EM AGAIN NEXT YEAR!! I'LL HOPEFULLY POST A COUPLE OF PHOTOS NEXT WEEK WITH A GOOD REPORT. SEE YA.

WALT.

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waltercraft.

Went up last weekend, focus on Pike. 12ft of water, 4 ft. off the bottom. Shiners worked the best for us. Big ones, but suckers will also work. Had two tip ups break off before we got to them. iced one 12 lb. fish, and a few in the 8-9 range. Using a ice rod with an open bail, with a flag trigger worked best for us. That way you have the flex in the rod tip, and the drag of the reel. There is no lack of big fish in this lake. Go loaded for bear.

Good luck. smile.gif

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I have been going up to URL now for three years and every visit we have caught monster northern while going for the big crappies. Although we are never up there for the northern, we always get some nice ones. Last year I caught a 20 pounder off of a small blue glow jig tipped with a minnow. My buddy caught a 14 pounder using a green glow jig the same day. It seems the bigger ones go for the smaller bait. We have tried putting tip ups out as well, but if you go that rout, I would use a smaller sucker minnow. We have had some success using smaller bait on the tip ups. For some reason when it comes to the big northerns they seem to like the smaller bait up there. Thats my 2 cents. Going up to URL Tomorrow morning at 3:00AM. I am pumped! Good luck.

Mug

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BUBBLE AND MUG,

THANKS FOR THE REPORT FELLAS, I'M X-TREMELY PUMPED.

WALT.

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No problem, Good luck. I think you will see you may just get a nice northern on going for the big slabs. They are aggressive out there!

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