Fisky...The Pike Master!!!

[Matt Johnson]

Not only has Fisky mastered the walleye he also tangles with these critters...<P> <P>I imagine there will be more to follow <P>Good Fishin,<BR>Matt Johnson<P>------------------<BR><A HREF="http://www.firstchoiceguide.com" TARGET=_blank>First Choice Guide Service</A><P> [email protected]<BR><A HREF="http://iceleaders.com" TARGET=_blank>Iceleaders</A><BR><A HREF="http://catchn.com" TARGET=_blank>Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait</A><BR><A HREF="http://marcumcustomerservice.com/" TARGET=_blank>MarCum</A><BR><A HREF="http://stonelegacy.com" TARGET=_blank>Stone Legacy</A><BR><A HREF="http://www.jrstackle.com/index.html" TARGET=_blank>JR's Tackle</A>

[Chad711]

Nice Catch Fisky!

[fiskyknut]

Well I guess the Pike tipup season has begun for me now. My first tipup set of the season caught this fish, Smelt on the bottom in 13 fow. Not a big one but a pretty nice first fish to start the Pikin' season off, and hopefully a sign of bigger things to come over the next few weeks. 2 flags yesterday afternoon, a small fish with tag in it, and a fish which ran long and fast and felt very large when I tried to stick it to her, but I did'nt get it hooked. Bites yesterday were on Suckers. Pike fishing should kick into high gear around here anyday and it stays way good thru iceout and into the early openwater season.<P>Matt you should boogie up here for a day or 2 dude!!!<P>fiskyknut

[hanson]

Nice fish Fisky!<P>Good to here that you got a couple. I'm heading up Sat. morning with my dad and hopefully we'll get him into one. Last spring was kind of slow the couple times we went up. Gonna start at Springsteel and go from there, depends on what the snow is looking like.<P>You know, I think I talked to you Fisky last spring up by Elm Pt. If it wasn't you, someone else on the lake looks a lot like you.

[fiskyknut]

Hanson, twas probably me. I'm out on Muskeg that way often this time of year, and I like to [PoorWordUsage] with fellow fisherfolks! I stick out like a big red bulbous nose and would feel bad for anyone who looks like me!<P>Good luck to you and your Dad this weekend. Stay late because it seems to me to be one of those years where them Pikes are on the late shift again. Flags have'nt done any flying till 4pm and later so far for me.<P>You'll get them....fiskyknut

[Matt Johnson]

I would love to make it up there and chase some pike with ya Fisky, but the Rainy River is calling my name for next few days A couple more days of late ice panfishing and my ice fishing days will be over this year, then the early open water panfish bite begins Take care!<P>Good Fishin,<BR>Matt Johnson<P>------------------<BR><A HREF="http://www.firstchoiceguide.com" TARGET=_blank>First Choice Guide Service</A><P> [email protected]<BR><A HREF="http://iceleaders.com" TARGET=_blank>Iceleaders</A><BR><A HREF="http://catchn.com" TARGET=_blank>Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait</A><BR><A HREF="http://marcumcustomerservice.com/" TARGET=_blank>MarCum</A><BR><A HREF="http://stonelegacy.com" TARGET=_blank>Stone Legacy</A><BR><A HREF="http://www.jrstackle.com/index.html" TARGET=_blank>JR's Tackle</A>

[Lip RIPPER!]

Fisky, that looks like a familiar spot. Ha!

[fiskyknut]

Ripper, What's up? Did you make it out to that N buoy on Saturday? We got out there around noonish and it was tough, tougher even than the week before. Graphed fish steadily that just would'nt bite. A few eaters and 1 jumbo.....What's up with that!<P>Yep the background in that photo plain gives it away eh! NW of those 2 big rocks sitting over east from your cabin.<P>Regards....Fisky<P>

[Lip RIPPER!]

Shoot me an e-mail or send me your address. I forgot to save it and we'll chat.

[Dr. Bob]

Nice Photo Norm .<P>Could you bring a couple of those smelt this weekend if you can spare?

[hanson]

Fisky,<BR>Thanks for that tip on staying late. We were gonna head out of there early and try to get some crappies on Red before we can't get out in a vehicle anymore. But this trip will be all about Pike and if staying later is what it takes, we'll stay later and pass up the crappies.

[Northlander]

Fisky should I bring a couple tip ups to try for some pike? What do you run for line off your tip up line? What type leader material? I will see how many smelt I have left and bring ya some if they are worth it. [email protected]

[fiskyknut]

Hey Steve. If you want to do some Pike fishing you should bring them. I like to use braided nylon tipup lines, to this I tie on a length of 25# mono, then a wire QS rig. I like the mono piece for it's bit of stretch and lower vis, also it acts as an indicator as to when you have the fish near the hole. Knots are quick and easy to the swivel on wire rigs with the mono piece too. You can put the wire rig direct onto the tipup line too. I tie that mono in with a nail knot.... Put a half hitch at the end of the tipup line and run the mono thru the loop first, then tie nail knot in the mono and snug up both the knots. I use about a 6 or 7 foot section.<P>fiskyknut

[WalleyeSnob]

I think Fisky has got the idea. Maybe we should all be chasing northerns to finish out the year. If the walleyes aren't going you might as well try and hammer some gators. I wish I could participate, next year will be a go.

[Northlander]

Hey I will bring a couple tip ups and if fishing is slow with Bob maybe we can try some pike? Will you be stoping by?

[fiskyknut]

Hey Steve.....I'm gonna try and make it over thata way on Saturday. Bob told me you'll have his WT. Any chance I can talk you into picking me up at the basecamp and running me over to the evening fishing grounds? I was just kinda guessing you may be thinking of fishing west of where we were setup that Saturday back a coupla weeks? Iffin you are wandering elsewhere don't worry about it!<P>Regards....Fisky

[Northlander]

Fisky I would like to hit that spot. If I do have thw WT I would pick ya up. just give us a holler from basecamp and I will come get you.<BR>We can hit some place else if you get a good report. See ya then.

[hanson]

Seems like this is the spot to keep Pike info going so here's my report from Saturday March 27.<P>Of course the weathermen were right with the rain storms rolling through. I'll put that one down in the journal as yet another trip to LOW this winter with absolutely lousy weather. When are we ever going to get a nice weekend??<P>Anyway, we were just south of Elm Pt. fishing for those big Pike. We're set up fishing by 7am and sat there, and moved, and sat there, and moved, and sat there, and moved, and sat there, and moved. You get the picture. There were no flags a flying at all. We fished from 7' out to about 12' and all the depths in between. Half the tip-ups were down with sucker minnows, the other half with dead cisco. Some were set just below the ice, some on the bottom, some a few feet up. Basically tried combinations of everything to see what would happen. <P>I kept telling myself, Fisky says the bite might be a little later so we have to stick it out and see what happens. 4 o'clock comes and nothing. Oh, the group that is fishing to the NE of us is running. They haven't run all day either. Oh, they missed him. Well, that was a good sign I said, the fish might be starting to bite. About quarter to 5 I went and checked on the tip-ups. Suckers were still swimming and the cisco were still, well, they were still dead. <P>About 5:30 we decided to pack it up. Went over to pick up one of the dead bait tip-ups and it felt like nothing was down there. I looked at the spool and for some reason, the line was tangled around the metal guide and you couldn't pull the line out of the spool. My heart just sank. I continued to pull the line up and there at the end of the 30 lb braided was nothing. Cisco & quick-strike rig were gone!!!! The knot hadn't come untied, the braided line snapped!!<P>I kept telling my dad all day, it may be slow but all we need is 1 fish to make this day successful. The last half hour we were there, I think we had that fish but because of some minor overlooked detail or just carelessness on my part, she got away.<P>I'd like to say we'll get her next time but that might be next year now Ice was in great shape but getting kind of sloppy on top. I don't know if I'll be able to get up next weekend to try it again or not. <P>Anybody have any idea or speculation how long into April you might be able to walk out from Springsteel, Warroad, Swift Ditch area to get after these big girls? I don't mind a decent walk, I just want to be safe at the same time.<P>

[Ruger]

Well I finally got one!! We got to the lake about 10:00am Saturday got set up around 10:45 and then the waiting game started. We would see people running and then pull up nothing. I think the wind had alot of people running for flags I know we did. Then my official flag watchers (wife and daughter in the car) yelled flag went out and pulled in a 40.5incher. This is my very first true keeper off of LOW and I always said that I would get a mount if I caught one but I put her back. The guys that were with keep asking why. I guess I am not sure why it just felt like the right thing to do. Maybe next year I will keep one if I get lucky enough. Oh ya I caught another one that went about 29inches just shy of the slot so we kept that one brought it home and smoked it. If you haven't tried smoked slimer you got try it they are goooood. All and All a good last trip of the year. I would post a pic but not sure how to do it. If someone tells me how I'll throw it up here.<P> <BR> <BR>Chris<p>[This message has been edited by Paul Waldowski (edited 03-29-2004).]

[Paul Waldowski]

Ruger,<P>In order to post a picture it needs to be uploaded to and hosted by a website. You then attach image tags to it. If you don't have a place to host it, send it to me and I will place it in this thread, otherwise the image tags are <P>------------------<BR>Paul<BR><A HREF="http://www.drakemotel.com" TARGET=_blank>Drake Motel</A><P> [email protected]<BR><A HREF="http://marcumcustomerservice.com/index.aspx" TARGET=_blank>Marcum</A><BR><A HREF="http://otteroutdoors.com" TARGET=_blank>Otter Outdoors</A><BR><A HREF="http://www.jrstackle.com/index.html" TARGET=_blank>JR's Tackle</A>

[hanson]

Ruger,<P>Congrats on the fish!! I think releasing it was the right thing to do. As long as you have a photo, you'll always remember that fish. Guess I'm being a little hypocritical since I've got a 40" on the wall from LOW. That was the first pike I caught over 3-4 pounds in my life. I've got the mount on my wall now but nothing beats the expression on my face in that photo!<P>Where abouts were you fishing? If you read my post right before yours, we didn't do as well. We were close to a big one but not quite.<P>Once again, congrats! Hope you or Paul can get the photo posted!

[Ruger]

Thanks Paul for posting the Pic. <P>Hanson; We were a mile east of Warroad and a mile from the south shore in 12 to 13 fow. <P>

[iceboy16]

ruger, what access did u go out of?<BR> nice fish, we were out of adrians saturday. got one 25" but nothin like that<BR>congrats!

[Matt Johnson]

Nice pike Chris!<P>Good Fishin,<BR>Matt Johnson<P>------------------<BR><A HREF="http://www.firstchoiceguide.com" TARGET=_blank>First Choice Guide Service</A><P> [email protected]<BR><A HREF="http://iceleaders.com" TARGET=_blank>Iceleaders</A><BR><A HREF="http://catchn.com" TARGET=_blank>Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait</A><BR><A HREF="http://marcumcustomerservice.com/" TARGET=_blank>MarCum</A><BR><A HREF="http://stonelegacy.com" TARGET=_blank>Stone Legacy</A><BR><A HREF="http://www.jrstackle.com/index.html" TARGET=_blank>JR's Tackle</A>

[Ruger]

Iceboy, We went out of the Warroad access it was still OK but I am not sure how long it is going to stay that way. I am planning to go and sit on the mouth of the river there in Warroad after the ice goes out some, I have been told that 20+ pounders are not uncommon. I guess I got pike fever!!!<P>I was told that Swift Ditch is flooding over is that true? If so how is that going to affect everything?