Plastics For Pike

[Casaloma]

Hey!

As I sift through & gear up for Opener I want to adapt my Pike presentation using plastics. For years I have simply jigged larger plastics off the bottom in a Walleye type walk, it's past time to adapt. How do you all rig for Pike with plastics, especially if you use a leader line ( what type? ) away from the weight to keep the bait off the bottom. Thanks for any & all tips.

[10Bears]

Casa - The last 2 years I've had good luck just north of you in Ontario using an Erie Dearie with a 3inch white power grub threaded up the single hook. You can troll or cast these and they have their own short wire leader built in, but it's a good idea to use a longer steel leader with it for the bigger pike. These are a weight forward spinner with a single hook.

[Jim Hudson]

Casa

If you havent yet.. Try using some of the plastic or plastic/jig combos that are common for musky fishing...

A J-mac jig or Esox Cobra jig (lots written on these in the past few years by Doug Stange, Rob Kimm, Pete Maina, etc) in the 5/8 ounce with a big shad tail will catch pike, hands down.. Also, the regular sized bulldogs (orange and black) get the job done too... Rig with a straight sevenstrand that you can twist or snap onto the lures... Can rig the jigs with reaper tails as well...

Other plastics I have had luck with are Storm WildEye Split Tail minnows, carolina rigged in the 5" Pearl... Rig with Sevestrand to the bait after adding a bullet weight and bead to the top of the hardware... Good bait to work on lethargic pike in the shallows... Bump it along, the minnow works along and on the drop, it shimmys down to the bottom.. like a dieing smelt...