Searching for the Northern Pike

Break out the needlenose pliers and a good set of gloves, we are going pike fishing! Second only to the muskellunge in size, the pike is the ultimate in freshwater predatory fish, it is semi-social, breeds quickly, and attains an adult size of over three feet and 50 pounds.

We've all heard the tales of "killer pike" attacking people, dogs, cats, and anything else crazy enough to wander into a Minnesota waterway...pure nonsense, of course, but folk tales abound in regards to the mysterious pike.

The dappled green and yellow body is perfectly suited for slowly drifting through the weedbeds in search of a tasty morsel to snap up, and the streamlined cigar shape gives them the ability to accelerate quickly.

The attack of a pike is so fast, many an angler doesn't even have time to react to the sudden yank on the line. The sharp teeth make quick work of anything not attached by a good steel leader, so unless you want to lose a bunch of plugs, make sure you use one.

Plugs have long been the favorite lure to use for pike of all types, Rapala being the most popular. Pike have extremely good eyesight, and an enhanced sense of smell in that bony head of theirs, so the more lifelike lures are often the most successful.

Unlike their heavier cousin, the Muskie, pike can be taken often by trolling using spoons also, but remember that these are ambush predators, so you need to keep the retrieve fast. If a lure is moving too slowly, it will be scoffed at.

Braving the mosquitoes in search of the rapier thin pike can make for one of the best fishing trips of an angler's life, and if you master the skill of filleting the bony fish, the best tasting too.