Northern are running

Went to the creek yesterday, the northern are starting to run. I didn’t see any big mommas just 4-5 lb. males. They are sure fun to watch how they navigate the current.

I agree. They should start here pretty soon if they haven't already in some places. I really dig watching them too.

I have heard that pike swarm up creeks, but never seen it, because there are virtually no pike in my area. Does anyone have pictures of the pike spawning runs they can post? I would like to see it.

Keith

Lakes are iced up here frost isn't out of the ground either shouldn't be much longer If the Gov. doesn't postpone fishing i'll find a 6 ft. pole and git out there

Whats everyone Favorite Lure For Pike?

When I was a kid...a big treble hook.

Moosetrot

Still having to use auger extensions to get through the ice up here. Good time of the year to be fishing though, it getting above freezing some days.

Mepps 4 or 5. Mepps Giant Killer. 5 of diamonds dare devil. My biggest pike 43" came off a black and chrome Rattlin Rapala.

in the spring a frozen smelt and a big bobber at the mouth of the river ,

7/8 ounce Pixie with bacon or pike gill on the hook.

A friend of mine used hot dogs.

Not running here yet.

Pike will bite on almost any flashy lure.
I have caught them regularly on - williams wabbler,daredevel,beatle spin,with or without bait,rattlin rap and rapala minnow.
Gold williams wabbler is my favorite.

What lb test and type of line do you perfer?

I like 20 lb. braid and a titanium leader, love fishing for pike! This virus mess is going to ruin my Canada trip I am afraid.

They might be running, wouldn't know, the river is up just a wee bit.

That's the top of the ramp . . .

A 5 tine vertical jigger is very effective.

I have proven that I can catch them on a rock.I made this rock lure to prove it to my youngest son on a bet....I won.

I believe that you are old enough to have watched that rock grow from a single grain of sand too.

When they're biting pike will hit almost anything. On one trip to the area around Pagwa, Ontario I tried catching pike on every lure in my tackle box during one outing and did it easily.

My go to is a one ounce Dardevle in red and white or the 5 of diamonds pattern. I have a few that the paint is all wore off from pike teeth. Don't see that happening with your rock lure MnMan!

One of the stipulations on our bet was that I could not use any paint or spinners. I won ten bucks off of him and he lost his Husky Jerk he was casting when a Pike bit him off. He was not a happy camper after that. The bet started when I was giving him crap for spending all of his money on fancy lures and the Husky Jerk was one of them. I told him I could catch a Pike on a rock and then the fun started.

We used to have a spearing season for them here (it was taken from us about 20 years ago). It was a whole lot of fun and you would always see groups of people running the ditches with pike spears. They would run the ditches here. It was cool to see a 30" plus fish running up an irrigation drain that was 6" wide in spots LOL.
The suckers would run at the same time and we would spear them as well.
We also used to spear them in Rondeau Provincial Park and if the water was high enough, you were spearing pike in flooded timber which was very cool.

I wish I had pictures from back then, but sadly I wasn't the type to carry a camera everywhere I went.

I think expensive, ultra-realistic lures catch more fishermen than fish.

That is hilarious!

Great story MnMan! I once was up in Ontario in early May when the pike were running up a river. I proved a point to myself by casting and catching a Northern on, literally, every single lure in my ample tacklebox. They will wallop about anything that moves, and lots of stuff that doesn't! There was a swamp on one end of the small lake I grew up on. It was great for wading for ducks. In the spring, right immediately after ice-out, it teamed with spawning pike. I was easily tempted as a young teen, and admit I lugged home the odd Northern fillet that was reduced to possession by means of either a .22 rifle or a push-hook. Hey, they shouldn't have published those stories about Lake Champlain pike shooting season held in Vermont!

Some of them are finished running.

And they are sooo good!

I have shot a few in my younger outlaw days as well..two in one shot by shooting right between them when they were right next to each other.

The really fun part about that bet with my kid was that I beat him two Pike to one when he was using the new (soon to be lost) Husky Jerk which is (was) a great lure, I might add. I rub it in every time we fish together and that was about 27 years ago. I carry it with when we fish tournaments together for good luck and to torment him.

Which one is you?

Pike predator

He looks like he is good at spearing them...just does not display loads of enthusiasm. Probably has had more than his share to poke.

my neighbor got several with tip-ups through the ice on hot dogs this year , said best year of northern fishing yet for him he is set on hotdogs.

How does he rig 'em?

Here are a few videos of pike fishing with dogs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkzo9jGNNGk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPzNuDyUzU8

One spring I was trapping beaver in a channel that came off a large lake. I had to pull my traps early because I had set 5 330s. Two of them had spawning northerns in them. A CO gave me the job, as the previous fall homes along the channel were having problems with beaver. I sent photos to the CO so he could see why I pulled out early. He felt it was a good idea.

we thread them on a smelt hook.

This is something I've got to try next year. I was thinking a smelt hook and a windlass tipup on a day above freezing with a little wind. Would be good to experiment with "wings" on the hotdog to give it a gliding motion with the uplift by the windlass. Something to tinker with for sure.

Great pic 160