Northern Pike

Ice Fishing Northern Pike

The wolf of the water

Northern Pike photoIce fishing for Northern Pike is one of the most exciting species to target.

They are aggressive predators. They will take almost anything you offer them, including ice transducers. (This is the voice of experience here.)

I’m not good at filleting these incredible creatures, but if you can do it,…go for it!

(I always get those lousy bones when I fillet them, but I am just not that good at filleting fish.)

Most people use “tip-ups” when ice fishing for Northern Pike, although jigging will work also.

Northern Pike tend to be loners, and are found anywhere in the water column. Fishing 1-4 feet just below the ice is a good place to start. They just plain old like anything.

I have TOOTH marks in my underwater camera from a hungry pike that tried to snatch my camera.

Loser.

Use large, sharp hooks. (I wish my camera had hooks…then I would be as good as those guys who actually CATCH a pike…sigh…)

Northern Pike are toothy-creatures so if you want to actually land (ice) one, you will need a steel leader on the end of your ice fishing line.

Watch those teeth if you actually land one.

Those teeth can rip your hand up pretty bad and there are germs and bacteria in the saliva that can cause quite an infection. I suggest you look at the fish…glare at it…and then make your move. He’ll hate you, but it’s just a fish.

He doesn’t have Facebook to post his victory when he chomps on your hand…but I digress…

Sometimes the Northern Pike will just tug at your line…just a little. Play it out. Be careful that you have the right line and make sure that you have your drag set correct. Play those pike out! Enjoy the fight!

Don’t get bit. Please?