Pike???

[reigndawgs]

What is the best way to go after pike?

[lonnie197272]

Well for starters where are you planning on fishing? That would help with presentation suggestions.

[sparky1doug]

On a recent Pike fishing trip we caught fish on 8 different lures and 2 different flies. Location, presentation and of coarse water temperature 58-68 are most likely more importent. While still being new to the Pike fishery it seems many of the old standards that apply to all fishing hold true. Find the fish, (find the right water temp. first) Pike are a predator who lies in wait (in the weeds) looking for meal dumb enough to swim by (perch, squaw fish, small bass, trout). Throw something at the weeds or shore line and pull it into their zone. Lures or flies, fish what ever your confident with spinner, spoons, bass lures, trout lures, go big or go hungry. Somehow I feel you know all that already. But its good to hear it again, if just to know there is nothing new your missing out on. Good luck and good fishing.

[reigndawgs]

I'm actually going to be fishing some lakes up in Anchorage, but I would also like to know where in Washington (Western preferably) is the best and recommendations for those areas.

[G-Man]

I may be wrong but I don't believe that you are going to find a pike in Western Washington. The closest thing would be tiger muskies in lake Tapps.

[Lucius]

G-Man is right, there are no pike lakes in western washington. We do have tiger muskie though in tapps. mayfield and merwin.

[reigndawgs]

Going up to Anchorage and the Northern Pike is considered an invasive species there so any advice on how to fish lakes for them?

[spindog]

G-Man is right, there are no pike lakes in western washington. We do have tiger muskie though in tapps. mayfield and merwin.

Are there Tigers in Silver Lake?

[dougw]

Yes, there are tigers in Silver Lake, near Spokane. Not sure about the Silver Lake on the west side, but I don't think so....

[reigndawgs]

Do I really need metal leader?

[dougw]

Thats a good debate. Typical set-ups feature a metal leader, and I do most often as well. There are times when it would seem to be a real hindrance though. If the water is extremely clear, you may want to opt for a Heavy mono-filament or fluorocarbon leader. Not sure which is worse..... Not getting strikes/follows because you have a heavy steel leader, or losing a fish every so often along with a $10-15 lure? You have to decide that one for yourself....

[Lucius]

Do I really need metal leader?

I am a native from colorado that grew up being told that the bigger pike are metal leader sensitive. I now use a flourocarbon leader and I tie the leader directly to my fishing line to eliminate the additional metal piece that may cause bigger pike not to bite but the end of my leader that connects to the lure is a snap swivel. I recommend using the more expensive snap swivels so you don't loose any of your expensive lures to random unhooks. I lost a few lures this way and it really got under my skin.

Now for pike fishing in lakes, it depends on the water temps and time of season so on and so forth. If the water temp is in the 56-65 temps, fish the shallow weeds edges and over the tops. You should be able to pick up all day long as long as a cold front didn't just push through. If you want to catch the bigger girls, you fish the deeper weed edges or the points at the beginning of coves and rock islands. Pick a lure that will fish the water depth and conditions you are fishing because pike normally are not picky. If they are picky, try and match the hatch. If a cold front just blew through, they will tend to find deeper water (bigger fish) or bury themselves in the weeds (smaller and bigger fish) and switching to a much smaller bait may do the trick.

Although in Alaska, depending on where you are fishing if the water stays cool enough you may find them in the shallow weeds all the time and the fishing shall be really easy and I wouldn't be surprised if you have 50-100 fish days with the average size between 24"-36". If you get a chance try the Innoko river system especially the lakes. There are fish that I know were caught and release at 54":-$

[reigndawgs]

Do I really need metal leader?

I am a native from colorado that grew up being told that the bigger pike are metal leader sensitive. I now use a flourocarbon leader and I tie the leader directly to my fishing line to eliminate the additional metal piece that may cause bigger pike not to bite but the end of my leader that connects to the lure is a snap swivel. I recommend using the more expensive snap swivels so you don't loose any of your expensive lures to random unhooks. I lost a few lures this way and it really got under my skin.

Now for pike fishing in lakes, it depends on the water temps and time of season so on and so forth. If the water temp is in the 56-65 temps, fish the shallow weeds edges and over the tops. You should be able to pick up all day long as long as a cold front didn't just push through. If you want to catch the bigger girls, you fish the deeper weed edges or the points at the beginning of coves and rock islands. Pick a lure that will fish the water depth and conditions you are fishing because pike normally are not picky. If they are picky, try and match the hatch. If a cold front just blew through, they will tend to find deeper water (bigger fish) or bury themselves in the weeds (smaller and bigger fish) and switching to a much smaller bait may do the trick.

Although in Alaska, depending on where you are fishing if the water stays cool enough you may find them in the shallow weeds all the time and the fishing shall be really easy and I wouldn't be surprised if you have 50-100 fish days with the average size between 24"-36". If you get a chance try the Innoko river system especially the lakes. There are fish that I know were caught and release at 54":-$

Thanks!!!