Warm water and high daytime temps lately had me expecting a slow day of pike fishing Saturday, but I was pleasantly surprised. I started the day with the 30" pike in the attached photo at 5:45 am. The fish blew up on a top water bait fished over a main lake weed bed. WOW! What a great way to start the day. We moved around the main lake catching fish or getting bites in nearly every spot we stopped at. One here and one there but no concentrations of fish to speak of. After a couple of hours we moved into the chain lakes where we found water temps that eventually reached over 80 degrees. The fish were spread out in the chains as well but they were still willing to bite. I finished the day with 12 pike and the big smallie in the photo. I may be shopping for a new scale soon. Mine weighed this fish at 5lb 2oz. I've caught a few 5lb smallies before and this fish seemed bigger than all of them. I guessed over 6lb. She was a tough fight, taking line and making 3 good runs before I even saw her. I thought I had a good pike on.
Best producing bait of the day was a 1oz white spinner bait with a chrome blade, but I got fish on frogs and big hammers as well. 8 feet of water was the magic depth for the day. The fish were not buried in the weeds, but certainly were hanging around the outside edge. All baits were fished at a slow pace.

FYI!!!
If you didn't already know this, the speed limit on the Cda River is 35MPH. I have been told, or should I say miss lead, that it was 50MPH. The VERY NICE Kootenai County Sheriff Deputy that stopped me after seeing me on his radar, got me straightened out. Sir, if you are reading this report, THANK YOU!!! for the warning. Your kindness was much appreciated. When I got home, I looked the speed limit up on line. The 50MPH limit is on all bodied of water, EXCEPT for the Spokane River, Cda River, and Twin Lakes, in Idaho.
DULY NOTED!!

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