How to Fish Pikes in the Weeds

How to fish pikes in weedy bays is a common question. Before showing you how, it’s important to know certain characteristics of this awesome fish.

Northern Pike Specie

The northern pike (“Esox lucius”) is a species of carnivorous fish of the Esox genus, typical of brackish and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere. In the United States, Canada and most of Europe, the vast majority of angles refer to them simply as “pikes”.

Where to find Pikes

Pikes can grow to a relatively large size and we can find a tremendous number of them on Lake of the Woods. Any type of fishing you are trying that particular day, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you will catch a little “snob rocket” along the way, or something bigger. Vertically jigging for walleyes or casting for bass, the northern pike seems to be everywhere around these waters.

How big can a Pike get

The average length is between 16 and 22 inches, but if you know what you are doing, or with a good guide, it’s not super hard to catch a couple of nice looking 36, 37 “inchers” during an afternoon snap. Guides from Totem Resorts help guests to numerous 40+ inches northern pike every year.

Northern Pike Color and Shape

Northern pikes are most often olive green, shading from yellow to white along the belly. The flank is marked with short, light bar-like spots and dark spots on the fins. Younger pikes have yellow stripes along a green body. When maturing, the stripes divide into light spots and the body turns from green to a darker olive green. The lower half of the gill cover lacks scales, and it has large sensory pores on its head and on the underside of its lower jaw. Unlike muskies, the northern pike has light markings on a dark body background, and fewer than six sensory pores on the underside of each side of the lower jaw. Another difference between these predators is that muskies won’t develop spots or any sort of pattern on their heads.

Pike Development, Growth and Feeding Habits

The young, free-swimming pikes feed on small invertebrates and when their body grows to about three inches, they start feeding on other fish. A pike has a very typical hunting behaviour, blending with the surroundings, remaining stationary in the water by moving the last fin rays of the dorsal fins and the pectoral fins. Before striking, it bends its body and darts out to the prey using, to propel itself, the large surface of its caudal, dorsal and anal fins. The fish has a distinctive habit of catching its prey sideways in the mouth, immobilising it with its sharp, backward-pointing teeth, and then turning the prey head first to swallow it.

The mature northern pike is a largely solitary predator. It migrates during a spawning season and after it, it will follow prey fish to deeper water. Large pike are also known to cruise large water bodies at a few metres deep, probably pursuing schools of prey fish. Most of the time pikes are more of ambush predators, specially younger smaller pikes, probably because of their vulnerability to cannibalism.

The Right Place to Catch a Pike

When it comes to specifically targeting this type of fish on Lake of the Woods, the angler should focus on back bays with lots of weedy/grass cover. Larger bays with even depth, showing grass and weeds on the shoreline, and at the bottom, are ideal spots. Don’t be surprised if you find several “high-thirties” mature pikes in back bays with these characteristics.

Water Temperature and Baits

Once you have found a promising looking spot, start focusing on the water temperature. The northern pike is a cold water fish by nature. If it’s a hot sunny day and the water temperature is above normal, you should try with slow action baits, like crank-baits and slow moving top waters, making sure to pause a couple of times along the retrieving process. When the water temperature is lower or with good cloud cover, spinner baits are the way to go. From a Mepps #5 to “double-eights cowgirls”, northern pike will surely go crazy for a flashy, vibrating bait. Last but not least, and especially if you are targeting bigger pike, don’t forget to bring a proper size net, a set of pliers and a fishing glove. Or you can give us a call and book a Totem Resorts pro-guide, who can guide you, coach you and assist you in catching your dream trophy northern pike.