Seanook Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 So this is my first season not using an outfitter on the ice. We've found the Perch successfully and our bellies are full. What is kind of new and a mystery to me is how to get onto those big winter Pike. I would imagine that they probably follow the perch and other baitfish around pretty closely. My question is this.....What to use and what is my target depth? I imagine cut bait would be the best but I have little to no experience with using it. What is the best way to rig it, prepare it and present it? Any advice is appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChefMick Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 If you notice no more blips all of a sudden on the electronics then huck in something big!!! catch a gator!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frog088 Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Nothing better than a 12" dead sucker or cisco sitting on the bottom for big winter pike, IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanook Posted December 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Lol. One my by biggest problems with this subject is bad or contradictory info. For example. I was reading an article recently where a longtime hard ice vet was talking about using cut bait and specifically said that he would use Cisco's or whitefish and not Sucker on Simcoe as there aren't enough suckers in Simcoe for Pike to identify as food.......Huh? I have never heard of a Pike turning down a big sucker regardless of the region and Cisco's are a protected species on Simcoe in winter and targeting them is a big no no let alone using them for bait. I dunno when he said this or when winter the ban took effect. I'm definitely a little annoyed at the sketchy nature of the info and the publishers brain fart for not identifying the contradictory nature of it. Anyhow. I figured that this was the best place to ask for some insight, and clear advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 If you are talking simcoe pike .... Look to the bays or shallows usually around 10-18 fow ... Cooks bay as well as virgina beach both usually host to some good winter gators also a few other shallow bays on simcoe usually hold em as well ... Try big shiners or the best is like frog Said a good ol sucker ( if u can find them ) as well as any BIG baits should entice em ... Alot of times I find I will hook a perch and let it stay hooked and swimming around fighting it for a much longer period than normal .. If there's a pike around they will see it from a distance and come investigate .. This is the time to drop in or jig / give movement to your big shiner or big bait ! Hope this helps ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 I do not recommend using Cisco as bait as they are illegal to catch / target/ posses from simcoe ! Had much luck with large shiners and big baits there ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanook Posted December 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Thanks Buck. I thinks we were both writing at the same time but the info is much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChefMick Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Best thing to do unless the missus wont let you is go catch a bunch of suckers in the spring, freeze the smaller ones for pike, the bigger ones, scale them and cut into chunks for catfish bait!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Most of the pike I have caught ice fishing have taken a regular 2" minnow . Most of them were caught in 6 to 10 fow with some weeds present . I haven't had much luck with the large 3-4" minnows or pond chubs .Jigging with small spoons tipped with a minnow can be deadly when they are aggressive . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickyy33 Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Try rippin raps, they work pretty good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rile Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Been having some luck lately with dead anchovies or smelt about 6"-8" long under a tip up right along weededges. Using 2 trebles on a quickstrick rig tied with 80lb fluoro. I find i have better luck with the bait lifted a few feet off the bottom rather than right on it since it seems to be more visible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooner Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Caught my first pike through the ice today with a gold and black and gold shad rap on the bottom. Also, after all the fisherman left I noticed a piece of fishing gear on MDP by the grandstand area. If you can describe it, I will be more than happy to return it to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pudge Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 i nailed a nice pike yesterday....came on a 3/4 inch lindy flying spoon while fishing for perch.....most pike i've caught have been on tip-ups or windlass tip ups with a 6-8 inch chub or sucker....i find dead bait on the bottom works better as the winter goes on...and like rile said lift it a foot or so of bottom, on weed edges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 Caught my first pike through the ice today with a gold and black and gold shad rap on the bottom. Also, after all the fisherman left I noticed a piece of fishing gear on MDP by the grandstand area. If you can describe it, I will be more than happy to return it to you. Nice going , sooner or later the pike will hit ......looks like a nice one ! I gave the new auger a try today (2 holes) & fished for a perch dinner .....got my wish with some nice fat perch with 2 near 12" .Nice meeting you sooner & nice to see FishingFeldy out there too . The ice at Rennie is just safe enough (in most spots) with about 2"of white & 2" of black .....kids playing hockey near shore . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pudge Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 safe ice at rennie you say.....better get there early now to get a spot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooner Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 Nice going , sooner or later the pike will hit ......looks like a nice one ! I gave the new auger a try today (2 holes) & fished for a perch dinner .....got my wish with some nice fat perch with 2 near 12" .Nice meeting you sooner & nice to see FishingFeldy out there too . The ice at Rennie is just safe enough (in most spots) with about 2"of white & 2" of black .....kids playing hockey near shore . nice perch and it was nice meeting you too...i hope to see you out there again soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 safe ice at rennie you say.....better get there early now to get a spot... Most of the parking spots are taken by the hockey guys . We had ice fishing derbies there with 60 anglers and parking was not an issue . Best time to fish there would be Mon-Fri. when kids are at school . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooner Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 i nailed a nice pike yesterday....came on a 3/4 inch lindy flying spoon while fishing for perch.....most pike i've caught have been on tip-ups or windlass tip ups with a 6-8 inch chub or sucker....i find dead bait on the bottom works better as the winter goes on...and like rile said lift it a foot or so of bottom, on weed edges.i jigged the rapala a couple times with no hits... It was some time while the rap was on bottom sitting still the pike grabbed it...I was actually just picking up rod to jig some more and thought it was a weed on my line until pike started to pull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rile Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 Hey sooner good to meet you out there, i lent you the pliers, slow day for most out there today it seemed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtgf Posted December 29, 2013 Report Share Posted December 29, 2013 Smerch what did I get the perch on? I was there the other day using jigs tipped with minnows and only got a few small ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooner Posted December 29, 2013 Report Share Posted December 29, 2013 Hey sooner good to meet you out there, i lent you the pliers, slow day for most out there today it seemed.nice to meet you too and thanks again for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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