Struggling to get a bite going for pike, any tips would be appreciated

[Aaron S]

So I’ve been bank fishing all over the region the past few weeks looking for pike. I’ve tried lake gibson, the chippawa creek, and even a little quarry by queenston that I know holds pike (fished the whole shoreline there, usually in the summer I get atleast a couple bites at the quarry most times I go). I’ve used all kinds of lures (big and small swimbaits, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons) using different retrieval methods and I haven’t gotten a single bite. Does anyone have any tips on how to target them in our area this time of year? 

[cutthroat dan]

Try large minnow under a float in open Marinas etc.

[Aaron S]

5 minutes ago, cutthroat dan said:

Try large minnow under a float in open Marinas etc.

Thanks brotha I will try that

[fishingking]

5 hours ago, Aaron S said:

So I’ve been bank fishing all over the region the past few weeks looking for pike. I’ve tried lake gibson, the chippawa creek, and even a little quarry by queenston that I know holds pike (fished the whole shoreline there, usually in the summer I get atleast a couple bites at the quarry most times I go). I’ve used all kinds of lures (big and small swimbaits, spinners, spinnerbaits, spoons) using different retrieval methods and I haven’t gotten a single bite. Does anyone have any tips on how to target them in our area this time of year? 

Try a shiny husky jerk and keep the rod tip down just barely reeling and twitch a few times and pause for 5 to 10 seconds all the way back..mostly hit on the pause...worked at gibby last year at ice out

 

 

[Aaron S]

11 minutes ago, fishingking said:

Try a shiny husky jerk and keep the rod tip down just barely reeling and twitch a few times and pause for 5 to 10 seconds all the way back..mostly hit on the pause...worked at gibby last year at ice out

 

 

Will try it next time i’m out there. I actually have a chrome husky jerk that’s been collecting dust in my box since I got it a year ago lol (I don’t throw jerk baits a lot)

[Jwl1]

The suspending bait suggestions are good ones for sure....one of the keys this time of year is a slow presentation. ....be patient...cast out give the bait a few cranks to settle a couple feet below the surface...make a few twitches then pause...cranks, spoons, and spinners pretty much require too fast of a presentation to work properly and for this time of year....have you thought of soft plastic minnow imitations as well....there are ways you can use them like a suspending bait...there are weights you can insert into the body of the bait.....I have great luck as well over the years with big twister tails as well jigged super slowly on the bottom in cold water situations...by just letting the jig hit bottom and giving it the slightest twitch at a time....although we haven't had ice winter long and no real thaw to follow so to speak...pike will often feed on " winter kill"...like when bait that has been frozen slowly falls to the bottom during the first thaws of spring.....as already mentioned by a couple people as well...the good old simple float and minnow....keep in mind as well with the somewhat warmer winter this year the pike will be well into pre spawn mode as well...pick areas adjacent to deeper water where fish will start to gather up before making their way once the water warm a bit to shallower spawning grounds.....I often fish in 15 foot plus depths this time of year ...a slip float of slow jigging presentation comes in handy....if you happen to get out on a nice sunny day you might luck out and start to see baitfish in the adjacent shallower water which is always a good sign this time of year....and as the water starts to warm look around for any signs of a good staging area....deep water into shallow bays....creek mouths....mud flats....and mudlines ...it sounds like you have been trying your luck in some of the right bodies of water....you just have to do some looking around and try to break down a few areas for structure ect along the way...it's that old saying...90 percent of the fish are in 10 percent of the water....

 

[smerchly]

JWL ... "pike whisperer''.....that covers a lot of pike "ground"  lol !  I have been using soft swim baits in shallow water , and as you say , reel in a few feet with a few "twitches" , let it drop to the bottom and repeat . Most hit it as it is pick up from the bottom . 

I also like using floats  and will put 2 minnows on one hook when they are small ones and hook them through the anal and through the back , they get quite annoyed and fussy ! . I have some old frozen smelt in zip bags with water covering the smelt , and I poke a small hole in the belly to allow that "flavour" to tease their toothy palates . 

When using my Husky Jerks ,  J-11 , J-13 Raps & Kwickfish , I like to use a 3 way rig . allow them to sink to bottom ( 1/2 oz weight ) and retrive slowly .The lures will stay off bottom as they all float . Be sure the 12" drop line is thinner (6 lb)....if caught up on rocks , etc, it will break first , saving your $$$lures for another day 

[Aaron S]

11 hours ago, Jwl1 said:

The suspending bait suggestions are good ones for sure....one of the keys this time of year is a slow presentation. ....be patient...cast out give the bait a few cranks to settle a couple feet below the surface...make a few twitches then pause...cranks, spoons, and spinners pretty much require too fast of a presentation to work properly and for this time of year....have you thought of soft plastic minnow imitations as well....there are ways you can use them like a suspending bait...there are weights you can insert into the body of the bait.....I have great luck as well over the years with big twister tails as well jigged super slowly on the bottom in cold water situations...by just letting the jig hit bottom and giving it the slightest twitch at a time....although we haven't had ice winter long and no real thaw to follow so to speak...pike will often feed on " winter kill"...like when bait that has been frozen slowly falls to the bottom during the first thaws of spring.....as already mentioned by a couple people as well...the good old simple float and minnow....keep in mind as well with the somewhat warmer winter this year the pike will be well into pre spawn mode as well...pick areas adjacent to deeper water where fish will start to gather up before making their way once the water warm a bit to shallower spawning grounds.....I often fish in 15 foot plus depths this time of year ...a slip float of slow jigging presentation comes in handy....if you happen to get out on a nice sunny day you might luck out and start to see baitfish in the adjacent shallower water which is always a good sign this time of year....and as the water starts to warm look around for any signs of a good staging area....deep water into shallow bays....creek mouths....mud flats....and mudlines ...it sounds like you have been trying your luck in some of the right bodies of water....you just have to do some looking around and try to break down a few areas for structure ect along the way...it's that old saying...90 percent of the fish are in 10 percent of the water....

 

Thank you brother! When you mention soft plastic minnow imitators would you say little 3 inch keitechs fall under that category? I have been using those a lot and also 4 inch mister twisters, but not under a float. I do think I have been fishing too fast tho from how you explained your techniques. Also I actually have been looking for baitfish as well, I haven’t seen one yet, at that quarry I mentioned in the warmer months I see thousands of bluegill but I am assuming they are all still out deep? I usually go on the warmer days aswell. Also do you have any recommendations on what size slip floats I should be using? At the moment I have 16g raven slip floats I use for salmon and steelhead at the whirlpool, i feel like they would be alright since it is rated for just over half an oz

[Jwl1]

Doesn't hurt to experiment with different sized soft plastics...if you fish soft minnow imitations under the float try wacky rigging them...(through the back)...give the rod a few pops here and there...your float size sounds ideal...you just need big enough to cast out to the deeper water.....if you have larger sized soft plastics heavy enough to get a good cast out of....even 6-8 inches....you can use them like a suspending bait if you put those little rattle weights in them like the bass guys...or even poke a nail through the body for weight...

[smerchly]

I gave it my best shot today Jack , ...decided to go at 11 am for a few hrs.& toss my best swimbaits that have worked lately .

I started with a float/minnow rig but no takers , then tried the swimbaits and not a touch ...so I hit up the doughnut /coffee shop and gave it another hour ...notta !

A young fellow got a small walleye using a silver/blue Cleo .  As the wind picked up the water became a little murky , but still very fishable . 

 

[Jwl1]

Thanks for the update Bill...my work schedule been all over the board lately with some training I been doing ...back to my normal night schedule after this week and plan on trying to get out instead of lending advice from the couch ..haha

[Aaron S]

On 2/25/2023 at 8:27 AM, smerchly said:

JWL ... "pike whisperer''.....that covers a lot of pike "ground"  lol !  I have been using soft swim baits in shallow water , and as you say , reel in a few feet with a few "twitches" , let it drop to the bottom and repeat . Most hit it as it is pick up from the bottom . 

I also like using floats  and will put 2 minnows on one hook when they are small ones and hook them through the anal and through the back , they get quite annoyed and fussy ! . I have some old frozen smelt in zip bags with water covering the smelt , and I poke a small hole in the belly to allow that "flavour" to tease their toothy palates . 

When using my Husky Jerks ,  J-11 , J-13 Raps & Kwickfish , I like to use a 3 way rig . allow them to sink to bottom ( 1/2 oz weight ) and retrive slowly .The lures will stay off bottom as they all float . Be sure the 12" drop line is thinner (6 lb)....if caught up on rocks , etc, it will break first , saving your $$$lures for another day 

 

On 2/26/2023 at 4:34 PM, Jwl1 said:

Doesn't hurt to experiment with different sized soft plastics...if you fish soft minnow imitations under the float try wacky rigging them...(through the back)...give the rod a few pops here and there...your float size sounds ideal...you just need big enough to cast out to the deeper water.....if you have larger sized soft plastics heavy enough to get a good cast out of....even 6-8 inches....you can use them like a suspending bait if you put those little rattle weights in them like the bass guys...or even poke a nail through the body for weight...

 

On 2/26/2023 at 10:07 PM, smerchly said:

I gave it my best shot today Jack , ...decided to go at 11 am for a few hrs.& toss my best swimbaits that have worked lately .

I started with a float/minnow rig but no takers , then tried the swimbaits and not a touch ...so I hit up the doughnut /coffee shop and gave it another hour ...notta !

A young fellow got a small walleye using a silver/blue Cleo .  As the wind picked up the water became a little murky , but still very fishable . 

 

Thanks all for the suggestions, but unfortunately I burnt my hand really bad on Sunday trying to put a fire out (hence my late reply 😂).I think I am out of fishing for a month atleast. Hopefully by the time I can get out on the water again the fish are out of winter mode. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

[honeyv]

33 minutes ago, Aaron S said:

 

 

Thanks all for the suggestions, but unfortunately I burnt my hand really bad on Sunday trying to put a fire out (hence my late reply 😂).I think I am out of fishing for a month atleast. Hopefully by the time I can get out on the water again the fish are out of winter mode. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

That's rough. Hope your hand recovers quick! 

[Aaron S]

3 minutes ago, honeyv said:

That's rough. Hope your hand recovers quick! 

Thanks brotha! Hopefully y’all make the best of the last of winter fishing

[smerchly]

Just now, Aaron S said:

 

 

Thanks all for the suggestions, but unfortunately I burnt my hand really bad on Sunday trying to put a fire out (hence my late reply 😂).I think I am out of fishing for a month atleast. Hopefully by the time I can get out on the water again the fish are out of winter mode. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

I hope your hand heals up well Aaron , burns are so painful !  The pike will be on the feed until the end of March , then we will have to wait until the 1st & 2nd week in May to target them . 

[Aaron S]

5 minutes ago, smerchly said:

I hope your hand heals up well Aaron , burns are so painful !  The pike will be on the feed until the end of March , then we will have to wait until the 1st & 2nd week in May to target them . 

Thank you! Mostly 2nd degree burns but it is inbetween my fingers and on the joints which makes it hard to use my hand, It is healing well tho.  Hopefully I can get out by then, or else I plan to target lakers in the lower niagara river in the spring.

[Jwl1]

Hope you get on the mend soon...and some fishiotherapy...march is usually a good month for us around here....when I have gotten the pleasure of meeting smerchly for some spring toothies we have made out ok...and a few surprises in the mix....and as bill mentioned there are a few good weeks left until the season closes in some spots...but we are lucky here in Niagara...there are some waters open all year......and like you mentioned Aaron....the great trout fishery we have on the river.....fat Lakers...and high flying steel...yahoo....I know I will be sharing some pics soon....haha...and some of those same tactics I mentioned for pike also work great on the river for Lakers and steel depending where you plan to fish.....match your presentation to the area you fish...and your numbers will definitely go up

[dave524]

shouldn't pike be going up ditches off the canal and Lake Erie to spawn very shortly ? I recall going pike spearing in a few creeks off the Welland River as a kid in the 60's, think it was early March

 

[smerchly]

22 minutes ago, dave524 said:

shouldn't pike be going up ditches off the canal and Lake Erie to spawn very shortly ? I recall going pike spearing in a few creeks off the Welland River as a kid in the 60's, think it was early March

 

I remember people walking the tribs & ditches with spear in hand to spear pike . I think it was late march & early April  but the run may be earlier this yea as the winter has been milder & no ice on Erie ,etc. I remember watching the Americans spearing pike at the River while we were netting smelts . 

[Row dog]

19 hours ago, dave524 said:

shouldn't pike be going up ditches off the canal and Lake Erie to spawn very shortly ? I recall going pike spearing in a few creeks off the Welland River as a kid in the 60's, think it was early March

 

like most fish it revolves around water temp

[mooseslayer]

Any time now. I've seen them well up grassy brook stream and there was a thin layer of ice that formed overnight. Speared and dip net them lots as a kid. Probably wasn't a good thing to do when they were spawning which is why they shut it down but it was a lot of fun.