Fall Pike Fishing

PHOTO: While fun in a boat, Tim says catching northern pike in a kayak is a rush.

By Tim Moore
Contributing Writer

The other day I realized that I would be driving by a water that I knew held northern pike and always wanted to fish, but have never had the opportunity. When I realized I would be driving right by this place, with the entire day free, I immediately started gathering my pike fishing gear. Of all the fall fishing opportunities, northern pike has to be one of my favorites. Triggered by shorter days and dropping water temperatures, pike will begin to move into shallow water and feed as often as they can to bulk up for the coming winter. Northern pike are strong. Their long muscular bodies afford them incredible bursts of speed. They also have an aggressive and downright ornery disposition. these features make them an exciting gamefish species.
Due to cooler fall water temperatures, pike typically don’t move into the shallows until after the sun rises and has a chance to warm the water. The warmer water draws bait fish. Pike will cruise flats, or hold on structure to ambush their prey. Target the remaining weeds first, then move on to any logs or boulders that provide cover and radiate heat. Stable weather is best and avoid days immediately after a cold front moves through. Any drastic changes in water temperatures will shut the bite down and make the pike extremely difficult to catch.
Some favorite pike lures are big spinners and spinner baits. Like, musky sized lures. Wake baits, 6” paddletail shads, and soft plastic Hogie lures also get the job done. Lures with a lot of flash, ones that create a lot of vibration, or those that have an erratic action seem to best get the attention of hungry pike. Choose your lures based on water color and light condition. Think bright colors on bright days, and dark colors on dark days. White or silver lures seem to do well in clear water, while browns and yellows work well in stained water. Also, don’t get stuck using one lure. If your favorite lure suddenly stops working after several good trips, change lures until you find another that triggers strikes.
When fishing emergent weeds, retrieve your lure parallel to weed edges in an attempt to draw pike out. For submerged weeds, retrieve your lure just over the top of the weeds, and hang on. When pike rise from the weeds after a lure, they smash them with a vengeance. When fishing structure it’s usually best to fish inside out as if you were bass fishing. Cast as close to shore as possible and retrieve back to your boat. As water temperatures continue to drop it will be necessary to slow down your presentation, because the pike will become more sluggish.
Fall is one of the best times of the year to target big pike. They need to feed, but don’t expect to catch a lot of fish every time you go. Targeting big pike isn’t a numbers game. You may have days when you make a thousand casts and never even move a fish. Don’t give up, the next cast could be the one that lands you a 40” trophy. The best part about fall pike fishing? It’s pointless getting to the water before 9am, which means getting a little extra sleep between trips.