When you’re searching for a fun and active game fish, the northern pike is a great choice. They look a little unusual but they will certainly make your fishing trip an exciting one. This fish has a slender body, long head and a snout. They have a white stomach, olive green sides, dark spots on the fins and a light bar shape spot on the flank. They have very sharp teeth that you’ll want to stay away from and some pike will have a red color to their fins.
Northern pike are a predatory fish and they are very aggressive. This is something that you need to be prepared for before seeking them out. They will fight hard and if you get your hands too close, they will bite you. However, you can use this to your advantage. If you invade their space, they will strike so you can usually entice them to take your bait even when they’re not hungry.
Northern pike are very active at night and feed the most aggressively after dark but it is so difficult to find them that many anglers choose not to go night fishing when seeking out this species. Night fishing can also be more dangerous because of the limited visibility.
Having a few good tips on hand will help you reel in more fish on your next fishing trip but you have to pick and choose the ones that will benefit you the most. Some tips require special gear or lures but others are designed for anyone and you won’t need to do or buy anything special to use them.
Here are five fishing tips for northern pike that anybody can use:
1. Look for this species around the edge of the body of water in which you’re fishing. They usually don’t venture out too far away from the edge and when they do, they very seldom go into water more than 15 feet deep.
2. You would think they would be easy to find since they don’t go out into real deep water but this fish stays on the move all the time and they like to travel alone so they are harder to find than many other species. They are known for being one of the most active of all game fish. Still, if you fish around underwater structures such as weeds, submerged trees and underbrush, you should be able to find them.
3. Live bait is the best to use when fishing for northern pike. Try mackerel, herring, trout, sardines and eel. However, one of the great things about this species is that even those who don’t want to deal with live bait can still catch them with spinners, thundersticks, crankbaits, daredevils, jigs and spoons.
4. Fish during the early morning and late evening and they will be easier to find. This is the time of day when you’ll find them just below the surface of the water.
5. This species will not take the bait right away. They will hit it a couple of times before actually swallowing it. If you try to set the hook as soon as you feel the strike, you’ll lose the catch. Be patient and give it a minute to completely take the bait and then set the hook with a quick snap of the wrist. Using a float will help you see when it actually swallows the bait.
Using these tips can help you have a more productive and safe fishing trip when seeking out northern pike. They’re tips that anybody can use regardless of where you go fishing or how much experience you have.
Always plan ahead when seeking out this species. You need to make sure you have extra fishing line and a variety of lures. The standard gear used for this species includes a ten to twelve-foot rod, spinning reel with a great drag system and 15 to 20 pound test line. Remember, they have sharp teeth that can bite through your line so use a wire trace to keep this from happening. Treble hooks and floats are also recommended.
Some of the most popular techniques used to catch northern pike include fly-fishing, trolling, casting and drift fishing. Choose the one that suits you the best. All of them usually yield excellent results so it doesn’t matter which technique you use. That’s another reason why this species is a great one for all types of anglers to fish. In addition, you don’t need a boat to fish for them since they often stay near the edge of the water.
Fishing is a great sport but any type of water can pose a safety risk. For this reason, it’s important to always be alert and follow safety rules. Wear your life jacket, check your equipment and let someone know where you are and when you plan to return home every time you go fishing, even when fishing from shore.