# Where there are little pike...



## Pleasurado (Aug 15, 2008)

Hi folks! I just found this forum and think it's just great! I have a question for anyone who feels like they may have an answer...

Last weekend I went to my favorite pike spot, and really got into them. I probably caught 50 pike over the weekend. HOWEVER, none of them were bigger than 2 lbs. I am talking little guys, but ample numbers and I know how to get into them...

Obviously, many people say that to catch the bigger fish, just use bigger lures. Well, even with the larger lures I am catching only smaller pike. I have not even hooked into a big one. I know what to put in front of them, but are the big ones likey to be hanging around with all these babies? I did have a couple of 6+ lb fish follow my lure back to the boat, and I had a 10+ lb fish swim under the boat, so I know they are around.

My question is this... Does anyone have any ideas on how to trigger a strike from these big guys? Is it likely they are hanging out with the small fish and I just need to fish differently? Or is it that the larger pike will be deeper? Any other thoughts?

Thanks folks! :beer:










16 lb Colorado Pike, caught and released June 2008 :wink:


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## Bustin Lips (Mar 16, 2008)

bigger pike are cold water fish. they usually hang in the deeper water. i would suggest trolling 20+ ft. w/ a decent size lure. i know what you are saying about big lure big fish, not always the case. i have caught many 1-2 lb. pike on musky lures. darn pike.


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## Canuck (Nov 10, 2004)

Bustin Lips nailed it. Go deep. Work the deep side of weed beds and drop-off or holes near the weed beds. Try fishing at dawns crack (as we say around here).

I have good luck casting rubber shad tails on 1/4 ounce jigs in 25-40 feet of water.

Canuck


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## Pleasurado (Aug 15, 2008)

Heya folks, and thanks for the replies! I had been thinking along the same lines, and thought long and hard about how I wanted to approach this, as I have tried some deep techniques in this lake that have not been very productive overall. I came up with a good answer: Swimbaits.

I got some 5" and 6" Storm soft plastic swombaits, prerigged. They are the color pattern I like, and they caught the fisherman, if not the fish, right from the get-go. I took them out this morning and launched the boat about 20 minutes before sunirse. The first 2 hours of the day were the most prodcutive, in about 15-18 feet of water, 10 feet deeper than the little guys. I did not catch THE ONE, but I did get a couple of 3+ lb fish, and got some follows from 6+ lb fish, so I think this is a good start.

Another thing I noticed is that, at the lake I fish, the weeds don't seem to grow any deeper than about 17-19 feet. On the deep sides of these deepest weedbeds I almost always at least had one follow it out. Hoorah, and if anybody has any other comments about deep water pike fishing, please share!!

Tight Lines!!!! :beer:


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## Bustin Lips (Mar 16, 2008)

a good lure to try is a grandma. when trolled, they can dive 20+ ft.
good luck!


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## Pleasurado (Aug 15, 2008)

Grandma Lures!? I had never heard of such a thing. But in this wonderful online age, I have already looked them up and have a couple picked out. I think I'll give them a try 

Thanks for the tip Bustin'!!!!!!


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## Bustin Lips (Mar 16, 2008)

Let me know if they work for ya.


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

Pleasurado

Is that Lake Dillon in the back ground of the first picture? I lived in Summit County for awhile and thought it looked familiar?


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