# Pike/Musky Advice



## Shegan (Mar 15, 2006)

Bit of a niave question but....

I usually fish for pike/musky during the summer months but, I have heard that spring is a great time to catch them.

What type of areas should I try to fish in the early part of the year?

What types of lures should I try?

Thanx for your help!


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Spring sucks for musky. I have read lots and done lots of fishing for musky. The spring finds them sluggish and not willing to grab big lures. Try smaller lures and plastic. Also large minnows on a lindy rig type rig casting around new vegitation flowing water (coming in is better) and sandy warmer areas. Some guids will tell you that you wont see a fish then one day when the water gets to a temp, the fish just sort of show up. By far the fall is the best time to fish skies. They tend to hit more then follow and usually are willing to take big bucktails and big jerkbaits.

For pike the spring can be good. After spawn the fish tend to move to a bit deeper water for a few days to recover then seek warmer water areas that usually hold bait fish. New vegitation in back of bays can produce very well. Try smaller 2/5oz spoons up to 1oz. Also try tandem spinnerbaits and minnow plugs. Untill the water gets too warm pike and big ones at that can be found and nabbed by those baits...but dont forget to try a bass sized buzz bait at times. Big pike often will slamm those things.


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## boondocks (Jan 27, 2006)

If your after big pike in early spring the is no better technique than dead baiting in the shallow back bays.Especially during the last two weeks of ice cover when the ice is deteriorating and a couple weeks after the ice is completely off the water.If you are from ND you can't beat Sakakawea.

I don't claim to be an expert on musky fishing but I do a lot of it and have read a ton on the subject.It would be helpful to know which state your fishing in and how early you plan to fish, being most states have closed season early spring for musky where ND doesn't have seasons.I have fished very early for skies in the ND with minimal luck.My advice would be use smaller bucktails and rapala husky jerks in warmer sections of the lake(shallower bays) and fish them during the warmest part of the day.Work the bucktails slow to slower. And the husky jerks twich um slow with fairly long pauses.Like invector said plastics are a good bet also.Small and slow are the ticket.As the water warms increase in size and speed

PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE ON THOSE BIG MAMMAS


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Right on for the dead bait part. Pike can and do take dead bait up to summer and then even can be taken on them. But I usually only use dead bait though the ice. If you are fishing ealy before spawn use dead bait. Smelt is the most common bait used but I would look for somthing like small suckers (dead) and other oily type of fish that can be used. Target the back of bays to the mouth. Pre-spawn pike hang around the mouth area before moving in to spawn then move back out to rest for a bit.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

I love early season musky fishing... vipers/fatboys/jackpots in SHALLOW, my personal favorite for muskies right as the season opens.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

I find tossing a ukko wabler for pike up in canada can be a hot lure. They say scale down your baits but after pike have spawned it seams they will hit anything. The last spring trip up there I took had the water in the low 40's high 30's and found the pike a bit deeper and not willing to hit small spoons or cranks. Best luck was on bigger spoons and jerk baits. So like USAlx50 says dont over look bigger baits early season. (though musky season starts june in mn). Also look for bass sized tandems (if I have not already mentioned them) when the water starts to warm into the upper 50's to 60's. Had lots of luck with a few big fish following (pike) and have taken musky during the summer months on them.


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## PFLesox (Apr 6, 2006)

I fish muskies alot and spring can be very productive if you down size and slow your presentation down.
I prefer soft plastics and jigs early in the year in shallow bays.


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## The Dogger (Oct 17, 2003)

Muskies early????? Think hang and pause. regardless of size or speed. Just hang it and pause it.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

There's a great article in this month's Field and Stream on the basics of spring/early summer pike fishing.

The issue looks like THIS so you know what to look for on the newsstand. That alone is worth the cover price, not to mention the bass article.


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