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Well it's that time of year again for me, rootin thru the ole tackle box to see what's what, so I find way at the bottom hiding behind a Husky Jerk, some jigs!
I've got 2 Arkie salty crawlin Grubs and a Finesse lite wire hook jig. So what da f@#k do I do wit dees tings!
Did some research and it looks like I should be bouncing it off the bottom and jerking the jig up and down as I hop it along. Any info as to the best way to do this and does it work for late spring Pike?
we have caught on almost everything . Plastics while bass fishing , small micro jigs while ice fishing ( not actually caught more like 'WHOA...SNAP ...aaawww !)
I have caught many pike jiggin through the ice so dont see why not in spring too.
They will hit anything when the mood strikes
Norm
New outdoor Canada has review on pike baits--good read
Handyman, from the info I was able to get, u can just drag the jig along the bottom, or u can reel in very, very slowly, and just a flick of the wrist from 12 to 3 to jump the jig off the bottom and hopehully the darting motion will invoke a strike.
Works well in areas where are weed beds, sloping gravel points or anywhere you know the Pike like to gather. Keep in mind I've never fished with a jig before as far as Pike are concerned, so I'm eager to see how it works.
Anyone with something to add please do, I'm interseted to see if many fisher-people use jigs for Pike, Joe.
P.S. Bassmasta-I fish for spring Pike the last weekend in May, I think in Canada the season starts the second week but not sure, mostly they hang in warm bays in the shallows, check out the site for Fishin Spring Pike.
The first couple of weeks after the season opens is pike cafeteria time. They've got a voracious appetite and the pickins can be real easy for a fisherman. Chunkin the ugliest creature type baits on a long shank 3/8 or 1/2 oz jig will produce almost anywhere.
Prime waters for me would be creek mouths, shallow flats with emergant weed, rock piles and stumps. A steady pumping retrieve will give consistant results - reel slowly and let the bait do the attracting. I'm not a big fan of major movement with a jig, slow and deliberate will always give the best results. Pick a target the same way you would for jig/piggin largemouth and hang on - the freight train is on time.
Color shouldn't be an issue at this time of year although my goto would be yellow or white bait bodies.
You can ask any deep water Bass fisherman if jigs are good for Pike. Yes they are! Pike are about 99% of the reason why I buy so many in the off season. Your jigging in 15 to 20 feet of water and your line goes limp, breaks off 65 pound Power Pro without even setting the hook. Now that's a decent Pike. You can fish all year for pike with jigs. Bigger jigs are better like 1 oz with a big pork chunk. If I was going strickly for Pike I would use a small leader this way you won't donate alot of jigs to the Pike fund! Give it a try and hold on to your rod there's a freight train a comin'.
I'll second what McQ said. I kinda have a two step program for spring pike when it comes to location and presentation
I look in spawning bays on the north side first, they get more sun. If they have some sort of creek or sprawling marsh at the back, all the better. If I cant find good fish there I move out the mouth and look for rocks. Piles, points, lendge's/drop off's, or areas with swift current.
For presentation start with faster baits, jerkbaits work for me, suicks, bomber's husky jerk's, walleye patterns have preformed well. If there not hittin those I go to sluggo's and jigs. Dragging the jig work's best for me. Point the rod at the jig and reel, if you want it to hop, jus give a few quick cranks, stop, let it settle, repeat.
I'll take my plastics WHITE................................. or whatever.
My brother and I were catching pike all spring and we didnt find them picky at all. The bestcoulour combo was defnintely chartruse and white with some flash and red added on for gills. We were using flies(clouser minnow) but theyre used in the same situations as jigs. Were weeds would normally be in around 15 FOW at a creek mouth was by far the best spot.
