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It would be difficult to target spring pike and not fish the shallows. Pike baits and bass baits are also quite similar (big cranks, jerk baits and spinner baits). I guess don't use frogs or big jigs.

CSI-WALLEYE wrote:It would be difficult to target spring pike and not fish the shallows. Pike baits and bass baits are also quite similar (big cranks, jerk baits and spinner baits). I guess don't use frogs or big jigs.

Agreed but I like to use big white tubes for pike. All in all just be smart and if all you are getting is bass just do as many have said move on as there is plenty of river or lake to explore..... All you can do is hope that the mnr agent that stops you is knowledgeable and understanding.

CN wrote:The main difference is the lack of rods on the front deck.

He's going vertical, so am I....

Jimmy_1 wrote:

campnfish wrote: If you're just going to do some catch and release, consider bending your barbs in, makes it easier to get the hook out and the fish back in the water.

In my limited experience with MNR, they'll usually watch you for a bit before they approach. If you see some kind of authority out there, wave and go have a chat. Poachers don't do that.

SERIOUSLY.BAD.ADVICE......

1) If it isn't bass season you cannot LEGALLY go catch and release. The MNR won't buy that and will fine your butt

2) If fising for pike in shallows, use pike lures. An MNR officer is more likely to believe the bass is incidental if caught on a spoon. Likely not a jig.

Catching incidental fish is par for the course. I highly doubt an MNR officer is gonna come charging over if you happen to catch and release 1 or 2 bass.

If bass are hitting and the pike aren't....move on.

Let me clarify - not suggesting you go catch and release for bass out of season. I guess I should have worded that better. Just suggesting you bend the barbs in so its easier to get the bass back in the water if you do get one.

I target pike all the time when the season opens. I just move on if I start catching lots of bass. I leave the flipping jigs at home, but pretty well all other lures that you would fish pike with are also used for bass. There's nothing like a buzzbait to target early season pike. I will not stay away from pike waters because I might possibly catch a bass.

Wallyboss wrote:I target pike all the time when the season opens. I just move on if I start catching lots of bass. I leave the flipping jigs at home, but pretty well all other lures that you would fish pike with are also used for bass. There's nothing like a buzzbait to target early season pike. I will not stay away from pike waters because I might possibly catch a bass.

Unless you were very blatantly targeting bass after bass, I think that particular regulation would be very difficult to enforce. Does anyone know of anyone who has been fined for targeting preseason bass? Before anyone gets too excited, I am not condoning the out of season targeting of bass. Use common sense, relax and have fun.

CSI-WALLEYE wrote:

Wallyboss wrote:I target pike all the time when the season opens. I just move on if I start catching lots of bass. I leave the flipping jigs at home, but pretty well all other lures that you would fish pike with are also used for bass. There's nothing like a buzzbait to target early season pike. I will not stay away from pike waters because I might possibly catch a bass.

Unless you were very blatantly targeting bass after bass, I think that particular regulation would be very difficult to enforce. Does anyone know of anyone who has been fined for targeting preseason bass? Before anyone gets too excited, I am not condoning the out of season targeting of bass. Use common sense, relax and have fun.

I haven't been fined, but I did receive a warning on Lac Ste-Marie. Twice.
I was fishing my usual pike spots (don't ask, I won't tell), casting away with a deep-running Rapala. Apparently, because our truck (with Ontario licence plates) was the only one in the parking lot, we just HAD to be targeting OOS bass. A bit of clarification ensued, explaining that if we'd wanted to catch bass, we knew that Lake This-Name and Lake That-Name were exceptions to regulation and we could have just gone there instead.
When you know your regs, and ply by the rules, you should always have the upper hand with CO's, if you stay calm.

I have been stopped on the QC side of the Ottawa river (in one of the bays), and they (QC? MNR) specifically asked what I was fishing for, and wanted to check and see what I had tied onto my rods, after checking my fishing license, etc.

I was using a spinnerbait, my buddy a crank bait I believe, and I explained we were targetting pike, and they left it at that...they cared enough to check my line

I am confident if they had seen me fishing with a senko or a pitching a jig or something more bass oriented, it would of been a different story

toned wrote:I have been stopped on the QC side of the Ottawa river (in one of the bays), and they (QC? MNR) specifically asked what I was fishing for, and wanted to check and see what I had tied onto my rods, after checking my fishing license, etc.

I was using a spinnerbait, my buddy a crank bait I believe, and I explained we were targetting pike, and they left it at that...they cared enough to check my line

I am confident if they had seen me fishing with a senko or a pitching a jig or something more bass oriented, it would of been a different story

It's a good thing that spinner baits and crank baits aren't bass oriented lures.

StarTzar wrote: It's a good thing that spinner baits and crank baits aren't bass oriented lures.

unless I'm mistaken, they're as much as a pike bait then a bass bait

vs. a jig, which is known to be mainly a bass lure

toned wrote:

StarTzar wrote: It's a good thing that spinner baits and crank baits aren't bass oriented lures.

unless I'm mistaken, they're as much as a pike bait then a bass bait

vs. a jig, which is known to be mainly a bass lure

I think the point he was trying to make is that it is hard to target one without getting the other. One of my favourite pike presentations is a lizzard on a carolina rig, pike love it (I use 80 lb flouro leader). Is it a pike or bass presentation?

unless I'm mistaken, they're as much as a pike bait then a bass bait

I agree 100% with the above.

CSI-WALLEYE wrote:I think the point he was trying to make is that it is hard to target one without getting the other. One of my favourite pike presentations is a lizzard on a carolina rig, pike love it (I use 80 lb flouro leader). Is it a pike or bass presentation?

I'd say personally that's more of a bass presentation, but as we all know, pike hit anything

I am not disagreeing with that statement at all, a lot of lures (if not most) are effective at both

Having said that, there are ways that you can target one species more than the other...example pike (spoons, etc), bass (plastics, etc), and the MNR, should they run into you with Bass season closed using a plastic, may give you grief

I just wanted to share my experience where the MNR specifically checked my line to see what I had attached...indicating that they actually care what you have tied on, and it's not as simple as what you just saying 'i'm fishing pike'

As previously mentioned, COs will often watch anglers before they "introduce" themselves. If they've been watching you pull bass after bass, chances are they're not going to buy the "pike fishing" line. Always best to move on if only bass are biting.

toned wrote:

CSI-WALLEYE wrote:I think the point he was trying to make is that it is hard to target one without getting the other. One of my favourite pike presentations is a lizzard on a carolina rig, pike love it (I use 80 lb flouro leader). Is it a pike or bass presentation?

I'd say personally that's more of a bass presentation, but as we all know, pike hit anything

I am not disagreeing with that statement at all, a lot of lures (if not most) are effective at both

Having said that, there are ways that you can target one species more than the other...example pike (spoons, etc), bass (plastics, etc), and the MNR, should they run into you with Bass season closed using a plastic, may give you grief

I just wanted to share my experience where the MNR specifically checked my line to see what I had attached...indicating that they actually care what you have tied on, and it's not as simple as what you just saying 'i'm fishing pike'

The 80# flouro leader may also be a give away. If you are fishing pike without wire or heavy flouro you are losing hardware not to mention damaging fish.