Caught a couple little Pike early but the action in the bays seemed to be more from OOS Bass and a couple hungry Rockbass that had no right hitting what we were throwing. The water temperature was 76 degrees in the bays and the air temperature felt like twice that by 10am. So we decided to fish a weedline that was partially protected by some tall trees, giving us a little shade. Second cast I feel my spinnerbait tick a weed and out darts this nice litte Pike, he kind of hovers there for a second than beelines for the spinnerbait. He chomps down and I set the hook...zip. He bit the blades and I'll I did was pull the lure out of his mouth. It was frustrating cause he was obviously a hot fish that wanted to eat. So we hang around for a bit and then continue down the weedline. I get another fish to follow but he's low and slow, not really interested at all. We get to the end and Mike asks where we should go next? I'm like right back down the weedline, let's not leave fish to find fish
So we head back down the weedline getting back to the spot about 30 minutes after first seeing the fish. Knowing Pike are ambush predators I'm hoping he's set up shop again waiting for something to swim by, or maybe another fish has moved in to take over the spot. The shoreline is tall trees as mentioned, but at the waterline is about 5 or 6 feet of sand that drops into 7'-9' with some deeper weed pockets then by 10' from shore it's 18' deep. We pass by with nothing to show for it, I turn us around and just park us there. I just start fan casting the spot different angles, different speeds and low and behold about 40 casts later, freight train. He came back, I got my second chance. Solid hookset this time and seconds later he was in the net.
Not the biggest Pike in the World but a solid one and Mike agrees it's "picture worthy", not only that but I had grabbed the new Fishawk hat I won last year as I walked out the door (I have a much older one) so I was able to break it in nicely. Or maybe it was breaking me in... instant Karma with those things.
So mark those spots you see fish and go back and hit them again and again because they might give you a second chance.
