PIKE LAKE
I have fished Pike Lake 4 times this year. I hadn't been back for quite a few years. Good boat ramp, pretty lake, deep and at about 750 acres its not too big to know in a hurry but not too small to become boring after a few days.
I caught fish everytime out this spring but I wouldn't call the fishing anything better than slow, which is about as good as it gets for an eastern Ontario walleye lake anymore. The slot limit seems to be working as the fish are bigger than years ago. Almost all the walleyes I caught were bigger than 19". One thing about Pike Lake is while most anglers are off bass fishing on the rideau in the summer walleye fishing used to pick up. I have not fished it in the summer in recent years to say if its still true but it might be. It may be that during spring the walleyes are scattered throughout the lake but once summer arrives they setup on the few main lake shoals.
I caught fish everytime out this spring but I wouldn't call the fishing anything better than slow, which is about as good as it gets for an eastern Ontario walleye lake anymore. The slot limit seems to be working as the fish are bigger than years ago. Almost all the walleyes I caught were bigger than 19". One thing about Pike Lake is while most anglers are off bass fishing on the rideau in the summer walleye fishing used to pick up. I have not fished it in the summer in recent years to say if its still true but it might be. It may be that during spring the walleyes are scattered throughout the lake but once summer arrives they setup on the few main lake shoals.
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Pike Lake is a lake I fish often. Most of the summer time walleye in the lake are in the slot size (35cm - 50cm) so you have to release most. The heavy ice fishing on the lake takes most of the larger keeper fish out of the lake every winter so you don't have much left come summer.
As the surface water tempature heats up I have been catching the walleye as they are starting to sit deep (20-25ft) off the mid lake humps near the campsite midway up the lake. Also the first deep hump or structure off of a shallow flat has been producing eyes in the same depth range. As the thermocline sets up you can start trolling open water for suspended eyes moving out from the structure.
good luck.
As the surface water tempature heats up I have been catching the walleye as they are starting to sit deep (20-25ft) off the mid lake humps near the campsite midway up the lake. Also the first deep hump or structure off of a shallow flat has been producing eyes in the same depth range. As the thermocline sets up you can start trolling open water for suspended eyes moving out from the structure.
good luck.
Sheldon Hatch
Just a guy that likes to fish walleye
Just a guy that likes to fish walleye
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- Erikatchandrelease
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- Erikatchandrelease
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- Erikatchandrelease
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Ok I said I'd post the results of my Pike Lake trip. The fishing was mediocre/ok. Lots of boat traffic and constantly changing weather conditions. Good smallmouth fishing though. My best for the week was 20"/4lbs, although my fishing partner caught two 24"ers (one a fly rod). Go figure. If anyone wants more specific details I'll be glad to post 'em.
Since I go up to Pike Lake only once a year, can anyone recommend other lakes in the vicinity of Pike Lake that have good pike fisheries? You would think that a name like Pike Lake would mean lotsa pike but...
Since I go up to Pike Lake only once a year, can anyone recommend other lakes in the vicinity of Pike Lake that have good pike fisheries? You would think that a name like Pike Lake would mean lotsa pike but...
Pikeless Lake
This lake is almost dead. They need to leave it alone for a few years or there will be no fish left at all. Only thing I saw there the last times I was on it were hammerhandle pike.
If you are looking for good pike fishing then Pike Lake despite the name is the last place I'd go. Its mainly a walleye lake although smallmouth bass are far more numerous. As the previous poster said it needs to be left alone but even then it be the last place i'd go fish pike.
Here's my take on pike fishing in eastern Ontario...think big water. St. Lawrence, Bay of Quinte, Ottawa River. Also think spring and fall not summer. I live in the 1000 Islands and an average day here is 20 fish caught with pike averaging 3 to 8lbs. Some days you can catch twice that number and bigger. My guess though is the biggest pike come from the St Lawrence in the impounded sections down near Cornwall.
Some big pike are caught in inland lakes and bigger lakes like Big Gull and Charleston have good fishing for them but not in the numbers you get on the St Lawrence.
Come on up to the 1000 Islands after things cool off in September, October and even November. Find a large weedbed in the main river (not a backwater marsh) a few rocks and shoals mixed in always helps. Look about 5-15 feet deep. Use a large but not heavy jig (bucktail and/or twister combo) or No. 4 or 5 Mepps and hang on, the action can be fast and furious!
Here's my take on pike fishing in eastern Ontario...think big water. St. Lawrence, Bay of Quinte, Ottawa River. Also think spring and fall not summer. I live in the 1000 Islands and an average day here is 20 fish caught with pike averaging 3 to 8lbs. Some days you can catch twice that number and bigger. My guess though is the biggest pike come from the St Lawrence in the impounded sections down near Cornwall.
Some big pike are caught in inland lakes and bigger lakes like Big Gull and Charleston have good fishing for them but not in the numbers you get on the St Lawrence.
Come on up to the 1000 Islands after things cool off in September, October and even November. Find a large weedbed in the main river (not a backwater marsh) a few rocks and shoals mixed in always helps. Look about 5-15 feet deep. Use a large but not heavy jig (bucktail and/or twister combo) or No. 4 or 5 Mepps and hang on, the action can be fast and furious!