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I'm thinking about targeting northern pike for the very first time this year.

How would you go about targeting northern pike while avoiding getting too many Bass? Is there a way other than up scaling your lure.

The MNR fish on line website suggests dows Lake, constance Lake and lac Duchene. Has anyone had any luck in these areas.

Also if seems that pike is open soon in zone 18 and 12. Assuming I'm reading the info correctly

If you want pike Constance lake will certainly provide them. They won't be monsters but there should be good numbers. Either a spoon, spinner bait or jerk bait should get the job done. In cold water I prefer jerk bait as you can slow the retrieve down to a standstill. If you want to avoid OOS bass your best bet is to avoid their spawning grounds assuming they're on their nests. Lure size means little to them at this time of year. The males will be protecting their nests and will hit just about anything that comes too close.

A red lipless crank bait and a purple hot 'n tot storm lure were my go to baits last spring, slow retrieve with a pause and get ready for the hit! Wham!

If you are a boater cast to the shore and retrieve back, or find the very edge of the weed line. They will be hiding in the edge ready to strike.

The pause, I found was crucial. A slow steady retrieve for a couple cranks, pause, crank and wham!

If you are shore bound, do a fan pattern, but casting parallel to the shoreline 10' or so off should find some action.

My best was 21 pike over 3 consecutive evenings, right after the opener. It was fun!!!

I have always fished Dow's lake and I have never, ever caught a Pike. Just about every other species.

Opening day last year I nailed a series of nice pike shore fishing the Rideau from Bronson to Bank with a spinnerbait and a slow retrieve. All the fish were pretty beat up post spawn.

Remember: Ottawa river opens 1 week later than the rideau, Friday the 20th I think.

Rod

To target pike specifically, I would personally use a spinnerbait. I've heard rumours that gold blades tend to attract bass more so than pike, but with a spinnerbait, you're gonna get bass biting no matter what. Personally, I feel I've caught more pike on spinnerbaits than bass though!

With regards to location, I second Constance Lake for pike - they're just everywhere in that lake! That being said, I've also fished the Rideau and Ottawa River, and caught plenty of pike in there as well. They always seem to be hiding in the weeds, so you should defintely fish either weed edges (where shallow weedy areas transition into deeper, less weedy areas), or sparse weeds about 5-8 ft deep.

And yes, you're right about the opening times - I'm pretty sure Zone 18 opens this coming Saturday!

I mostly fish deep lakes. At opener I generally have decent success for pike long lining (trolling) a silver spoon over 15-30 fow, not far from shore, and not far from inflow mouths.
Very seldom OOS bass caught with this method esp this time of year. Spoon is running 5-8' below surface

I was thinking of trying deadbait under a float for pike. Do any of you F-H's have any experience with this kind of presentation?

Does the bite slow down after a couple weeks?

Spinnerbait seems to be the lure of choice for a lot of you. Also, as a secondary option jerkbaits could work.


Rideau and Ottawa seem to be the favs. Thanks

In terms of dead baits I haven't tried that. However, check out totally awesome fishing. I know he has used dead baits for pike a few times.

I slayed a bunch of pike last spring after opener using dead chubs under a bobber. The action was great, but the gar would take the minnows most of the time..

Honestly unless your into catching snot rockets, I wouldnt waste my time in Constance Lake for Pike. Id fish any inland lakes in lanark over this place or Muskrat has some nice ones, Mississippi, Rideau River, St Lawrence even.

Spence Scout wrote:Honestly unless your into catching snot rockets, I wouldnt waste my time in Constance Lake for Pike. Id fish any inland lakes in lanark over this place or Muskrat has some nice ones, Mississippi, Rideau River, St Lawrence even.

Thanks for the tip

White lake has a very healthy Pike population. In one weekend we caught over 20 just off a dock on Hardwood Island. White Big O was a killer.

Cheers

Not sure how far white Lake is from Ottawa but thanks for the tip.