Italo,We have had some success so far this season ice fishing lake couchiching and lake simcoe. We have seen and caught more pike in Couchiching though; fishing 10-20 FOW. We caught a 2-footer on just a worm and have seen many large pike circling the hole. There is even circumstances where a perch is coming after our bait and darts away and then a pike swims past our bait. We have tried minnows, spoons, jigs, all tipping with live bait but it seems like the pike want the perch. Any advice on specific baits or other lakes you would recommend to interest the large pike into striking our lines? The Pike are there! Just frustrating seeing these fish and getting little interest. Definately makes for some exciting fishing. Always appreciate you taking the time to read and respond to the questions.Keep up the great work Italo,CHRIS + BEN LEUSERHAMILTON
Posted on February 15th, 2016Hi Chris & Ben, thank you for your kind words. The best lure I can suggest you use to entice those pike to strike is a large size Jigging Rapala in the 3 1/2″ size (W9). Just like musky, pike can be made to strike even if they are not really aggressive by using a “figure-8” pattern when they pursue and artificial lure close to you.
When ice fishing, this can be done using a Jigging Rapala. When you continuously “twitch-it”, it will indeed swim in a ‘figure-8″. I would suggest you also tip the bottom treble with either a whole, small minnow, or a chunk of a bigger minnow. This will not take away the action of the lure and will definitely add natural scent!
