Pike waters

[brgbassmaster]

Does anyone here throw lures like Deps or Mothers in pike infested waters up north? Im afraid to try those style lures up there because from experience pike hit anything that moves and don't want to lose lures like that. Does anyone use steel leader or would that seriously degraded the action of a glide?  Thanks!

[BigBaiter]

Steel leader works.

But I would never throw a Mother or Deps in pike waters!

Use SB made out of ABS plastic.

[Dsouth]

Soft skin on a 250 is not a good choice for fishing NP, Strike Pro makes an awesome GB for Northern Pike fishing it’s a hard plastic bait with loud rattles. I’ve done well with them over the years; I think LBF still sells them. 40-50lb fluorocarbon leader with 50-60lb braid is the set-up I use Pike fishing you need the power = less stretch of braid for Pike fishing.   

[Flyingnose703]

I've been throwing the big rapala X-raps for pike... If they're what you're targeting, They are cheap and the way they're painted makes them last.

[MarkH024]

I caught my PB Ski with a Deps 175SS up in Canada.  Next time I go up (hopefully in Musky opener 2017) I'll be throwing 250's this time along with the other more expensive stuff I've acquired.  I've come to terms that the price of the lure does not outweigh the chance of landing a 50+" fish to me.  I'd happily sacrifice a $100-200 bait for a fish of a lifetime.  With that said, I still fish with leaders in these waters but I use 100# fluoro rigs.   The leader does hinder the best possible action, but not enough to make it unfishable.  You will still get bit.   You can try a product by Cortland called Toothy Critter. It's a tieable leader material. 

 

What I DON'T throw is the expensive soft plastic swimbaits.  I threw a weedless Hudd up there brand new, on the first cast, a pike swiped at it, and it looked like it went through a razor wire fence. I put it right back in my box and mended the schit out of it. Now I only use a Hudd in bass waters.  So I stick to cheap soft plastic body swimbaits or alike when I fish heavily toothy critter waters.

It's not the really big toothy critters that create most of the bite offs and damage, it's the small 18-24" pike that are the big nuisances.  They like to bite off the tail end of baits to wound their prey.  I've had some many paddle tail swim baits come back with a missing ass end.  

 

EDIT- I will probably invest in more Savage Gear stuff like the line throughs and other big baits they offer for my next trip up. Those are nice lures that won't kill your bank account if you end up destroying them.  Even the glides and other stuff they offer are better than a lot of the Rapala,Storm and alike options.

Edited October 26, 2016 by MarkH024

[wallyc]

Fresh water Great Whites.....I use baby poodles for them, save the swimbaits for bass.

[MillerDaPikeKiller]

I use 80# braid with a 100# flouro leader on a LDC Xh and a 400te.. I throw 250s and 160 and 190 shooters at both bass and pike. You just can't get all butt hurt when an expensive bait get some war wounds on em..Here in NY bass and pike can be found in the same type of cover in the summer so any hookset could be either or..Last spring I was throwing a 8" freestyle bass and a small 29" pike hits it.When I got it close to the boat a monster pike comes up and t bones the small pike..I almost netted both pike but the big one let go.. The small pike had massive stomach wounds and a popped out eyeball. It was all still pretty exciting. Sometimes northern pike can be savage beasts like me,thats why I like em..lol

[brgbassmaster]

lol guess i shoulda clarified,. I will be fishing for bass just wondering how that would work in pike waters of the north. All our northern michigan waters are infested with pike and big bass but everyone knows big pike hit a bare hook lol. I never had pike come after slammers but wasn't sure how much they come after lures like Deps or mothers. And ppl that do use those kind of lures for bass in pike waters do they use steel leaders? I am currently stationed in Arizona and don't have problems with pike thank God but do go home once a year for 30 days to chase northern bass. 

Edited October 26, 2016 by brgbassmaster

[MarkH024]

Steel leaders are not necessary and are not nearly as common even with the musky anglers.  You can try the Cortland product i told you about, it's basically tieable wire leader.  Or get yourself some good flouro leaders in 80+. 

 

http://www.fishusa.com/product/Cortland-Toothy-Critter-Tie-Able-Stainless-Steel-Leader-Material 

Edited October 26, 2016 by MarkH024

[Flyingnose703]

Tyger wire is good stuff.

[niinmita]

Flouro leaders, I personally use 100lbs FC but i fish only for pike. Titanium leaders work really good too.

[bassbass]

Like others have said. Throw the baits you have to catch fish, if you lose it and it gets teeth marks, it's all part of the game.

 

I wouldn't worry about pike or muskies when we have these...last weekend I get crashed on two different Hudds and came back with only a half of bait.

[MarkH024]

Like others have said. Throw the baits you have to catch fish, if you lose it and it gets teeth marks, it's all part of the game.

 

I wouldn't worry about pike or muskies when we have these...last weekend I get crashed on two different Hudds and came back with only a half of bait.

Agreed!  Pike/Ski might make you bleed, but a gator will take your hand, arm, or more. Let the bassturds have your lure..lol

[kayl]

lol guess i shoulda clarified,. I will be fishing for bass just wondering how that would work in pike waters of the north. All our northern michigan waters are infested with pike and big bass but everyone knows big pike hit a bare hook lol. I never had pike come after slammers but wasn't sure how much they come after lures like Deps or mothers. And ppl that do use those kind of lures for bass in pike waters do they use steel leaders? I am currently stationed in Arizona and don't have problems with pike thank God but do go home once a year for 30 days to chase northern bass.

 

60# fluorocarbon leader material and crimp your own leaders... Look up Eric Aske on YouTube.

[PNW bass]

I fish for bass around pike all the time here in the NW. I too, have lost parts of a Hudd and other soft baits to them, but really enjoy the monsters that the bigger glide baits seem to attract. Ive caught them on Triple Trout (pike love these), S-Wavers, and Slammers... I've thrown Negotiators, JSJ's, and Hiros in the same water routinely, but no pike bites on them. I have not comfortably thrown any of my Deps there, as I fear they'll get smoked faster than they would otherwise in a pike mouth. Sad thing is, I know I'd get bit on them... probably quicker than I ever would on a bass... hahaha! 

 

I typically forgo wire leaders for 30+ flouro, and to date have only lost one lure after getting bit off (8" TT).

My opinions and thought, thats all. Good luck man, love that toothy pike bite!