Ice Fishing

Pike seasons often extend well into the winter. The fish are active in cold water and can be taken by several methods. Some anglers think winter pike is a better catch because the flesh is firmer and, they say, better tasting.

The species is popular in some areas for winter spearing in dark houses. Anglers build spearing sheds that cut out the light from above, then dangle a minnow-simulation offering and wait for the biggest pike to spear. There is a great deal of controversy over this method of fishing and in most areas the practice is illegal. Check to see if your region allows spearing in winter or even in another season as some areas allow it during the spawning period. Personally, I am yet to be convinced that this is a sporting pastime.

Generally, taking pike in winter is a matter of drilling a hole through the ice in an appropriate location. Anglers ice fishing for walleye often choose to fish where they know there is a current under the ice. The pike fisherman should choose a spot where he knows there are weed flats giving way to deeper water. Live bait, dead bait, and spoons are the most popular presentations through the ice.

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