[jwhitman36]

Looking to go for my first time out after pike. Looking for suggestions on where to go, but not travel TOO far. I am in Greeley, so that limits me some. What kind of set up do you guys recomend? I have a couple of spinning reels, but I think the max line I have is 8 pound. I do have a bait caster being sent out to me from the fam back in AZ. Also I dont have a boat, so shore only. Wish I had a damn boat, but just graduated college a week ago. What lures are old stand bys for you guys? I am normally a bass and trout guy, but since this will be my first summer living in CO I think I need to get after the walleye and pike some!

 

[Walking Eagle]

For the pike, but not for the walleye, I like huge Dardevle spoons in both red & white and shiny gold, big ol' "Musky Killer" Mepps spinners dressed with bucktail and a trailer hook, 8 inch Shad Raps, and really big 2 oz. spinnerbaits.

And an 8 ft rod with big spinning reel and 20 lb. line to throw them with.

Many people will disagree (and I wouldn't say they're wrong) because pike will hit ordinary bass-size crank baits as well. But the big lures keep you from spending a lot of time releasing the hammer-handle sized ones.

 

[dave110man]

after seeing the post from waterwolves i am getting pretty interested in finding some pike myself. i have caught some in northern michigan and they put up a nice fight. would love to see how they taste too. i have a nice boat and i go fishing at least twice a week. i also have plenty of heavy duty rods and line. your welcome aboard if you want to go hunt down some pike and try to figure out how to catch them. as for the walleye i can help you out with that. i just had a nice 22"er for dinner sunday. if anyone knows of a good lake up north with pike in it please share.

 

[troutaholic]

Jackson Res. is about the only lake up north I can think of with pike in it...

 

[dave110man]

cool, i know someone who has a house off of jackson i will give them a holler.

 

[TroutFishingBear]

1) buzzbaits. 1/4 and 3/8 oz are best, but bigger can work in different conditions. STINGER HOOK added.
2) Zoom superflukes. 5", rigged weightless and texas style. Once you find the pike but they won't hit, or you spot one, throw one of these and work it slowly.
3) Spinnerbaits: 3/8- 1 oz. A trailer is a good thing to use, I like a double tail curly tail grub.
4) X-Rap: Pike 5-10 feet deep. Twitch twich pause, twitch twitch pause...pauses are 10 seconds.
5) Bomber long A: Dives a couple feet deep. Reel in pretty consistently with occaisional pause, no jerks.
6) floating rapala: runs 0-1 ft. occaisional pause
7) panther martin spinner: #6-15, 15 is ideal. Work slowly and deeply if possible, don't just burn it.
8) swimbait. I don't know how my dad does it or what he uses but he catches the hell out of pike on them.
9) anchovies (or other fish) under a bobber a few feet over weeds or in a pocket.
10) daredevil spoon. Proven technique, but I've never seen it work here. I'm sure it does if you find the correct conditions though.

NEVER USE WIRE LEADER IF YOU WANT TO CATCH COLORADO PIKE!!!!!!!!!! 10 pound test is plenty- once a pike gets in the weeds if you can hoist them out they won't fight anymore if they are covered in them. Pike are GREAT fighting fish, just be CAREFUL with them near the boat. I use a 20 pound florocarbon leader for extra durability and stealth. My largest open water pike was roughly 20 pounds and low 40" range from the yampa river.

Also, do figure 8 near the boat if they follow, and very speeds and directions when you are reeling, so say you are fishing a spinnerbait and the rod is to the left, sometimes during the retrieve move the rod to the right. It can trigger strikes. Once again, vary speeds. Watch shoreline contours and fish just off of them until the water gets hot. Then, trolling deep hammers the toothmen. Make sure to release most pike you catch in colorado to insure the health of our fisheries!
Fish on!!!

 

[TthePikester]

      I use alot of crankbaits for pike and always use a 6 inch, black, one strand wire leader. With the way alot of the cranks are designed today with the motion bearings in them, they have a tendancy to wobble on the cast and the hooks can tear the crap out of any kind of a leader except steel. It beats having to keep cutting back non steel leaders or losing your crank on some rocks or brush or worse losing a big pike, and with the price of the cranks I use that could get pretty expensive. I also have never noticed any motion problems using steel.   JMO !!!

 

[troutaholic]

Hey TFB- Kudos to you for telling some of your info. There are too many people on this site that are the opposite and won't tell you anything. I had never heard of the don't use steel leaders before until I heard this from you. That is probably why I have always struggled on pike so bad in the past. Thanks again for your info here

 

[TroutFishingBear]

troutaholic- I used to use steel leaders when icefishing and rarely caught pike. Ever since I've switched to 20 pound floro....well....you can see some of my pictures It's kind ofa northeast/canada area thing...the steel leaders....don't use them in most of our waters with educated pike and ultraclear water. you can get away with it in stained water though, and I'm guessing on the yampa too, at least in the places I fish. My biggest land pike was low 40" range and like 20 pounds from the yampa, and 4 casts before he bit off a panther martin and then hit another one...lol. It was nice to get the lure back! That's why I THINK I could get away with steel on the yampa...I will be testing that this year. You also rarely get bit off using floro, I usually get bit off just a few times per year. No times icefishing this year and so far one time open water fishing (damn it was a good sized pike at rifle too at the boat, but the lure floated to the surface eventually and we got it back, lol!). Just play pike gently...most people horse them WAAAAAY too much. They like to make runs near the ice hole if icefishing and near the bank if shore fishing....let them. Remember that. I almost ALWAYS give info out right now, because I know when I am in college in golden I will need info on the fisheries in the metro area, and I figure with the info I'm giving now people will return the favor. Know what I mean? Peace out man I hope you hammer the tooth monsters!!!!!

 

[water]

I heard of a study they did where they had pike in a net holding them up in 6 inches of water and they were still feeding. Even while netted. It was my opinion that they wouldn't shy away from a steel leader but I tried a steel leader and had very little luck. I have since switched over to 50 pound floracarbon and I love it. I have been bitten off quiet a few times though so you will have to take the bad with the good. It might just be in my head. There are a few fishing techniques that you have to use a steel leader. A big bass jig with a big trailer. I have had limited success with that lure but they can take the bait all the way in their mouth so if you don't a steel leader you will lose more then you catch. Later WW

 

[TroutFishingBear]

word waterwolf. Man...I would love to go pike fishing with you sometime...the pike would be SCARED...lol.

 

[water]

I will have to take you up on that sometime TFB. I love meeting new people and I know a fellow pikester when I see one. I would love to do the Yampa with you some day. Of course there would be no keeping of any fish by me. Someday......

 

[hatchmaster]

I can't wait to get my first pike. TFB I printed out your list and took it to sportsmans. I am loaded up with everyting I can think of for pike. Look out you toothy fish hatcmaster is coming!

 

[water]

hey hatch don't get discouraged if you don't suceed at first. Pike are a very on or off fish. I have caught fish one day and gone back to the same spot and I know I am on fish but they won't bite anything. You will get them. It took me at least 100 hours to get my first but i am a slow learner. ;D