Canada Northern Pike Fishing
Northern Pike are sight feeders so colorful lures work best. A wire leader is a must. Keep them to 12 inches or less for easy casting. Although most spinners, jerk baits, jointed plugs and spoons will work, the most effective lure year after year, time after time is the Len Thompson yellow/red five of diamonds spoon #2 or white with red stripe.
Canada Northern Pike Fishing – The Thrill Of The Catch
As far as rod and reel weight is concerned, there is a trade off. With a lighter outfit the challenge and/or fun is increased but so is fish kill. A light or medium weight rig is ok as long as it has top quality line of 12 to 15 pound test so you can land the monster as quickly as possible to minimize the lactic acid build up. Make sure the drag is working properly. Barbless hooks are the law here in the Northwest Territories and single barbless are even better, just pinch down the barb. You will loose some fish but you don’t have to be greedy with the large numbers you will catch. Once you learn not to pump the rod or give any slack, you will wonder why you ever used barbed hooks. You don’t want to be killing fish or spending all day unhooking one fish while your partner catches and releases 10. Change out those trebles with single hooks of larger size, about the same weight so the lure keeps its designed action.
Come and try some Canadian Northern Pike Fishing Action
During June, you will want to fish for Big Northerns when they come into the shallow sandy bays to sun themselves in the warm water after the spawn. I call it Pike hunting not fishing. They will literally be lying there in 1 to 4 feet of warm water like logs. Enter the bay very slowly and quietly, put on your favorite lure or plug and place the cast past the fish and retrieve slowly. Sometimes, they will completely ignore your presentation while sunbathing. You may want to try a neutral buoyancy or floating plug and let it remain near the fish to induce a strike. They sometimes can’t pass up and easy meal. Another trick is to combine your cast with your partners and retrieve them together, a larger lure in the rear. Pike will not like another predator of any size chasing its meal. Work as a team and take turns landing your trophies.
If a monster gives you the cold shoulder, don’t push her, return later that day to the same area when she is off the beach and on the hunt. The same fish will attack anything you throw at it, top or submerged.
I have been guiding fishers on these big Northern Pike for 10 years now and I still get buck-fever watching you stalk a 48 incher. Early pike fishing in the shallows is like spot and stock bone fishing, only 4 footers with teeth.
Top water fishing for Northern Pike in shallow water
This is most productive after dinner when the pike begin to hunt and the water is smooth. Cast and retrieve the lure in a slow jerking manner, you many not see the Pike until you see a swirl behind the lure and then it attacks with a vengeance. Or it may be a 100 foot follow in and then boom! two feet from the boat it smashes your lure. Sometimes one doesn’t pay attention and is making the next cast and then you look down and there is 4 feet of pike staring you in the eye with that “where did it go look?”. This happens to everyone. Keep your cast short, the boat moves!
During July and August the big pike will have dispersed throughout the lake and you will want to target points, sunken islands and ledges where the big pike are lying in wait for larger prey. Again I believe it is genetic. Some pike eat leaches and small crustaceans. These fish will never grow to gigantic size. Others start out eating minnows and carry on right through to Whitefish, Lake Trout and Burbot. They don’t eat as often which makes them harder to catch.
End of August My favorite time
The big fish will again migrate back to shallower water that has cooled with the longer nights. Now there are plenty of weeds. You are looking for 8 to 15 feet of water with sparse weeds that don’t quite reach the surface. Lower numbers of large fish are caught than when they congregate to spawn in June. But, the weights are much higher and the fight much stronger after they have feasted all summer long getting ready for their long winter under the ice.
I never guarantee that trophy four footer. Seeing one and getting one to the photo stage are two different matters. I will guarantee I will try my best to make your dream fish come true.
Don’t worry after booking, I will make sure you show up with the gear you need and leave the rest at home.
I always have lots of my favorite gear on hand if you wish to use it.
If you lose a lure just replace it the following year!
Exclusive Offer - Discounted Group Rate
FAMILY, FRIENDS or Corporate
For the 2024 season from July 15th through August 15th:
Book a 4 day (depart on the 5th) or 5 day (depart on the 6th) package and pay only $3260.00 CAD per adult (Children under 12 are half price)
Group Rates are based on a minimum of 6 people and are all inclusive from Yellowknife.
Yes, all meals, float charter and taxes!
You will never get another chance like this to experience a fly in fishing trip above 60. Book the whole lodge and bring the family.
We are always on site if you need any assistance or guiding.