Fishing in Nakina, Ontario
Fishing in Nakina, Ontario
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Northern Pike Fishing Tips & Tactics

Pike fishing tips so you don’t waste time with little ones.

Targeting Trophy Northern Pike: Tips for Catching the Big Ones

Northern Pike are easy to catch because they strike at almost any lure. However, when you’re flying into a remote part of Northwestern Ontario—home to some of the best trophy Northern Pike fishing in Canada—you don’t want to spend time catching small ones. That’s why it’s important to understand how big trophy Pike behave. By learning their patterns and using these simple Pike fishing tips, you’ll boost your chances of landing one of these monsters.

Effective Strategies for Catching Trophy Northern Pike Year-Round

No matter the season—spring, summer, or fall—you can catch huge Trophy Northern Pike at all our camps. This isn’t always the case with big, deep lakes, where Pike move to deeper water around early August, making them harder to find. But here, you don’t have to worry about that because our lakes are shallow, never deeper than 20 feet.

As soon as the ice melts and the floatplane can land, the Pike have already finished spawning and are hungry, focusing on feeding on Walleyes. During this time, the water is high, and the big Pike move into the bushes along the shoreline, where they can hide and ambush unsuspecting fish.

You’ll also find them in deeper pools just behind the current, waiting to snatch small Walleyes that drift out from the shallow rapids. Casting lures like Daredevils, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, or big #4 or #5 Mepps Muskie Killers (Bucktail Spinners) will help you hook the big ones.

Targeting Big Northern Pike: Best Spots and Techniques in Late Spring

reeling in a pike

In late spring, after the Walleyes finish spawning and before the weeds get too thick, fish start moving around looking for food. This is when big Northern Pike head to their favorite hiding spots. These Pike are great hunters, staying in places with lots of food until a bigger Pike forces them out.

Like Walleyes, they move between fast waters and follow shorelines into bays to hunt minnows. Big Pike know this and wait at points leading into these bays, ready to strike. They also hide in narrow channels or near underwater ridges, waiting to ambush their prey.

To catch these big Pike, keep casting your lures into these spots. With a little patience, you’ll land a big one soon.

Summer Pike Fishing: Techniques for Weedy Waters and Fly Fishing

Man posing with a pike

In summer, thick weeds like Lily Pads, Wild Rice, and Muskie Cabbage grow, providing cover for small Pike and minnows, which Walleyes like to eat. Big Northern Pike also hide in these weeds, waiting to ambush their prey. To catch them, try using weedless spoons like the Johnson Silver Minnow or Thompson Spoon.

Fly fishing for Pike is becoming more popular because fly rods let you cast big flies into tight spaces in the weeds—places that are hard to reach with regular lures. Good fly options include the Barry Reynolds Pike Bunny and the classic Red & White Pike Fly.

If fly fishing isn’t your thing, you can try other methods to catch big Pike. One way is by using surface lures like Spooks or Jitterbugs. These make noise to attract Pike, but be patient—wait 15 seconds between casts. When your lure hits the water, jerk it instead of reeling it in to make it look like a wounded fish. This often triggers a strike.

Another method is lure slapping. Cast a Pike spoon like a Daredevle high into the air, then jerk the rod sharply when the lure is about six feet above the water to create a slapping sound. Pike are attracted to this noise, so it’s a good way to increase your chances.

Use these tips to improve your Pike fishing this summer!

Northern Pike Gear

Pike Lure Rods, Reels, Use medium to medium-heavy 6 1/2′ – 7′ graphite rods. Pair them with baitcasting reels that match the rod’s weight and balance, and use 15-20lb mono or 30-50lb braid. Larger spinning reels like the 4000 series Shimano with 30lb braid also work well. Make sure to use 20-40lb steel or titanium leaders, and 80lb fluorocarbon leaders are a great choice too.

Pike LureArtificial Baits

Inline bucktail spinners such as Buchertails, 1/2-3/4oz spinnerbaits, Johnsons Silver Minnows, Doctor Spoons, Williams Wablers, Daredevls, Rapala Husky Jerks, 5″ plastic swimbaits, 8″ Reapers with appropriate jig heads.

Fly Fishing Tackle

Fly Fishing Gear for Northern Pike

Fly Rod – 8-9 wt. · Fly Reel – 7 – 10 wt.Fly Line – Floating weight forward in 8 or 9 wt. Leader – 20 – 30# single strand wire attached with haywire twist.
Flies – Barry Reynolds Pike Bunny, Rabbit Strip Pike Bunny, Mcmurderer, Red & White Pike Fly, Whitlock’s Hare Water Pup, Whitlock’s Hare Worm, Dahlberg Rabbit Strip Diver, Clouser Minnow, Lefty’s Deceivers, Sizes 3/0 to 2.