Spring Pike Thread

SamSteele · #1 05-13-2024, 07:29 AM

I thought it would be good to start a thread for folks to post their pictures of big spring pike. I know the season is open in some areas and not in others. I managed to get out to the southern Sask zone last week and got a few to share.

Let’s keep this thread going by posting up your big pike photos from this season!

SS

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58thecat · #2 05-13-2024, 07:58 AM

sorry I only catch the dumb small ones but will follow along

Your new rig is slimed now!!!!

DiabeticKripple · #3 05-13-2024, 09:09 AM

I caught a 3lber and a 5lber jigging for walleye on Saturday, not pic worthy at all haha.

deschambault · #4 05-13-2024, 09:34 AM

Similar for me, a 29 inch pike bottom bouncing for walleye. I was lucky she didn't bite me off.

SamSteele · #5 05-16-2024, 08:36 PM

Another from the other day.

SS

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EagleEyes · #6 05-16-2024, 09:47 PM

Great pics and some beautiful pike!!

58thecat · #7 05-17-2024, 07:49 AM

What a beast!

I guess ya gotta be in beast mode yourself to haul hogs up like that!!!

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Bushleague · #8 05-17-2024, 08:06 PM

Got a couple in the low 30's and a monster walleye on opening day. I mostly fish alone, this time of year mostly in waders, and getting good pictures without excessively damaging the fish is difficult enough that I've just quit bothering.

I will give a shout out to CST lures, a company out of Calgary that I discovered at the Boat show. I'm always looking for lures that will cast a mile but still run shallow, and their "TNT" glider was working real well for me. Highly recommended for fishing over shallow bars in the spring.

SamSteele · #9 05-17-2024, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushleague

Got a couple in the low 30's and a monster walleye on opening day. I mostly fish alone, this time of year mostly in waders, and getting good pictures without excessively damaging the fish is difficult enough that I've just quit bothering.

I will give a shout out to CST lures, a company out of Calgary that I discovered at the Boat show. I'm always looking for lures that will cast a mile but still run shallow, and their "TNT" glider was working real well for me. Highly recommended for fishing over shallow bars in the spring.

Thanks for the lure recommendation. I’ll keep an eye out for them.

For pictures, I use a GoPro on a gooseneck mount with a battery pack as a power source and the voice activation. I just say, “GoPro, take a photo” and it snaps a photo. With the front facing screen I can frame the shot, which helps make sure they are decent pics. All in all it adds less than 10 seconds to the catch and release process. The battery pack keeps the camera powered all day so I don’t need to worry about swapping batteries or it being dead when I need it.

SS

ETA: I see you mentioned being in waders. That adds a bunch more complexity. Not sure how to take pictures in that situation when alone!

Bushleague · #10 05-18-2024, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamSteele

Thanks for the lure recommendation. I’ll keep an eye out for them.

For pictures, I use a GoPro on a gooseneck mount with a battery pack as a power source and the voice activation. I just say, “GoPro, take a photo” and it snaps a photo. With the front facing screen I can frame the shot, which helps make sure they are decent pics. All in all it adds less than 10 seconds to the catch and release process. The battery pack keeps the camera powered all day so I don’t need to worry about swapping batteries or it being dead when I need it.

SS

ETA: I see you mentioned being in waders. That adds a bunch more complexity. Not sure how to take pictures in that situation when alone!

Yeah, most years I get the majority of my biggest pike from shore on big water. In the waters I fish the ice and waves carve big troughs and rock bars in the shallows, which I think is the best post spawn feeding cover they have untill the weeds come in. Despite the range limitations it seems like I can cover these shallow flats in a more controlled fashion, and spook less fish, from shore rather than in a boat.

So untill the last week of June I'm mostly doing what I call "Freshwater Surf Fishing", using 9-10' rods with waders and long casting lures to fish water thats mostly 4' or less. Great fun, cause when the big fish cant go down... they quite often go up!

58thecat · #11 05-18-2024, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamSteele

Thanks for the lure recommendation. I’ll keep an eye out for them.

For pictures, I use a GoPro on a gooseneck mount with a battery pack as a power source and the voice activation. I just say, “GoPro, take a photo” and it snaps a photo. With the front facing screen I can frame the shot, which helps make sure they are decent pics. All in all it adds less than 10 seconds to the catch and release process. The battery pack keeps the camera powered all day so I don’t need to worry about swapping batteries or it being dead when I need it.

SS

ETA: I see you mentioned being in waders. That adds a bunch more complexity. Not sure how to take pictures in that situation when alone!

I gotta get a go pro for the front of my kayak for pictures way easier than the iPhone.

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SamSteele · #12 05-18-2024, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 58thecat

I gotta get a go pro for the front of my kayak for pictures way easier than the iPhone.

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Get a Model 9 or above (currently on 12) so you get the front facing screen.

SS

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roper1 · #13 05-18-2024, 08:43 PM

Awesome big pike SS! Those big ones can be pretty docile but sure fun to lay eyes on them on the way in! Well done Sir!

mlee · #14 05-21-2024, 03:13 PM

From the weekend....nothing huge.... but good numbers of high 30" to low 40" fish. Biggest was the wife's 42.5". More importantly our 4 year old is almost hands free fishing on her own now....until she catches something lol. It was 3 days of solid rain (7 inches)....but we made the best of it.

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SamSteele · #15 05-21-2024, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlee

From the weekend....nothing huge.... but good numbers of high 30" to low 40" fish. Biggest was the wife's 42.5". More importantly our 4 year old is almost hands free fishing on her own now....until she catches something lol. It was 3 days of solid rain (7 inches)....but we made the best of it.

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Awesome post!

SS

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cube · #16 05-22-2024, 12:36 PM

Great pics every one.

JackieFisher · #17 05-23-2024, 12:40 PM

Awesome photos and catches!!!!
In Calgary i have had zero luck and other people appeared empty-handed too.

Bushleague · #18 05-23-2024, 03:38 PM

Last night I got out, water was super dirty and I wasnt having much luck. As a last ditch thing I put on a white oldschool Redfin... a real bulky looking 8" plug that only dives about 16" max.... and ended up hitting a pretty hot walleye bite.

So fishing over rock bars often less than 24" deep, with a fairly good sized pike plug barely running sub-surface, and nailing walleye after walleye. One of the weirder bites I've gotten into.

Found an area with a bit clearer water today and got a couple pike in the low 30's.

58thecat · #19 05-26-2024, 04:50 PM

Well got out today to target pike in the kayak.
Floating in 2-3 fow you can see the pike sunning themselves. Seen three that were massive but they had nothing to do with feeding but the smaller ones sure were on.
1.5hrs and I hit the 30 pike caught which I have a rule and stop counting. 6 hrs later and still no big one landed but that’s fishing.

Home made beauty!

Was a great day catching!

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