Excellent Adventures and Cat Island Lodge

Northern Pike Tackle Tips

Northern Pike Tackle Tips From
Six Carefully Managed Fisheries Where
The Fishing Is Like It Was One Hundred Years Ago!


 

Top 5 Tackle Tips For Northern Pike Fishing

One of the first questions asked by our guests is – What is the best fishing tackle?

Of course this is followed by a list of other questions such as – What kind of rod & reels are best to use? What are the top lures? What size lures? What colors are best? What size monofilament line should I use? And the list goes on.

On this page we will answer questions about the top equipment and offer proven tackle tips. However this is simply a suggestion and testing these fishing tips and tackle recommendations is up to you, while you are on the lake fishing.

Below we provide good information on the top 5 most popular lures and the best fishing they are commonly used for.


 

Jill Volkers So Excited!

Fishing Rods:

We advise fishermen to bring along the rod and reels they feel comfortable with using. Casting & spinning are the most popular and top rated, but we can see here that fly fishing for Northern Pike is also an effective way to catch a trophy!

Medium to light action rods get good reviews, they allow the best action and good hook setting ability. Ultra light rods may also be used for northern pike, but hook sets are more difficult but offer tons of action once the fish is hooked.


Pike caught on a fly rod in Big Rock Bay on Trout Lake,
near Ear Falls, Ontario, Canada.

 

 

 

Reels:

Regardless of the manufacturer or type of reel, always ensure that the reel has a good drag system that allow smooth release of the line throughout the range of the reels drag setting & allows for easy setting of the drag.
If the reel has jerky or erratic release points or is difficult to set, consider the purchase of a new reel. The real need not be expensive, selecting one of the top 10 reels in your local bait shop is all you need. The drag is the most important part. Our guests land big fish with light equipment but it always comes down to proper drag setting while fighting the fish.


 

Line & line test:

6# to 10# test seem to be the most popular fishing line, 8# is a good choice. For casting with larger lures, some guests have a second rod equipped with 14# to 17# line.

Once again, the drag setting is important, set the reel for the line test, the line must release before it reaches its breaking point. When BIG fish are hooked, set the drag back a little lighter to allow for the strong immediate force these fish place on your line when they run and dive.


Hanman Family's Annual Trip To Cat Island Lodge

 
 

Suggested Tackle For Northern Pike

 

Light to medium action rod with a 6# test line.

 

  • Little Joe spinner, with a 1/4oz in-line sinker in gold, chartreuse, orange, green, white or red.
  • 1/4oz lead head jigs with 2″ twister tails in yellow, smoke, brown, white, chartreuse and black.
  • We highly recommend live bait, minnows, crawlers or leeches when fishing with jigs.
  • Deep diving stick baits such as Rapala’s, Hot to Trots, Hot tiger Black & Silver, Black & Gold Shiners.

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    Medium to heavy action rod with a 10-12# test line.

     

  • Rattle traps, shad, blue, silver and chartreuse.
  • 7″ floating Rapala’s blue, silver, black/silver & chartreuse.
  • Spoons, 4-5″ long in red/white, gold, silver, or strip – Orange daredevils, blue foxes or doctor spoons.
  • Little Cleo’s 3/4oz. In the above colors, gold/silver work the best.
  • Bucktail Mepp’s #4 & #5, dressed or undressed.
  • Large bass spinner baits.

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    Doug Peters Headwaters Outpost

    Heavy action rod with a 14# test line.

     

  • 1/2 to 3/4oz Heddon Sonars, gold, white or silver 1/2oz jigs with 4″ white gist tails.
  • Sutton spoons – Flutter spoons. – All in gold or silver.
  • 3-way swivels and snap swivels to handle 2 to 8oz. weight for late summer fishing Dipsey divers

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    Additional Information for:

    All Inclusive Fly-in Fishing Lodge

     
     
     

    The Kids Will Never Forget The Caribou!

     
     
     

    • Your Hosts: Faron and Joyce

      Email: faron@exc-adventures.com

      Phone: 1-807-662-5292

      Associations

      Ontario's Sunset Country
      Patricia Region, Ontario Canada
      NOTO
      Ontario - More to Discover
      Ontario - Go fish
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