Fishing for pike during the Walleye spawn

[thib]

Hello,

I'll be heading to Melchett Lake outside of Nakina, ON with family the last week in May. We are primarilly after big Northern.

I emailed our outfitter asking for a bit of information and was surprised when he replied that he expected us to be fishing the river between our lake and the next one a lot as the Walleye are in there spawning and the Pike are also in there eating the spawn.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience or tips for fishing Pike under these type of circumstances.

Thanks.

Pete

[jmor1717]

He's right. I've been to Melchett 2 times, both were early June. You can go to the river mouth and catch walleye all day. I've seen some HUGE pike pulled out of there as well (40"+). I had a pike hit a walleye that I had hooked. I got it right up to the boat, but then it finally let go of the walleye.

I would recommend large cranks. Big lures = big fish.

There is also another river that flow in on the far end of the lake (west side). Its a little shallower there and weedy, but I've always had luck catching pike around there.

Melchett is a great fishery, one of my favorites. If the water level is high enough you can take a trip back to "Tester Lake", about a mile down a meandering river. Its a cool lake with some good fishing. If you're going with AWO, Remy can point ya in the right direction

[LeeMB]

If it's right after ice out I would go with a smelt and a quick strike rig, also sluggo type lures and fly's all will do the trick.

[KGEARY]

the pike are eating the small male walleye and depending on the timing suckers as well.
when the walleye haven't finished spawning this is the one time of year that you can have good success catching giant pike after dark.

best if you don't use smelt
it's illegal
use suckers 8-12 inch
here is a link to a few articles I've done on this type of fishing.

http://www.anglerskingdom.com/sitefishing101.html


http://www.anglerskingdom.com/reportsandarticles.html

aw Giant Pike
makes me wish the ice was already out.

[onetimedave]

I have been to Melchett several times and can help you with info on the lake, maps, hot spots, etc. Largest pike our group has caught measured 46.5" and a 41" on the same trip in '07. Many pike and walleye in the lake. A GREAT fishery. E-mail me, dave.kean@wendellford.com

[danceswithwaves]

The majority of walleyes spawn before the lakes are totally ice free--water temps in rivers around 45 deg.

[thib]

Thanks for the replies guys. Great info.

- jmor1717 - The big cranks will be ready to go. I'll be sure to ask Remi about Tester Lake as well.

- LeeMB/kgeary - I do like the idea of bringing in some suckers. I'm not sure how feasible it is on a fly in though. With 7 guys, that'd be a lot of fish, a lot of water and a lot of weight for the flight. We only get 50lbs apiece I think.

- KGeary - I enjoyed those articles a lot. Thanks.

- onetimedave - Email sent!

Thanks again.

Pete

[LeeMB]

sorry, didn't know frozen smelt were illeagal in Ontario. We use them in Manitoba all the time. The dead bait thing is deadly right after ice out.

Ask your outfitter if he can arrange to have some at the fly out spot.

[KGEARY]

If you like the lake you fish and plan for your grandkids to enjoy it.
you may want to consider not using smelt and promote the idea to others.

when using smelt inevitably some fertilized eggs get in the water
next thing you know you have a smelt population.
whitefish eat the smelt eggs
Smelt carry a parasite that infects whitefish
it doesn't bother the whitefish but when the pike eat the whitefish they get the parasite and it does kill pike.
At least that is the way a biologist explained it to me many years ago.

I do know that in red lake where I grew up there is a smelt population.
it helps fatten the walleye

we quit using smelt long before the MNR banned them.

red lake is also having a problem with its lake trout population
they have been studying it and know that most of the trout eggs are not hatching and those that do are not reaching past the juvenile stage
I won't be surprised to hear it has soemthing to do with the smelt.

I've found that 10-12 inch suckers work much better.

[LeeMB]

It never would have crossed my mind that frozen smelt eggs could hatch. Good point! I guess frozen eggs works with people, could work with smelt as well.

Your right sucker strips do work as well, you have to hit the spawn right though.