Ice Fishing Pike

Any specific strategies you guys have for catching those huge pike through the ice? what bait works best? Leader material? Hook size?

Any tips on fishing greenbay/sturgeon bay pike? How do guys set up there tipups for them big slobs? Really hoping for a 40+ but only end up with smaller fish maybe I don't setup correctly, any info would be much appreciated in tipup rigging and bait.

Got this one while walleye fishing. 37" on a small shiner

I always set a tip up close to shore. It's only 1-2 feet deep where I set it just off of our shoreline. I have caught just as many there as our deeper. We fish pike in February and into March along the west shoreline of Green Bay. It's real shallow and muddy there. The pike are in rooting around for hibernating frogs.

All winter I can get them in shallow like that but all bodies of water are different just need to go try it. And when they are that shallow you can have your bait right on bottom they will pick it up. Quick strike rigs on smelt works great right on bottom.

Interesting. Later in the winter? Glad that worked for you. That sounds kind of cool to think of pike doing that.

Some of the biggest pike I have caught was in shallow water 1-2 feet of water and noticed that if they can swim under the ice in that shallow of water they will be there. Some of the pike we catch you can tell by looking at there nose and mouth they were digging things up in the muck and sand

Heard someone say that in the middle of winter, pike will come into a foot of water and round up frogs. Mud flats. I'm a bit skeptical. Does it happen? Yes. Would it be common to catch pike this way. Hmmm..... I guess I just wouldn't feel too confident setting up 3 tip ups in under 3 feet of water middle of winter. Anyone try this?

This one was set an inch under the ice in three feet of water. No hole cover but in stained water. 23-24ish " still swimming.

Gotta let em grow

I like twenty pound decron to a small barrel swivel w 10# floro. I try to catch natural bait to the lake. This one was caught on a small perch with a number 10 short shank vmc trouble hook.

Looking to get out for big pike give me a call

For leader material i like to use 60# power pro braided line. Its super strong so no matter what bites it isnt gonna bite through or break it. And it is thin enough were the fish dont notice it.

any one use herring and have success. local baitshop sells it and wondered if it was any good.

I use 20 pound Berkley Vanish leader material but only because I can't find 30. Be sure to replace after you've caught a few on it other wise it'll wear and you will get bitten off. #6 red or regular troubles with medium sized shiners. I use medium sized shiners only because you'll catch everything with them. I catch a lot of bass and tons of pike that way. Make sure your leader is around 3 foot and I always run a large split shot right above the leader and the minnow is always around 2-3 foot below the ice in about 10 foot of water. I catch a lot but yet to catch a 40+.

any body having any luck this year? so far ive got one nice one. 36" around 20lbs. it was a super fat fish. girth was over 20inches. caught in 23feet of water 6 feet of the bottom with a 7inch sucker.