Walleyes are popular with winter anglers, but they can be unpredictable. Often a first ice frenzy occurs, but once the ice thickens and cold weather sets in walleyes can be tough to come by. Feeding periods can occur as occasional fronts move in, but on average walleye fishing is not for those who seek fast action. Once walleye action slows, I have learned to switch over to northern pike.

Unlike walleyes, the pike action improves as we move into midwinter. At first ice small pike can be active but the large pike head for deep water and are inactive. On some lakes midwinter is the only time when big pike are vulnerable to fishermen. Big females feel the need to feed and are no longer timid about hitting your bait. Many a unsuspecting ice angler has hauled a huge pike out of their favorite lake. Most trophy pike caught each winter are an accident. So for the fisherman with a game plan, these trophy pike can become a reality.

Though pike are present in just about every lake in Wisconsin and upper Michigan, only a few have trophy potential. A proper balance of preferred forage and competition from other predators like muskies is important. Remember, every lake doesn’t grow trophy pike. Of the few trophy lakes, only a few are prime for midwinter pike. The actual numbers of big pike in a lake is not the most important factor when picking a lake. Of course, the more big pike present, the better your odds will be for a trophy. One lake can have a high population of large pike but fishing can be tough. These lakes are usually shallow weedy lakes with an abundance of forage. Forage can include, shiners, chubs, suckers, perch and walleye. The more available forage in the lake, the tougher the fishing. Large pike have no problem finding a meal, and have no reason to strike your baits. Action for numbers of pike is good, due to the overall population, but finding big fish is though. For lunker pike fish deep clear water lakes. Most deep, clear natural lakes have a limited forage base. On larger lakes ciscoes and whitefish are the most abundant forage. On lakes under 500-acres look for pike to feed heavily on perch, panfish or shiners. During the open water period the clear water can make fishing for these big pike difficult. Except spring and fall, few fishermen even bother pursuing pike on such lakes. Although the overall population of large pike may be low, they cooperate well at this time. By midwinter forage is at a premium and big pike begin to go on the prowl.

The secret to finding the larger pike is understanding the forage base within the lake. You must determine the primary forage and understand how the baitfish relate to various structures. If ciscoes whitefish are present, look for pike to work deeper structure. When perch and panfish are the main meal, pike can make moves into shallow water.

Both large and small clear water lakes are productive and choosing a lake to fish will depend on what is available in your area. Larger lakes might have several trophy pike but locating them might be difficult unless you know the lake well. There can be many places where large pike can hold in the winter. Look for humps adjacent to deep water to hold the largest pike. The deeper the hump the larger the pike. Baitfish will suspend off the edges of these humps. Unfortunately, finding such humps will take both effort and much of your time. Points and deep weedlines are also productive and can again be difficult to locate. Spend your time looking for baitfish and not pike. Once you locate a school of baitfish, large pike will be in the vicinity.

If possible try to fish the smaller lakes. Although there may be less big pike present in a small lake, they can be more concentrated and easy to locate. Even lakes under 200-acres have been known to produce huge winter pike. In fact, I know of a 150-acre lake that has given up one 20-pound pike. To ensure the quality fishery continues, catch and release should be practiced on the larger pike. If you are after a meal, spend time catching a pale full of panfish. With perch and panfish being the preferred forage on these lakes, often large pike will move into shallow water. However, they will seldom venture far from deep water. If weeds are present, than by all means they should be fished first. Look for outside and inside turns within the weeds to attract the larger pike. Another potential hot spot is where weeds mix with a rock point or offshore hump. If the weeds fail to produce or they are nonexistent, than work rock points or humps. With structure being limited, even the slightest point or smallest hump can hold a big pike.

The smart ice fisherman will utilize both tip-ups and jigging presentations. When setting up, try to fish both the shallow and deep edge of the structure or weedline. The active fish will be shallow and aggressive. Drill a series of holes and start jigging with a spoon or jigging Rapala. Set at least one tip up along the deep edge and one along the weedline. If you find active fish deep, move another tip up with a large shiner of smelt to the deep water. Most of the time jigging will out produce live bait if the pike are active in the weeds. Even if you find active pike in the weeds, always leave on tip-up in deep water. When pike are deep, live bait is the way to go. Look for major movements in late afternoon. Pike can leave deep water and head for the weeds. I have experienced peak feeding periods to dusk. Unlike big walleye, large pike are less active after dark. If the pike are hitting at dusk, then by all means stick it out until the action stops. Big fish have a tendency not to follow the book, so anything is possible.

Prevailing weather conditions can greatly affect pike feeding periods. Similar to open water conditions, large pike are less active under bright skies. Overcast conditions are by far the most productive periods. The only time bright skies are productive is under warming trends in late winter. My records have shown that most trophy pike are taken in pre-frontal conditions. Major snow storms can be prime for producing large pike. After the front passes and the temperature drops, expect tough fishing.

When fishing post-frontal conditions, down size your bait when using tip-ups. Often walleye size minnows are most productive. The bite can be light so set your tip-ups accordingly. When jigging, also try to down size your spoons. Use a drop and fall presentation as opposed to a vigorous jigging motion. Fishing the post-frontal conditions may be tough, but it is still possible to take a large pike. Stick with small lakes at this time.

For more information, visit mike at his website at www.mikemladenik.com