Fishing Report Piking on the Bar today

[Reel-ist]

I pounded a bunch of new rivets in the tinnie yesterday and thought I should make a run out to Bluff Bar today to see if they were all watertight. I looked at the weather for the next few days and decided it was today or nothin’. I got a late start out of the Old Cut and headed for Bluff Bar for pike or possibly a musk or two. Well the rivets held out water, except a little that fell from the sky. I had lines in for about three hours. I was flat lining 155 or so feet back with 60 lb braid at about 4 to 4.5 mph (by GPS). The best depth was between 17.5 and 18.5 feet. I managed to get 4 in the boat, 3 others bit and spit and a another I got about half way in before it shook loose.

I used Berkeley Hit Stik 15 body baits. The Rainbow trout pattern outdid the perch pattern about 3 to 1. The 4 that I landed were 27”, 32”, 36” and the biggun’ of the day was 39” and 11lbs/2oz - a PB for me on Erie . All were released healthy to enjoy catching another time.

 

[hillcom]

Sounds like you had a good afternoon!

 

[hawgseeker]

Do you use a wire leader? Thanks for the report.

 

[Reel-ist]

hillcom:

Actually, for this time of year at that location it was actually kind of slow for pike. My Garmin was telling me the surface temps were around 56.5 degrees F. I think with the tricky east wind, the temps dropped suddenly because when I checked the latest temp charts (not displayed in real time though), they were supposed to be mid-sixties, about 2 degrees warmer than the north shore around Normandale on the other side of the outer bay. That may have been a factor. I was also trolling at a speed that seems to keep the “hammer handles” at bay. So that will weed out a lot of bites, but make for some heavier, aggressive fish. I am trying to provoke a musky encounter there. I know they are in there too. Best day ever there was last year about this time. 13 for 15 in about 5 hours with 3 that were 36 inches or better. That was a day I won’t soon forget!

 

[Reel-ist]

Do you use a wire leader? Thanks for the report.

hang:

Yes I do. I used to use pre-made stainless 100 lb test store bought ones, but they are very short, shiny and have cheap hardware - yet that doesn’t stop them from charging a king’s ransom for them! Pike also have a real tendency to spin and flip in the net and this was permanently kinking the wire and rendering each leader this happened to, essentially useless.

So I now build my own. I am starting a small cottage tackle business and looking to make some solid gear that doesn’t hammer the wallet. I think this might be my first saleable product. I am in the process of “torture-testing“ them now. Myself and my cousin - a charter captain, have been abusing them for about a month now and so far the results are great. They are 60 lb, 7 strand, nylon-coated black stainless wire with a 100 lb black coast lock snap swivel on the business end and a 100 lb black ball bearing swivel on the other end. I have been making them 36” long, but I can custom make any length. I fish solo a lot so with about 3 feet of leader and 4 feet of fish that’s about my limit for netting with an 8 foot rod, especially sitting in my tinnie!

If you’re interested in testing a few out for me send me a P.M. and I will see what I can do. That goes for some of the other big-gamers who are currently pursuing the big toothy critters right now - you know who you are.