How deep for Pike?

[CubanFisherman]

I ice-fished a (private) lake for the first time on Tuesday, and I had no luck on the pike. The lake basin is surrounded by steep dropoffs, all of which have weeds, and the lake reaches between 60 and 80 feet. There is a creek that enters the lake on one side and exits on the other. My brother and I had two tip-ups set, one in about 6 FOW and the other in about 10. We jigged in 15-20 FOW. Maybe the fish just had lockjaw that day, but where might you recommend setting the tip-ups? And how far down do you set the minnows (that's always a quandary for me)?

By the way, the panfish seemed to be biting on waxworms went I went for them. One nice bluegill, and I lost two dinner plate sized crappies at the hole.

[Loomis]

I would set em off the weeds in 10-20 fow maybe 3-4 foot down.

[Sparky23]

different lakes are different, Ive cought them in 2 ft. and on bottum in 60ft. Go where the food is though. Wherever the majority of the panfish are there will be toothy critters.

[brigeton]

I'd probably do 15 ft.just off the weeds 3-4 ft. off bottom. if there's a 20-25 ft flat off the first drop I'd put on there too.

[TVCEAST05]

:yeahthat:
i'd put a few deep and some shallow until you find them. When I fish in shallow water (5ft. or less) I usually set up just below the ice.

[Cpt.Chaos]

When I set tip-ups or spear for pike I put my baits 2/3 to 3/4 of the way to the bottom. Pike usually ambush their prey and are well adapted to hitting prey from below. I've witnessed many pike come to my spearing holes right on the bottom and slowly rise for close inspection of my baits. I almost always use live bait, although dead baits are a great option to try. If your lake has a smelt population, dead smelt fished just off bottom are a deadly combination, I've got lakers and pike on Higgins this way.

[swampbuck]

While most pike on Higgins are speared in 5-15'. I have caught and seen them caught from shallow to 80-100 fow depending on the location of smelt and perch.

cuban, I would focus on 10-20 ft. But I woiuld try the deep holes also. I have seen some moster pike caught on trout rigs 80 feet down.

[kcarlson]

I have cought pike anywhere from 2' to 30'. I would say shallow is better,
I would say your best bet is 5' to 25'. Like others have said they can be at any depth.

[Firefighter]

If it's clear, I set my rigs higher, as the fish can see farther and you can cover more water. Setting rigs too low is a common mistake, as a northerns eyes are on the top of its head.

I'd focus on waters 5-15 feet.

In 5 FOW, set the bait just below the ice

In 10-15 of relatively clear water, set the bait halfway down, and no lower.

Try using less visable leaders (High poundage Mono, thin braid, tieable steel leader). You will catch twice as many fish.

[bigsid]

I like 6-10 fow, about half way down. That's been my most successful range.

[kcud rellik]

Make sure you keep the bait well above the weeds. You can be 5ft off the bottom but if the weeds are 6ft its no good. As far as overall depth it really depends on the day and lake.

[BassFisher91]

I personally like trying to find a shelf, where baitfish are. Once I find that, I set the chub, or whatever you're using for bait, right above the weeds. The shelfs I like to search for tend to be in the 7-15 FOW range.

[GOTONE]

Go where the food is I like to put them right on the edge of the drop off in 10 – 13 foot of water about half way down

[CubanFisherman]

Thanks for all the input. I have a feeling I was setting the minnows too low. I guess I am always unreasonably leery about setting the minnows to high. I don't know why. I'll try setting them higher in the water column, and I'll give the deeper water a go. Thanks again.

[chuckinduck]

If it's clear, I set my rigs higher, as the fish can see farther and you can cover more water. Setting rigs too low is a common mistake, as a northerns eyes are on the top of its head.

I'd focus on waters 5-15 feet.

In 5 FOW, set the bait just below the ice

In 10-15 of relatively clear water, set the bait halfway down, and no lower.

Try using less visable leaders (High poundage Mono, thin braid, tieable steel leader). You will catch twice as many fish.

Thats a great point, and one I was going to mention as well. I always side on going higher in the water column then lower, if only for the anatomical make up of northern pike.

[DaveW731]

Thanks for all the input. I have a feeling I was setting the minnows too low. I guess I am always unreasonably leery about setting the minnows to high. I don't know why. I'll try setting them higher in the water column, and I'll give the deeper water a go. Thanks again.

I had to make myself stop setting rigs too deep, but am SO glad I did. I adjust depths pretty regularly, till I start getting flags and would say that 75% of my pike have been in the middle third of the water column. If there are weeds, I consider the top of the weeds to be the bottom of the column.

[Minnowman09]

It all is personall preference but i liek to fish teh middle of the water colum in about 15 feet of water although i have caught them in shallower water and in about 50 feet of water.

[XXXdisel77]

I tell you, this is a topic that will have many different answers. I too have caught them at just about any depth. Myself, I like to fish deeper water for pike. I fished a tip-up tournament a few years back and I picked a nice deep 30' hole and set up about 2' off of bottom with monster suckers. I take a knife and cut some fins off of the suckers so they don't have much power and the pike love a wounded easy meal. I won that tournament with over 100 tip-ups within a 50 yard radius. Ever since then I have fished this way and do quite well on the pike. Like I said though they can be anywhere at just about anytime, so your guess may be as good as the next guys.