pike in irish hills area

[musky22]

I'm going to head out to the irish hills area. I was just wandering what are some of the better crappie and pike lakes in the area. What are some of the better methads use. Any advice would be appreacated.

[fishmann]

Hi Musky... I've got a cottage on Devils Lake in the hills area, and I do real well on pike in the winter. You should be able to go out from the launch area and look for a weedbed in about 10 ft. of water, not too far out, then towards dusk, you'll hit into the pike and crappie. You might want to try Knudsens Sporting Goods store in Brooklyn and get some of those pinkish red minnows to try on the crappie. They've been hitting pretty good so far this year... some nice size on some of them too. For the pike, I always seem to get a few when I'm jigging for the walleye, although I seem to catch alot of smaller handle size ones.. I know for a fact that this lake has some BIG pike in it, I've caught some GOOD ones in the fall on crankbaits (trolling). Good luck and maybe I'll see ya out there.

[jimhx720]

My Dad and I went out to Devils's this past Sat (1-17) early in the morning and there was about a 2 1/2 hour period where we were having out tip-ups going off constantly. Fished with big shinner minnows rigged with small trebles and split shots. Fished off the Boat Launch in about 15 to 20 feet of water.

[fishmann]

Hey jimhx, did you get any pike ?? Where were you fishing ??

[the big tatonka]

Just wondering where is devils lake located

[jimhx720]

Fishmann, yeah iced 3 decent pike and I had at least 3 break off. I was rigged for Walleye, using 6lb flourocarbon, so I wasn't really expecting that much pike action. The week before I caught a 10 1/2" perch on one of my tip-ups, but I took my Dad with me this time and he is really nervous about walking on ice so I didn't walk out as far as I usually do.

[fishmann]

It's about 3 miles west of MIS speedway and about 4 miles south on Round Lake highway. You look for the Mobil station west of MIS and the street just after that is Round Lake Highway. Take that south until it ends about 3 - 3 1/2 miles and you'll be at US 223. Take a quick right and another quick left at the Amoco station(Round Lake Highway again). You'll see Devils Lake from here. It's a big lake 1300 + acres. The boat launch is located down on the southwestern end of the lake. The DNR has stocked this lake heavily with walleye. Good luck

[fishmann]

Nice catch Jimhx.... yeah I caught a few perch in the 12" range in the summer, and one (my biggest out of Devils so far), that was just over 13 ". This summer was my best for REALLY BIG bluegill. I nailed a bunch of slabs back in June and July. I got the spot marked on my GPS (a nice weedbed coming out of 20 ft. of water ) and I'm ready to see how it produces this coming summer. Have you been doing any good on the walleye they put in here. ??

[jimhx720]

Only went the 2 times this year and they are actually the first 2 times I tried this particular lake. I think I am going to give it a try again this Sat. Haven't had luck with the Walleye yet but I'm hoping to find the right spot.

[the big tatonka]

thanks alot

[fishmann]

Hey Jimhx, if you're going out from the public launch head for the point straight out. That spot always worked pretty good for me from about 3pm to just after sundown. You'll probably be about 100 yards off the point and back toward the launch ramp. Thers some harder bottom there and you should get hung into some cabbage weeds if you're in the right spot. Just watch out though, last year a guy pulled a pike out from there that we figured was just over 10 Lbs. It was a good one. He got it on a tip up.

[jimhx720]

Thanks for the help. If you're going to be out there Sat. Give a shout. I usually carry my FRS radio with me. Thanks again.

[fishmann]

I'll let ya know, I just might go there for the weekend. Take care and good luck out there.

[musky22]

Just wandering, but what size golden shiners do you use for pike on devils. I know when I was at fletchers a few weeks ago the pike seemed to ignore anything under five inches.

[jimhx720]

I didn't use golden, I was using Emerald shiners I bought locally. Baitshop on Fort Street at West Rd. The ones I was using on my tip-ups were 3 to 4".

[fishmann]

Jimhx is right on the money.. get the shiners (you can get them at Knutsons in Brookland ), around 4 " is perfect. I like them to be lively too. Splitshots up about a foot will keep them from roaming too much ( size and #'s depend on the size of your shiner minnow ). Use a small leader also so you don't get ol' gator jaws cutting through your line. Best o' luck and give Devils a try if you want some fun with smaller 14"-16" pike, (seem to be a bunch of handles in this lake), or you never know if you'll get that occasional big pike that's in there.

[musky22]

How does lakes like Vineard and wamplers compare to Devils. Or is devils the better one. The only lake I have much experience is lake hudson which has a lot of crappies.

[musky22]

just got back from devils lake. I cought 6, 8" crappies. One 7" bluegill and 2 pike. one 21" on a tip up in 18' of water. And the other was a 12" pike that I cought panfishing. VERY COLD. Being I was the only idiot on the lake today with no shanty.

[jstfish48162]

hey musky...we are practically neighbors. i lived in monroe my whole life, until last november...i live in newport now.

how often do you fish lake hudson? my cuz and i fished it last year, but never caught a crappie over 6". we fished south of the launch, near the "drain".

good luck at devils this week....we will be around wamplers somewhere...we always make our decision driving to the fishing hole.

[fishmann]

Hey Muskie, was just wonderin where about on Devils you had your luck today. I might be out there tomorrow and Sunday. Maybe I'll see ya out there and say hey >>>.

[musky22]

I go icefishing on lake hudson about six times during the year. I don't catch many over six but the numbers are high.
This was my first time at devils so I stuck around the boat ramp. I was fishing from 10-20 feet of water with my best catches coming out of 14' of water. hope to get back out soon.

[JohnT19842005]

i fished clark lake on sunday cought a few nice pike and walleye in tip ups useing minnows and rosies at dusk and little after dark. not very many perch no crappie

[CMFish51]

Hey JimHX thinking about heading the Devils myself Saturday morning, maybe we can hook up and give em hell. Will have FRS radio on channel 7. First time out on the ice on Devils Lake....

Corey

[Mule Skinner]

Corey,

This is an old thread from 2004.

I am interested in hooking up with you and jimhx720 , if you guys don't mind :confused:

I'm interested in trying Devil's or Clark which ever one you guys decide on.

Later Tom

[CMFish51]

Hey Mule Skinner -
We are thinkin about hitting up Devils on Saturday since we have never tried it this year. Matter of fact, I dont think I have ice fished it in like 5 years. Fished Clark and Wamplers last Saturday with only dinks to account for. Sounded like last year was the year for the gills on Clark. I really don't have much info on Devils other than the topo maps I got and the nice info guys on here give us. Would have no problem meeting you there and maybe we can figure out where the pike and gills are at. Do you have a FRS Radio? We usually have our on channel 7...We will get out around sun-up Saturday morning.

Corey

[jimhx720]

Mule Skinner, I wouldn't mind at all. I am going to be fishing Clark tomorrow after I get off work. About 4pm until about 8 or 9. If that isn't good for you maybe another day or something.

Corey, if you would like I can send you some GPS co-ordinates for Devils. I marked a couple of hoels last year where I caught some BIG perch. Actually caught them on tip-ups that I had set for a big pike or Walleye.

[CMFish51]

Hey JimHX - you can send them to me via e-mail at cmiller@dgl-ltd.com or PM me. Let me know your thoughts for the weekend. Plannin hitting devils early in the AM on Saturday. Those GPS coords would be a great help!!!

Corey