MyFishFinder Forum

MFF US Midwest => Indiana => Topic started by: fishcrazy on Apr 15, 2019, 03:38 PM

Title: Spring Pike
Post by: fishcrazy on Apr 15, 2019, 03:38 PM
Anyone have a suggestion for some pike action in Indiana? I usually fish them up north so any help would be great. SW Michigan is close to me also. PM if you care to share. I would only catch and release and I only have 2 friends so won’t blab.
(https://i.postimg.cc/wyXctvsX/AADF0-D5-E-39-C4-46-DB-B2-BA-61748-EB57388.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/wyXctvsX)
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: Spooled85 on Apr 15, 2019, 06:11 PM
I know the kank can hold some hogs ! Alot of guys float creek chubs under a big bobber or small balloon. Under bridges current changes Eddie's and where Creeks or other rivers meet the kank or even small ditches . Those all give the blue gills places to get out of the current and if you know a spot where the gills are in the rivers I'll bet there is a pike somewhere close ! I've even had them grab gills quite a few times while reeling one in on the kank
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: fishcrazy on Apr 15, 2019, 06:20 PM
Thanks. I will give it a try on the bayous . Spring Kankakee River has always intimidated me with its swift waters
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: Spooled85 on Apr 15, 2019, 08:25 PM
U bet , good luck
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: Ice_Mike on Apr 19, 2019, 10:26 AM
We tried the Kankakee last Saturday. My son and I did a little casting but didn’t catch anything.
My main goal was to break in my new jet outboard motor.
We went from 49 to English lake and the a few miles up the yellow river.
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: abishop on Apr 19, 2019, 10:30 AM
Mike, glad u got out. Haven't heard from you in a while.
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: Ice_Mike on Apr 19, 2019, 10:35 AM
I’m still around Al.
Just put a new mercury 60/40 jet motor on my boat.
Most of my fishing/bowfishing has been on the Kankakee, Wabash and Tippy.
They all can eat lower units😜
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: fishcrazy on Apr 19, 2019, 10:38 AM
Better luck next time Mike. Congrats on the new jet   What brand did you get?   I will be at church Sunday on the river I’ll let you know the outcome. I will be in the slack stuff with my electric
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: fishcrazy on Apr 19, 2019, 10:48 AM
Oh a new mercury. Awesome
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: fishcrazy on Apr 19, 2019, 10:50 AM
Oh a new mercury. Awesome
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: fishinator on Apr 19, 2019, 11:36 AM
Jet motor is the way to go for rivers. If it's not breaking the surface you won't hit it. Only issue I ever had was leaves in the fall. When the river is covered you can't go far without stopping to clean the intake.
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: taxid on Apr 19, 2019, 11:38 AM
Oliver Lake in Lagrange county is a sleeper for huge pike that feed on the trout. I mounted one that was 45 inches plus and just under 26 pounds from there and it was a summer fish (not a female full of eggs). The angler that caught the fish has since passed, but would target them and has caught several big ones in the Oliver Lake Chain. A good place right now would be the weedy area near the public access near the Channel, and the break off of the public access. Also the weedy area on the other end of the lake before you get into Olin. If someone caught a new state record in there it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

And of course Clear in Steuben County has a big population of pike and produced the state record. Other lakes are  Dallas, Hackenberg, and Messick lakes in Lagrange county. Use Spinnerbaits with some kind of leader material. They should be hungry now post spawn.

Snow Lake in Steuben County has plenty of big pike too.

I'm hearing Hamilton in Steuben has lots of smaller pike.
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: fishcrazy on Apr 19, 2019, 02:45 PM
Sounds like a few I have never fished. Thanks for the advice I will fish them with love and make sure I clean up after the pigs at the launch. I know it bothers you as much as it does me :)
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: taxid on Apr 19, 2019, 05:12 PM
Sounds like a few I have never fished. Thanks for the advice I will fish them with love and make sure I clean up after the pigs at the launch. I know it bothers you as much as it does me :)

I may not even fish Oliver this year. The trout program is really disappointing as it's geared toward put and take. I'll be fishing for splake, brook trout, salmon and browns in Maine in a couple of months.
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: abishop on Apr 19, 2019, 08:09 PM
Used to love fishing Sabago, (Indian name meaning deep water) If memory serves me 260 feet shallow. GREAT FISHERY
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: taxid on Apr 19, 2019, 08:48 PM
Sebago is a big lake. However I'll be on a small quiet 100 acre lake. I don't like encountering PWC's and powerboats on my vacation. Get enough of that here.
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: fishcrazy on Apr 19, 2019, 10:21 PM
316 ft deep. Holy crap
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: fishcrazy on Apr 20, 2019, 07:35 AM
I like live bait fishing a lot. But I have found them shallow over rock smashing the crap out of a big jointed rapala husky jerk   Slower this early in the year with big pauses and splashes almost top water the whole way back. Lots of teeth marks to show it works!
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: RoeBoat on Apr 20, 2019, 10:16 AM
Love the action of Mepps syclops spoons!
Title: Re: Spring Pike
Post by: taxid on Apr 20, 2019, 10:28 AM
I caught one only about 10 pounds once off the break just out from the public access channel on Oliver with a kastmaster spoon. I was after trout. Fish was tight in the weeds probably about 10 feet down. I used to cast a the spoon out as far as I could perpendicular to the break, and then let it sink to the bottom. The reel it with a sporadic jerk to make it flash. Of course this was back when there were smelt in Oliver and they staged in that area.


Quick strike rig would be my choice but suspend the fish up off the bottom a little.

If you catch one of those annoying stocker size rainbows I believe it would be legal to use for bait?  Put it under a large float on a break and hang on!

I wonder if a rainbow trout imitating plug would work on a planer board parallel to the breaks?