We just got back from a week on Knife and Birch. We've been in this same area a few times now, but we've never caught so many small pike. We had a few big ones get away (several broken lines, one bent swivel, and one that straightened the hook on a jig head). But most were in the 16-18" range.

In past years we always caught a lot more smallies. Anyone else have this "problem".

Well i have had a pike snap my jig in half. Ive had a pike also take my spinner bait and then jump straight out of the water 20 minutes later jingling, the freaking fish musta been 35 inches >;( Try using bigger lures to present to the fish as they say bigger lures catch bigger fish and they're normally correct about that. Have you seen the baits they use for muskie?!? always use a friggen leader.

It never fails. Find a point...wind blowin' in...drop a jig and grub-WHAM, nice 'eye...and another . Then pike, big one...bite off, or worse-the dreaded hook break or hook straightened. We all know that story.
Well, I partially solved it. I pour my own jigs. Bass jigs, crappie, walleye, from 1/32 to 1.5oz.Also duck decoy weights. I can control the quality of the hook, and that is the key. All of my molds came from garage sales. Price them new-25 to 35 buckos. My pricey-est(Is that a word?) mold cost 3.00$. Nothin' to do in the deAD OF WINTER? pOUR SOME JIGS. Actually, I recycle- in October I melt down some to make decoy weights, save the hooks 'til March. By the way, no matter what the package says, ALWAYS sharpen the hooks!!

It never fails. Find a point...wind blowin' in...drop a jig and grub-WHAM, nice 'eye...and another . Then pike, big one...bite off, or worse-the dreaded hook break or hook straightened. We all know that story.
Well, I partially solved it. I pour my own jigs. Bass jigs, crappie, walleye, from 1/32 to 1.5oz.Also duck decoy weights. I can control the quality of the hook, and that is the key. All of my molds came from garage sales. Price them new-25 to 35 buckos. My pricey-est(Is that a word?) mold cost 3.00$. Nothin' to do in the deAD OF WINTER? pOUR SOME JIGS. Actually, I recycle- in October I melt down some to make decoy weights, save the hooks 'til March. By the way, no matter what the package says, ALWAYS sharpen the hooks!!