Hi, I'll be on Horse/Fourtown in sept and am looking for advice on pike fishing. I pretty much only fish for trout here in the Missouri Ozarks so my set-up is all ultra-light, barbless, small bait kind of thing. Probably not good for pike. So any advice you have will be appreciated. Line weight? Leaders? Lures? I promise I'll let him go as soon as I get that "big fish" picture. Thanks! SYOTR

I think you should add "wants pike" to your heading. You may catch more "fish".

triline XT #10-#12 will get the job done(some use braids)personal choice) , if targeting pike most people do use a leader #15-#30 , lures= spoons in the 1oz size is a good choice any minnow imitation , rapalas to deep diving crankbaits. mepps musky killers/spinnerbaits are another great choice when working under 15'

There you go.... ;-)

Thanks! Can't wait to get up there.

We were in one of the bar's in Ely a few years ago the night before our trip and one of the local guys there suggested we fish for big Pike on Fourtown around the point that surrounds campsite 1102. We only stayed on Fourtown one night but managed to get that campsite and I caught about a 40" Northern right in that spot. A lot of rocks and structure off that point. Good Luck.

I don't need more than 10 pound test most of the time. I have used 20 and 30 pound fireline at times when topwater pike fishing. If topwater fishing, try a bullfrog colored Lucky 13. If casting, try either a red and white daredvele spoon or a big inline bucktail spinner bait.

Pike can be caught on about any lure you throw, but the above lures seem to have a little more attraction for the big ones.

If you are going to use a leader, use a titanium leader. They cost more money but are worth it. They last forever or until you get snagged or your line breaks. They don't kink up like steel. They are stronger than steel. They have a thinner diameter than steel.

Good luck on your trip!

If you want big northern in September, my advice would be to either rent or buy a couple canoe rodholders, and bring some larger size lures. The bigger lures and spoons will increase your odds with large late-summer fish, and you'll be surprised how many smaller fish go for the big lures. The bigger fish need more incentive to hit a lure the later you go in the season (early spring small lures catch musky and pike, but fisherman switch out the small early season lures for bigger tackle as the summer progresses). I've caught plenty of big walleye on lures that look like an 7 or 8" walleye. Have a topo-map and troll the lures around points and islands that drop off into deeper water. If you have spoons or deeper diving lures troll them on the edges of mid-lake humps and reefs, or near drop-offs.

QueticoMike's suggestion on the Lucky 13 is a great one. I bought that lure years ago per his posts about it and my wife has since named it "the producer." It is my go-to lure early morning and late evening when top water fishing - big fish just can't resist it. It has "produced" both of our personal bests for bass.

I agree you don't really need much more than 10lb test, I think 12lb test is the biggest I've ever brought in and I haven't had issues. I agree with the titanium leaders 100%. I've been making my own Fluoro leaders lately and that works well too. I troll even the bigger lures with a medium action rod, sometimes medium heavy. If you're heading back to camp at night, or paddling to a different location and want an easy lure to throw out back, not much drag, and not worry about hang-ups or weeds, pull a big top-raider type lure. It makes a commotion on the surface which can really bring up the big boys.

OR - you could just fish for bass and walleye with normal size lures and catch plenty of decent pike that way too - they can be hard to avoid! Just use a leader.

I like spinners or crank baits but this was caught on a Senko with no leader from the campsite... Our biggest yet.

QueticoMike's suggestion on the Lucky 13 is a great one. I bought that lure years ago per his posts about it and my wife has since named it "the producer." It is my go-to lure early morning and late evening when top water fishing - big fish just can't resist it. It has "produced" both of our personal bests for bass.

I have caught a few Pike in the 43 to 45 inch range with the Bullfrog Lucky 13.

quote mapsguy1955: "


I like spinners or crank baits but this was caught on a Senko with no leader from the campsite... Our biggest yet."

Nice fish! Thanks for sharing!