1000 Islands Pike Advice Sought

[Commodore64]

This is the 3rd year we've come up to Fisher's Landing to fish in late June. We do OK for smallmouth, but I'd like to get some pike. We're outfitted with bucktail jugs and any manner of twister tails. I've heard that drifting Eel Bay is a good possibility, but last year we didn't boat a single Pike.

Any advice?

[jeb1340]

The pike love stickbaits, spoons and spinnerbaits. Good luck.

[BlueEye]

Commodore -

Sometimes its a good idea to consider a charter. This will show you the who, what's and where's for the fish you seek and then you can duplicate the methods learned on your own boat. Consider booking the charter early in your trip and then you will have the rest of the time to try it with your own boat.

My recommendation would be to talk to the guys at the TI Bait Store. They will give you good insight into what has been working lately.

Lastly, KEEP READING LOU! I'm sure there are guys on here that could give you more direct advice.

Best of luck on the trip!

Chad

[Kingfisher06]

Just find weed beds and weed lines in 15-30 ft of water and cast or troll over them. The big boys hang on steep drop off often suspended. The east end of Carlton, shoreline east of Cape Vincent public launch, the weed lines east of Cedar Point State park, the drop off in front of millens bay are nice spots.

[33canuck]

My old man was just south of A-Bay all week last week nad hammered down on the smallies but couldn't keep the pike of either, he always fishes 3-12' of water along the shore and he was throwing rapala stick baits, I guess hte dark colors worked the best. Good luck

[Commodore64]

Thanks for the advice so far. We got skunked pretty much this morning lost a smallie at the boat, but that was it. NE wind is blowing pretty good, and we don't have an electric motor so drifting has been tough.

Going to try again, here, in a bit...will try out the rapalas near the weeds.

[Grady95]

This one is pretty easy. The pike are in the weeds. If you can either see or read the weed edge with your electronics, fish the edge . Do this with shallow diving sticks or stuff like Frenzys, Bagley B's, or one of my favorites, the Rapala Countdown. Spinnerbaits are good for this too. We do well with either red/white or firetiger patterns.

We call pike, "poor man's lobster." Filet them, take out the y-bones, cut the meat into chunks and boil them for 5-7 minutes in water with lemon in it, then serve them with melted butter like for lobster. First time you do this you will swear never to throw a pike back again!

Good Luck,

Grady

[Commodore64]

Grady, one of the reasons we want to get some pike is for eating. 2 years ago we landed a few and cooked them up, the owner of Bill and Jack's cabins showed us how to fillet them. They were delicious!

We do our part to keep TI bait store in the black, heh...I think I'm near $300 in the hole this year.

No luck on pike (or bass, for that matter) today, the wind is howling still...maybe I'll be able to troll the bay out in front of Chalk's Marina tonight.

[Buzz Catcher]

Commodore sorry to hear about your luck so far. If you have bucktails on I love to put a bass assasin on the back and bounce off the bottom like everybody is saying in or near the weeds. I also use a 40 pound mono leader instead of the wire leader and so far in 4 years Ive lost 3 pike. I like the front part of party Cove where it comes shallow from deep water with weeds all along the bottom. We will also drift spoons working down the left side along the rock wall. Pull the spoon up high creating a big slack then follow it down not interfering with the fall. Ive done quite well with this 3 pike the biggest being 32 inches in 5 drifts on one night. The front of Eel bay can be real good. We will troll shallow cranks or work the spoons as stated drifting through the weeds. We stayed at Mils and got a Pike neaarly every trip out

[reel escape]

Commodore64 as stated need to be in the weeds. This pike was taken Sat. in 25 FOW around Carlton Island . I do most of my pike fishing drifting with spoons and this is what I do, you need to cast your lure (spoon) towards which ever way the boat is drifting otherwise you won't get you spoon down to the weeds and weeds = pike. I cast the lure let it free fall give it a rip back let it fall another rip and so on. Most of the time they hit the spoon on the free fall, if your not getting weeds on your lure you are not deep enough.Good luck.

[old man]

i have done real well in eel bay. because it's shallow and clear it's a first and last light bite. I would go with the trusty nickle red-eye wobbler or a big bucktail

[Commodore64]

Wow nice fish, reel escape.

Thanks for all the help everybody. We ended the week with no Pike. On the upside, after picking up a Rapala Countdown (firetiger) to help me work the weeds for Pike (thanks Grady95), I began to HAMMER the smallies. So that was nice. My parents will be up again in august, for another week of fishing. My wife and I reserved a cottage at Cal's in Clayton, for the last week in June 2010, so I'll be back to try for Pike again, next year.

If any of you are planning walleye trips to Lake Erie, let me know, and I can certainly help you out there. Also, here's link to another forum, like this one, that is full of helpful folks http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/forumdisplay.php?f=11, but is Lake Erie centric.

[Grady95]

Good for you. Glad you found something was cooperating. That lure has always been a go-to favorite for almost everything. I have a few that look like they were run through a blender! The pike just kill that thing. Right lure, wrong week I guess. Hope you got some nice perch as well for a fish fry.

May get to Erie in the fall. I'll look you up.

Grady

[Commodore64]

I know this is an old thread, but we'll be coming up there for the last week in June. This time we are staying at Cal's Cottages, which is closer to Clayton Area. We've fished the past 4 years in the Fisher's Landing Area. This year we have Terrova electric motor, so I'll be able to spot lock us, or work points and weed edges much more efficiently. One of the stipulations with dropping $1,500 on a trolling motor though, is that I had to guarantee my wife that she'd catch a pike. I'd like her to catch lots .

So, I'm starting to gear up and do some research now. Really looking forward to the end of the month.

[old man]

out of clayton i'd go to the east side of carlton island. there are some nice weed beds in front of a batch of duck blinds there. lots of edges and deep holes. lots of pike there,might get lucky and stick a musky there as well.

[Commodore64]

OK, Carleton Island is a 13-14 mile run from where we will be. Our boat will be docked at Cal's. So this is quite a run. I could see making the run once or twice, but that's a haul. So I'm looking around in the vicinity of:

1. Round, N. Colburne, Little ROund

2. Bluff Island

3. Pine Island

4. Calumet Island

5. Eagle Wing Group

6. Aunt Jane's Bay

7. Flynn bay

8. Eel Bay

9. Picton isalnd, Bluff Island

10. Picnic Point/Canoe Point

There's got to be pike around here, doesn't there?

Just find weed beds and weed lines in 15-30 ft of water and cast or troll over them. The big boys hang on steep drop off often suspended. The east end of Carlton, shoreline east of Cape Vincent public launch, the weed lines east of Cedar Point State park, the drop off in front of millens bay are nice spots.

This looks very promising. Just a bit far. Thanks. I think I get the idea, to search for weeds and drop-offs with spoons and cranks.

[old man]

dunno where cal's is but eel bay is on your list. can't miss there. it's loaded with pike. look for the patches of taller weeds amoung the million acres of short stuff.on clear days it's first and last light. if it's overcast you can catch em all day. for bigger pike go out of the bay and work the north shore of wellesy island to the marina at the state park. work over all the small points and coves.

[old man]

here's my clown son in law(who fishes with a spinning reel upside down 'cause it "feels right") in eel bay with a decent pike. you can't pick your reletives.

[Commodore64]

Thanks old man, we'll be heading up next week. Can't wait.

[Has Been]

Go thru the narrows therefrom Eel bay & fish in front of the thousand Isl park if I have my berings right. . There are 3 islands. one w/ a duck blind 2 w/ cottages. Drift use mentiond spoons & buctails or plastics in 1/4 = 3/8 on weed edges. Saw 2 dogs swim fom the one Island to the park .was about 250 yards. My buudy got a 50" musky there. good pike action w/ bass too.

[Commodore64]

Go thru the narrows therefrom Eel bay & fish in front of the thousand Isl park if I have my berings right. . There are 3 islands. one w/ a duck blind 2 w/ cottages. Drift use mentiond spoons & buctails or plastics in 1/4 = 3/8 on weed edges. Saw 2 dogs swim fom the one Island to the park .was about 250 yards. My buudy got a 50" musky there. good pike action w/ bass too.

I will try to find that spot today.

Yesterday I managed 3 pike on a Daredevil Spoon in Rusho Bay, fishing along the drop-off. One of the pike slammed the spoon as it was falling, just like someone mentioned. So far I've gotten 4 this trip.

[Has Been]

Yes they do hit on the drop a lot. I like to put a 3 " white curly tail on the end to help with that. Was told by a guy who fishes up there a lot to reel as slowlly as you can on the bottom, which worked also. 10- 25' deep ther. good luck let us know. Haven' been there in about 10 years.

[Commodore64]

We'll be heading up on June 18, staying at Bill and Jack's over at Fisher's Landing. Looking forward to jigging some spoons for some pike! This year I'll get some pics, I hope.

[Self Censored]

Commodore,

After reading many of the posts on this thread I noticed a basic theme/hint -- go to the weeds.

While I have not been to the 1000 island area for several years I have fished the system more than 20 years of my life, catching pike consistently since the '70's. Since the zebra mussel days I like to fish 15'-20' of water where the weeds are 5'-10' below the surface. My personal favorite is a large #5 or #6 Rooster Tail spinner in white, green or black -- I cast them out (at 3/4 oz they cast like a bullet) then retrive it just fast enough to keep it a foot above the weeds. You can do the same thing with any of the baits mentioned in this post -- spoons, countdowns, cranks, spinner baits -- I just love spinners!!

First & Last hour of the day is when you want to fish!!!

Good luck, can't wait to see photos!!!

[Swingingflies]

I have my best luk in the shallow weed areas with going with gold color gives lots of flash they can't resist and might want to try something weedless. Large size spoons loo.