Northern Pike spawn in late winter and begin moving to spawning areas in late February and early March. That time is right now! In lakes they move to shallow areas near creek mouths and coves with an abundance of bait fish and decaying aquatic vegetation. In rivers they move upstream to flooded back water areas and can concentrate below blockages such as dams. Locating Pike at this time of year can be very predictable.

One of the most productive and unnoticed methods of this time of year is the use of dead bait. It is common in the Midwest as well as in Canada to have bait fish and pan-fish die and sink to the bottom due to the harsh conditions of winter. The Northern Pike has adapted to using dead fish as a food source. Therefore, using dead Suckers and Shinners fished on the bottom can be a deadly method for catching Northern Pike.

Dead bait accounts for more Pike strikes than any other lure or bait available. Late winter to mid spring is the best time for this method of catching Pike. It is also the best time to catch BIG PIKE!
Smelt, Shinners and Suckers are all excellent dead baits to use while Pike fishing. There is something about the way smelt smell that Pike love. You can get Smelt at some of the local bait shops or even at some of the local grocery stores in your area.

Dead baits are more likely to be taken deeply by pike than artificial baits. If you are using dead baits they must be presented and fished correctly to ensure that the pike can be returned in good condition. You can ensure the least amount of damage to the fish by using a Quick strike rig or a dead bait rig(a leader with 2 treble hooks, one to go in the tail of the dead bait and one to go in the mid body). If you need further assistance with a quick strike or a dead bait rig I'm sure a local bait shop will help you with one.

When a Pike strikes it will play with it's prey. It is not uncommon for a big Pike to hit and let go of the bait several times before it takes it. The Pike is attempting to stun its prey by doing this. When the time is right that is when it will go for the kill. With that in mind this is where you need patience. Once the Pike takes it they say you should wait at least 30 seconds before setting the hook.

As I stated earlier fishing with dead bait is one of the most overlooked yet productive ways to catch Northern Pike. If you have any questions regarding using dead bait you can feel free to email me at apopham@rockfordfishing.com or feel free to comment on the chat form under the dead bait category about any success you have had while using dead bait.

I hope this information has been useful to you in understanding dead bait and how to better use it in search of catching more and bigger fish!

Good luck to you and we will see you on the water!
apopham@rockfordfishing.com