Late July Pike Fishing

[HawgBone]

I'm going to be coming up to Black Lake for July 21st-28th and I want to take a day or two and focus on catching some pike. I have told myself this in the past and never really stuck to it, this year I'm going to bring in one of these toothy beasts. I know late July isn't exactly a peak time for Pike, but I've seen some caught before and I was wondering if anyone could give me any locations that would be good or any technique tips. I'll be staying at Fisherman's Landing in the north end, and would like to stay somewhat close to the cabin.

Also, I'm in the process of designing a new topwater lure and I'm curious if anyone thought that it would be something to interest a pike. Essentially what it will be is a 5" torpedo, with torpedo propellers in the back and a buzzbait blade in the front.

Tight Lines!
-Chris

[ragincajun]

Hey Hawgbone, ltns. I was sad to see your site down and wondered what became of you. Glad to see you are still into making lures and coming up to black lake. I don't know much about pike in the middle of summer on black lake, so I will let others give you advice. A 5" torpedo sounds great at the right time of night or early morning I would think.

[Bob-O]

The north end in July can get quite weedy so you will need to really work hard for them. I would say drift upper big bay and throw spinner baits or Johnson silver minnows. I like to add a red pork rind trailer. I would tend to not make long casts due to the weeds. Also try around gull rock in Mitchell bay and depending on the wind drift from the rock pile just above Jennies Island north toward upper big bay this is a nice drift. I have also found them this time of year in a little bay on the other side of Booths Island, lots of lily pads, however throw a boss black rat on the top and bounce along and you will have a good time. I recommend using braided line due to the weeds. Good luck, Bob

[wildchild]

We will be up to BL the last week of June, will let ya know if I get into the pike or not. Only caught a few last year, but that was late August.

[HawgBone]

Yeah Ragin', I had some medical problems that brought the site and lure-making to a pretty rapid end for a little bit. I'm back and more focused than ever now though, Just got two new molds in this week and I'm hoping to get a day or two this week to do some heavy duty boring. It's about time to send those free samples out to you and WildChild, I really can't thank you two enough for all the encouragement when I had my site up. In the coming months I'll either be putting up a blog or another site like the one I had.

Now back to the pike, I've seen the north end of the lake pretty weedy before and I can't imagine this year would be any different. I'm starting to think I should just throw away the idea of catching one in the north end and focus on below the bridge.

[wildchild]

I liked your old page well enough, if you could restart it that would be cool. As far as pike north of the bridge, Mitchell Bay has produced for me in years past. gotta wait and see what the weed growth looks like though. Welcome back and good luck with all that you do man!

[Niagara-eyes]

I know you have your heart set on using this new bait but I would fish with large minnows near the edges of the weedbeds at this time of year. Find the deeper weed clumps or edges with your sonar.....6-8feet in Mitchell bay.
Use a wire tied 2/0 circle hook like they use for saltwater fishing and a 3/4oz sinker. Use 6-8" shiners or suckers and keep the bait right on bottom. Works for me and you should get some nice size bonus bass.

[HawgBone]

yeah I've been told a couple times that live bait is the way to go when you're fishing for Pike. Call me stubborn, but I'm trying to take a vow to only fish lures that I make at the lake this year. I want to challenge myself to see what my line-up of lures is missing and I think that would be the way to do it, I'll keep the live bait tips in my mind though. I'm really worried that the weeds might not let north of the bridge be very fishing friendly this year. So Mitchell Bay might just be off of the list.

[wildchild]

Just a thought, I caught quite a few pike in Mitchell Bay on spinnerbaits. Maybe a 5 in. worm as a trailer for a Johnson silver minnow would bust em. A bit of your own combined with something tried and true. Top water pike may be tough to come by with the water temps up.

[JR]

I haven't fished Black Lake that late in the year Hawgbone, but if you are set on using only your top water lures during that time of the year, i would check out the maps and concentrate on where the small streams run into the lake. The water coming in might be cooler, attacting baitfish and pike. If you could find any of those with enough room around the weeds to cast, that's where I would try, and especially first thing in the morning.

Good Luck.

[HawgBone]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I'll definitely keep it all in mind. I was thinking that catching Pike that late in the season might be a problem, and it sounds like everyone else is agreeing. Nevertheless, this year WILL be the year that I catch one of these toothy beasts thanks to all the info you guys have been able to provide. Wildchild is helping me out in making some spinnerbaits that I'm really excited to throw on the north end this year, hopefully one of those will put Mr.Pike in the mood to bite.