First Black Lake Trip Hyped is an understatement

[Haber028]

Hello everyone! Some buddies and my self are heading up to black lake next monday-thursday to hit some opening week pike hopefully!
I have never been on this lake before and was wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks or early season help for us?
I have been doing some research on the lake and can't wait to check it out!
Thanks!

[MrSimon]

The best advice I can give is to not overthink things before you get there.

The fish in Black Lake tend to spread out. If it looks fishy, it probably is.

Pick the type of fishing YOU like best, and go do it.

[JR]

That is a short question with an unlimited amount of answers.

Which end of the lake are you fishing? Live bait or lures? Have a bow mounted trolling motor? How many guys in the boat? How far can you travel to cover different spots? What's the weather that day? etc. etc.

I'm with Mr. Simon on this. Don't over think it. Find a bay (generally shallow 6ft or less) and try whatever you are using. This is probably the best Pike lake I fish, but there are days (and sometimes years) that they don't cooperate.

My advice:

#1. Remember to have fun, even when not catching fish. A bad day on the water is better than a good day at work. Also, make yourself comfortable as possible in your boat so you can be out there as long as possible. You can't catch fish from the cabin.
#2. Spinners, spoons, stick baits, different colors, chubs under bobbers, try them all. If still not catching, move to a new spot.
#3. Covering territory really helps. If you have a bow mounted trolling motor, use it. If not, but you can drift, do it.
#4. Once you figure out where most of your bites are coming from (depth, prox to shore, rocks or weeds, etc) look for similar spots to try.
#5. Don't stop yourself from switching to pan fishing if you aren't doing well on the Pike. We have found that, as a rule of thumb, every year it is a different species that is the good bite. If you target all fish, rather than a certain one, it increases our catch and makes the trip more fun. Also, some of my biggest pike have come on small jigs, minnows or tiny lures going after pan fish.
#6. Take what the day gives you. If it's windy, you will be fishing behind cover. If the water is high, you want to be sure to look for spots of flooded shore to target. If it's calm, you may want to travel a little further to try a different spot. etc.


We come for the same week every year, but that does not mean the fish are in the same pattern every year. Water temp, level and other things change it, so every year we need to look. I could paint a big "X" on the water at my favorite spot and tell you exactly what I used but that doesn't mean you will catch them. One year I'm catching a ton in the middle of the lake casting, the next year at exactly the same week, they are practically on shore and only want chubs.

I hope this helps

[Bob-O]

Jr is right on the money, I personally like to drift bays and throw spoons. Good luck, if your here now you have great weather ahead. Tight lines Bob-O

[Haber028]

Thanks a lot guys!
Staying at Mclear's cabin so I believe it is on the south side of the lake. Towing up my bass boat with a 75 Merc and trolling motor so the 4 of us will be able to check out lots of areas.
My problem is I over think it and stick to the same unproductive lures for too long. Picked up some perch colored x rap, gold and devil spoons, jigs, jitterbugs, and bobbers for some minnows too. The weather looks promising next week, improving every day we get closer. I have had many days going out and not catching anything and as you say, a bad day on the water is absolutely a better day than doing anything else.
I am just looking forward to checking out the beautiful lake and catching fish is the cherry on top!

[Bob-O]

Haber028 we here now when are you arriving?

[MrSimon]

The lake gets a lot of pressure. Especially in the Spring and Summer. A LOT of pressure.

But, most of that pressure is folks who do the same thing in the same spots at the same time .... and have been doing it for years. Fish are smart, they adapt ... but us fisherman tend not to.

It's taken me almost 2 decades on the lake, but I finally learned to use goofy techniques in over-looked spots. I can't tell you how many bored fisherman I pass at "hot-spots" on my way to catch fish in the "wrong" spot.

Being new to the lake is a great advantage ... you won't be fishing memories.

The lake changed quite a bit over the past few years, and a bunch of people are complaining the fishing isn't good anymore. They are dead wrong. The fishing is just as good, maybe better, just different now.

Here are a couple hot tips for you. First, don't just bang the shoreline. Even in Spring, the fish will spread out and be much further towards the middle than you might think. Often times the mouth of a bay produces more than the back. Heck, you might be sitting in the middle of the lake, but check your graph, it's only 8 feet deep and weedy. Perfect for pike. Second, the lake is ALL about transitions! Fish in this lake relate to something that is changing. Weed lines, bottom breaks, boulder to sand transitions, current seems, reef edges, creek mouths etc. My favorite spot on the lake looks completely terrible from above the water, but underneath the bottom transitions from hard rock bottom sand with small rocks, and there are scattered weeds too. It's ridiculous how good that spot is. In that one spot, I've caught pike, walleye, bass, smallies, crappie, perch, and huge channel cats.