Northern Pike Wilderness Trip Advice

[Jwojcik1990]

Went with some advice here and spent 7 days moving between Piseco, Mud Lake and Spy Lake and the fishing was amazing. Obviously no Northern Pike in those waters but the Bass and Pickerel fishing was excellent. Broke my PB Largemouth record for the second time this year and hooked into tons of really nice Smallmouth and Pickerel. Will put up a full trip report with pictures and a video soon! Thanks again to everyone who was tossing advice and locations at me! Lots of future trips planned based on this thread.

[Schultzz]

Technically, pike and their toothy relatives do have gripping teeth. Unlike some fish like sharks and piranhas that remove hunks of flesh, pike typically bite, hold, kill, then swallow their prey whole. However, they do have many sharp teeth that will easily cut lines and the fingers and hands of people that are not careful

Yes you are correct and technically so is Jim V. I'm just having some good-natured fun with Mr. Hardscrabble.

[St.Regis]

Technically, pike and their toothy relatives do have gripping teeth. Unlike some fish like sharks and piranhas that remove hunks of flesh, pike typically bite, hold, kill, then swallow their prey whole. However, they do have many sharp teeth that will easily cut lines and the fingers and hands of people that are not careful

[Schultzz]

Pike and muskies have gripping teeth, not cutting teeth.

[JimVroman]

I saw one which was landlocked in a pool beneath a dam that ate everything that came over the dam. This monster had to be nearly six feet long with jaws like a tiger. It was bigger than some Muskies I have seen. It was waiting for its next meal.

[Schultzz]

I've heard divers say that if you ever saw the size of the northern pike in Lake George people wouldn't to skinny dipping there!

I saw one which was landlocked in a pool beneath a dam that ate everything that came over the dam. This monster had to be nearly six feet long with jaws like a tiger. It was bigger than some Muskies I have seen. It was waiting for its next meal.

[Buckladd]

Amen to that....Pike, pickerel, muskie...if you want to catch these buggers use a leader and watch your hands. If they get you, you will know it. There will be blood (your blood) everywhere.

I've heard divers say that if you ever saw the size of the northern pike in Lake George people wouldn't to skinny dipping there!

[Wldrns]

be sure you have a good pair of long needle nose pliers. And don't lift the fish with your fingers by the lower jaw as is typically done with bass.

[mgc]

Well stated Paul. A Pike or Muskie BITE SLICES THE LIVINIG S___ OUT OF YOUR HAND

Amen to that....Pike, pickerel, muskie...if you want to catch these buggers use a leader and watch your hands. If they get you, you will know it. There will be blood (your blood) everywhere.

[Schultzz]

Well, after catching literally hundreds of northern pike (my buddies and I kept count each season) on the Black River while I was growing up, I quickly learned you never want to fish for pike without using a steel leader. I can't tell you how many of my father's antique lures I lost in the early days due to pike"s "gripping teath" cutting the line before I learned my lesson.

Well stated Paul. A Pike or Muskie will BITE YOU OUT OF ANGER if YOUR HAND GETS TOO CLOSE AND IT DOESN'T "GRIP" LIKE A BEAR, IT SLICES THE LIVINI S___ OUT OF YOUR HAND BECAUSE THE TEETH ARE LIKE RAZOR BLADES AND SHARP AS HELL. It will slice right through 50 lb line if you do not have a substantial leader. There are rows upon rows of sharp predator teeth so the effect is like a razor blade even if the teeth look like they are only for gripping.

[Wldrns]

Pike and muskies have gripping teeth, not cutting teeth.

Well, after catching literally hundreds of northern pike (my buddies and I kept count each season) on the Black River while I was growing up, I quickly learned you never want to fish for pike without using a steel leader. I can't tell you how many of my father's antique lures I lost in the early days due to pike"s "gripping teath" cutting the line before I learned my lesson.

[JimVroman]

Pike and muskies have gripping teeth, not cutting teeth.

[Schultzz]

While not fishing for them and not having the proper leader I have had several strikes from Muskies. It's like pulling a log in until they see your boat or you and then they bite through the line and are gone.

[mgc]

I grew up in the area and frankly, aside from Middle and out into Tupper, the park does not offer the best pike fishing in the area. For that you should thrash any water that leads to the St. Lawrence and the Saint Lawrence. The rivers all hold lot's of pike as well as muskie. I don't like to give away my honey holes and even the statement that water leading into the big river feels like I'm letting the cat out of the bag but if it's pike you want, they are there . They love the weedy beds and channels in these rivers. Because you can work the current with them I have always had the best luck with Mepps spinners, the bigger the better. Fancy colors are not necessary but they work. Silver Aglia's are my favorite for some of these cloudy spots. Cast to edge of the weeds near a drop off and wait for them to hit. If you do use the big Aglies, don't be surprised to hook into sunken wood. There are old sunken boom logs hidden in some of the holes. Muskie are also around. I had one take my spinner on the lower end of the *** river near *** and brought it to 10 feet from my canoe before it casually spit my lure out...casually, sput, done. It did me a favor. There was no way that thing was going to end up in my canoe without someone ending up in the water. it was massive.

[EagleCrag]

I just returned a week ago from visiting a friend's camp on Soft Maple Reservoir which lies along the Beaver River Canoe Route. I didn't bring a fishing pole but the water looked like great smallmouth water and my host indicated that they do stock Tiger Muskies in there. Not sure about pike.