Nick Sears March 17, 2014
Every year one of the truest signs that spring is on the way are the northern pike moving through the flats in front of the spawning bays. Their annual pilgrimage has began in earnest. Big pike are moving each day and they are being caught with ciscoes on quick strike rigs lying on the bottom or set a couple feet off the bottom.
The winter meltdown seems to trigger their migration through these areas. There are roads plowed out on the lake that allows easy access. Roads are deteriorating quickly with close to two feet of water on them in some places. Upon closer examination there were small drain holes letting the standing water back thru and into the lake. It won’t be long before snowmobiles and ATV’s will be the best way to travel.
It is normal to see this happen in mid March. I get a little nervous driving on the ice roads with standing water. This morning it was about two inches below the bottom of the drivers door. I get excited when the melt begins because it means we will soon be fishing the bays in May and June for these big toothy critters.
While it is fun sitting on the ice watching flags waiting for a pike to grab the bait there is nothing like hooking up with a forty inch pike in a shallow water with a fly rod or bait caster. They run like a bonefish on a salt water flat but with more power and lots of water movement.
Don’t let this winter fool you there will be fabulous May and June fishing, for more information click here www.rainylakehouseboats.com/request.html there is still time to plan that great spring houseboat vacation. Check out our fishing calendar www.rainylakehouseboats.com/fish_calendar.html to plan a time and the baits to bring. Contact me anytime at tillermanrl@gmail.com with fishing questions you may have.