It’s August, as some say the “dog days of summer”. Temperatures have been warm, and even if just for a minute I think a cool breeze sure would be refreshing. My mind drifts to autumn. The cool crisp days, the color of fall that only a greater power could have designed and painted for the enjoyment of a mere mortal like me. But those days are not quite here yet. A change needs to happen, and like every season before, that change is on its way.
If you have been watching the weather you know its coming. If you have some arthritis in your knee, back, or joints, you know its coming. The barometer is starting to drop and the sky is starting to thicken.
Not the summertime variety mind you, of a sudden thunderstorm with billowing anvil type clouds that hit and run like a thief in the night. But a storm with a low pressure, winds that switch to the west/northwest, with the sheer intention of blowing summer out of the area with a single gale. Rain that is steady, sometimes heavy, breaking for a moment, then coming down again. Temperatures that drop, just yesterday you were comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt. Now you think about building a fire, to take the chill out of the air. This storm does not come and go, but lingers. One day is not enough, the effects of this storm lasts a couple days, and in fact it may last a season. Angry that summer has taken its place for so many months yes autumn is here and ready to take the season over.
Many people will bypass fishing during a situation like this. But I tell you this, now is the time to put on some cold weather gear and head out. Now is the time to hunt for some big pike. You just might find them in shallower water then you would expect at this time of the year. I have witnessed this situation in the past; let me tell you about it.
As I described, the month was August, about the 3rd week or so. In Northern Ontario, that means fall can arrive at anytime. We’d had a run of nice consistent weather, and had really been enjoying the summer type of weather. But then the storm had set in. The wind was chilly; a fire was in the wood stove to keep our place warm. The rain came down steadily during the night. On a metal roof it only amplifies the sound, but it’s somehow soothing. A hot cup of tea, another log on the fire, and we were settled in for the night.
Come morning the sky remained dark, with occasional showers. The wind was still strong, and the lake had taken on a gray tone that warned of caution if setting out.
The wind and rain felt like ice pellets as it hit our faces on the drive out. Halfway there, I thought gloves might have been a good idea, but it was too late for that. The lake we decided on was much more protected in spots. So as the wind howled over our heads, the forests left our protected cove with just a slight ripple. We began fishing the bay, just picked a spot and anchored. A small jig for me, and an ice-fishing jig for Tammy, both tipped with a small piece of worm. It was a weedy area, not choked with weeds but enough to give cover and give perch a feeling of security. Well, as much security as perch might feel I guess.
We’d been fishing for about 2 hours, keeping some perch in our fish basket for a nice dinner later, letting the smaller ones go. In spite of the lousy weather, cold temperatures, and howling wind, we were having a good time. To our cold hands the water felt almost warm. As another perch fell prey to Tammy’s ice fishing jig, she was startled to see the flaring mouth of a large pike, looking to make a dinner of the same perch she was reeling in. As she saw the pike coming towards her catch, the first reaction was to pull perch from the water. I’m happy to report, that Tammy won the battle with the pike and secured that perch.
She turned to me and said, “Well that was stupid”. What was, I questioned? “There was a huge pike after my perch and I yanked it out of the water, I should have let the pike have it”. So here we are in water that is maybe 6 feet deep. A bit shallow for a pike as big as she described. Yes, there was deep water nearby, but most things you know about big pike, tells you this time of the year; the third week in August big pike will be in deep water. Even though the temperature of the water had dropped some from the rain and cold, I did not think it was enough for big pike to move into the shallows. Yet here was a big pike, working shallow water in search of prey.
I thought there was no way this fish is around anymore, but what would it hurt to look. I stood up and looked under the boat, and you know who is sitting right underneath us. I sat back down and started to whisper; I wasn’t sure why I was whispering, do pike understand English? Nevertheless, I did not want to take any chances, and let the girl know what my plan was.
I reached down to my tackle box to pull out a spoon. Ever try to do something really quietly in a small aluminum fishing boat. Yep, sounded like a manufacturing plant with heavy machinery pounding away, as my tackle box moved over a grain of sand or two. My heart is pounding trying to do everything as stealthily as possible. I finally open the tackle box, and get my spoon out.
I opened up the clip on the swivel, and put the spoon on. Now to close it, you remember the sound the six million dollar man made anytime he used his remanufactured parts. If there were sound effects in nature, that’s what you would have heard. My hands were cold, and numb, but summoning strength I never knew I had, and with superhuman effort, I closed the clip.
I stood up, released the bail, and let the spoon drop into the water. It was no more than halfway down, when the pike shot straight at the spoon flared its gills, and engulfed the spoon. The fish shot forward, I went to set the hook; now does anyone remember me mentioning that I had flipped the anti-reverse on. Nope, I don’t recall that either. Well with my hands as numb as they were, as I set the hook the handle of the reel came easily out of my hand, then spinning a couple of times giving plenty of slack to a fish like this to take advantage of the situation. The spoon was spit out, and I was left with the opportunity to ponder my existence, and confirm to myself that yes, that was a dumb ass move.
So, no time to dwell on my existence, the pike had jetted off to my left. I began casting the same spoon the pike had just hit. I fan casted that general area with no luck. Well, lets try a different spoon, reached into my tackle box, funny how the noise did not seem nearly as loud as when I took the spoon out the first time, I worked the area again with a variety of different spoons to no avail. Well, let’s give my go to lure a try. The gold husky jerk. Yep, no self-respecting pike will pass up my gold husky jerk.
Feeling that enough time had passed, I had decided to open up the area that I would fish. A pike on the prowl may not sit in one spot. I began casting from the shoreline on my left, then fanned my way clockwise. When I hit 12:00, my cast landed in a bunch of weeds, as I pulled the fully loaded husky jerk back towards me, the same pike hit the salad coming back to the boat. The lure had so many weeds on it the likelihood of actually hooking the fish were slim, and none. Quickly getting the lure back to the boat, I removed every bit of weeds.
I cast to the same spot the pike had just finished dining on salad. It was time for the main course I thought to myself. The husky jerk hit the water, and I did nothing, I let it just hang there for a brief moment, then like lightning, it hit again. By now adrenalin had helped warm my numb hands, and yes, by then I had remembered to click on the anti-reverse. The fish was on. This was a powerful fish, thick around the girth, and used to getting its way.
It did not matter really. I just like looking at them in the water. It was hooked, and seemed to know that nothing bad was going to happen, and just hovered in the water giving us a great view of a wonderful fish. The bright white markings, a slightly green silver background. Just a gorgeous specimen, that I had no intention of taking out of the water. I had only hooked the fish with the back hooks on my lure. Those of you that know me will know that those hooks were barbless. I slacked the line, and the lure came easily out of the pikes mouth. No stress, no fuss, just the honor of bringing her boat side. With a mighty flick of her tail, the pike was gone.
That my friends, is how I came upon the phenomena. The first storm of fall, a drop in temperatures, some cooling of shallow water, deep water close by, and a hungry pike will come up from the deep to look for dinner. When this precise opportunity will happen in your area, will of course depend on temperatures. When that cold fall type of storm hits your locale, button up, and head out checking for shallow weedy areas next to deep water. You just might find a superlative pike at the end of your line. For us in Northern Ontario, that can be the end of August or early September.
As with all great fish be they pike, musky, walleye, whatever the fish may be, lets put the trophy fish back. For either another angler to have a memorable experience, or just to breed and create trophies for future generations. In addition, consider a barbless hook. It is friendlier to the fish, and you. All the best!
Bio: Greg Bolinski owns and operates Agate Bay Lodge in Ontario. Agate Bay Lodge strongly promotes catch and release in a continuing effort to improve natural fisheries and preserve the sport of angling for future generations. For more information you can reach Greg on his web site at http://www.agatebaylodge.com
Click the mailbox to e-mail. Last updated on ... October 3, 2006
