No Pike

[jooleyen]

I went to Okauchee Lake for only about four hours yesterday and got one on the first cast while my dad was hopping into the boat. I didn't even crank the crankbait in yet and I caught a keeper. Right when I was swinging him in he came off. My dad and I are having a keeper contest for the year, and I was too lazy to lip him! I'm lipping every fish from now on! Sorry, I had to get that little story off my chest.

Anyways, I couldn't stop catching pike. I caught nine pike and only four bass. I was using a white Pro-Model Series 1 crankbait and a Green/White Rattlin' Rapala. There were little shad jumping around everywhere I went, so I figured the bass were obviously feeding on them. I've heard to stay away from white if I don't want to catch pike, but how can I stay away when I'm trying to imitate the forage? I don't even know if switching colors would help.

Any ideas on staying away from Pike?

Thanks

[Marty]

Any ideas on staying away from Pike?

Fish waters where they aren't present.

Fish shallow when the water is 80+.

But really, I have caught them on practically any lure in any color that exists. In other words, I don't know how to avoid them based on lures only.

[Bender]

On the lake at my house I average about one pike per bass. On crankbaits there is no way I know possible to avoid them. With worms, etc. try not to use anything with bright flecks or sparkles. Also I try to use slow moving baits that are on the bottom.
That said I caught 3' pike dragging a black jig up a drop-off. There are just some lakes that are full of pike.

[keithdog]

I don't know of any way to avoid pike when bass fishing. They are both predators utilizing pretty much the same food chain, as well as the same areas in the lake. If you really want to avoid any pike, maybe try sticking with heavy shallow cover. You may still catch a pike, however, I think your more inclined to get a bass in shallow cover than a pike. Such as heavy grass beds and pads in water less than 6 foot. I've caught a lot of pike in my day, but mostly from deeper weedbeds than 6 foot. That being said, I did once hook into a huge pike in a lilly pad field located in about 8 foot of water. He stripped of about 30 yards of line running like a train through the pads before my line snapped. So nothing is a sure thing with pike. Myself, I enjoy fishing for pike, and eatting them too. So any pike you want to send my way, feel free.