Alaskan Pike are found lakes all over Alaska. We love ice fishing and love catching huge Pike during the winter and summer months. Here's what we use for ice fishing tip ups and some extra tips and tricks.
How deep do you ice fish for pike?
We like to fish in about 6 feet of water. Pike will cruise in depths of 3 to 6 feet and stay around weed beds. Look for structure and shallow coves.
How do you attract pike ice fishing?
A common way to ice fish for Northern Pike is by using Tip-ups. Spearing pike is also a great way to target big Northerns. In Alaska one cannot use live bait like in other states so herring is the preferred bait.
What is a fishing tip up?
A tip-up is a device used while ice fishing. It is like a "fish trap". I has a small reel that has a flag on top and the line from the reel goes down to a hook that suspends live or frozen bait at a set depth through a hole in the ice. When a fish takes the bait the flag shoots up in the air to indicate the strike! The angler than pulls the line and sets the hook and then pulls the fish in!
What do you need to ice fish?
- You will need a valid fishing license and some basic equipment.
- Winter Clothing.
- Ice rod/reel.
- Ice auger and skimmer.
- A 5-gallon bucket with a lid that can hold your catch and serve as your seat on the ice.
- Assortment of ice jigs.
- Ice picks.
- Luxury Items include:
- Buddy heater
- Ice shack or tent
- Chairs
- Snacks
- Thermos of coffee or hot chocolate
Is pike fishing really better in the winter?
Not necessarily but some techniques are more effective in the winter. Deadbaiting which is suspending the bait with a rod or tip up is more effective during the winter. The water's temp is much cooler which causes the metabolism of a pike to be slower, so an easy meal is far better than chasing down prey.