The Nature of The Beast Means There’s an Alternative to Sit & Wait

Tackle

The system relies on a jigging rod, a reel with a smooth drag, and monofilament line testing around 12 pounds, or fused superline testing 14 to 20. Ten-pound mono is just a little too thin for working lures effectively. Lures dart just fine on lighter line, but they don’t glide so well. Fourteen-pound mono’s good, too. Seventeen, on the other hand, is getting just a little too thick to be able to work baits well.

Light, thin wire is less visible than thicker monofilament. I use 12-pound stranded wire (not nylon-coated) from Sevenstrand. Twelve-pound Sevenstrand is made from three strands of wire. If you prefer to go a little heavier, 18-pound Sevenstrand is made from seven strands of wire. The thinner the wire, the more likely it will curl during the process of hooking and landing a fish. I carry a dozen precut and tied leaders to save time.

Wire can be tied quickly by using a figure-eight knot or by using a forceps to wrap the wire. I use a 12-inch section of wire connected to my main line by an Albright knot, then wrap direct to a small swivel on the lure end. A wrap is a little stronger and of more consistent strength than a figure-eight knot. If you object to learning to tie an Albright, just wrap directly to a small swivel on the main-line end, and then use your favorite knot to connect the swivel to your main line.

If you use a superline like 14-pound Berkley FireLine for your main line, double the end of the main line by using a spider hitch or a bimini twist. Twenty-pound superline has enough diameter to tie direct without doubling the line.

A jigging rod measuring 24 to around 30 inches works well in shacks. The one I’ve been using is a Thorne Brothers Walleye Sweetheart, which is 29 inches long. Reels like the Daiwa 700, Shimano Sustain 1000, and Pflueger President 6730 couple well with the rod.

Lures

Swimming lures that hang horizontal have been the key for me. The same baits that work for walleyes work well for pike. Turn to the walleye article in this section to review a pertinent selection of baits.

This is a visual affair where scent isn’t the issue. Sweetening these baits with a portion of minnow isn’t necessary. If you insist, tip the treble with a minnow head, or add a minnow tail to the single hook just above the lure’s tail.

Other horizontal baits to consider include the Lindy’s System Tackle Flyer and the Northland Tackle Airplane Jig. Add a plastic trailer like a 3- or 4-inch Berkley Power Grub or the split-tail grub bass anglers add to their spinnerbaits. Northland also offers Airplane Jigs dressed with bucktail.