Monday, September 15, 2014

DPR Pike Float

It was a perfect day for some teeth. 65 degrees, sunny, with a light breeze, you just couldn't beat it. The pike on the Des Plaines River are a blast, and I enjoy chasing these toothy predators. DanK was the first to get the pike party started with one in the mid 20's. I joined in shortly after, but the pike that I caught could have been mistaken for a wet spaghetti noodle.

This pike got a hold of DanK's thumb and drew blood.
DanK was determined to catch one using a top water lure after he found a small panfish size buzz bait in his bag. He rigged a trailer hook on it, and added a plastic tube to make his offering look bigger. The pike approved, and it was truly a blast to see.


I was tossing a green spinner bait with a trailer hook, and that seemed to be the ticket for me. I did toss around a buzz bait, but it was getting no attention. I hooked up with a real nice pike on a super fishy bend in the river. One of the best pike I've personally caught on the DPR. 

My personal best on the DPR.
While we were sitting in the middle of the river changing lures, I noticed something floating down river towards DanK's kayak. I couldn't really make out what it was, but it kind of looked like the belly of a fish. I said to DanK out loud, "Is that a dead fish?" DanK turned to look and said, "Holy Sh#t! it's a big pike with another pike in it's mouth!" Right after he said that I was able to make out the 2 pike, as it swam underneath our kayaks and off into some weeds, and we never saw it again. The big pike was about 30 inches, and it had a pike in it's mouth that was about 19-21 inches. It was so freakin' awesome to see with our own eyes! (No pictures of it, because, we couldn't locate the cannibal after the sighting.)

DanK with another top water pike.
Catch & Release
Say CHEESE!

6 comments:

  1. wow! good sized (and obviously fierce) fish!

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  2. Those are some fantastic pike! I really want to catch one! Do you use similar lures to bass lures? That picture of the pike with another one in his mouth would have been great, but that is still a priceless memory for you guys!

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  3. You can never tell what you'll see when fishing for pike. Can't wait to try it on a fly rod.

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  4. Very nice write up carf outdoors, that gave me a woody!

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  5. Gosh, those are some nice toothy critters for sure. Never landed one. Someday my fish will come.............. Appreciate the photos.

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  6. Thanks, everyone!

    Juan - On this river, I usually catch them with a regular inline spinner, and spinner bait that I would use for bass. I also, fly fish for them here, and toss some hefty looking flies at them. It's a good time!

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