In the underwater world, weedbeds are aquatic forests filled with creatures and pike are the wolves hunting in it.
Weedbeds are your go-to spot for pike and chasing them in a kayak is a surefire adrenaline fix.
1. Explore the shore
1. Explore the shoreIn early spring look for pike near their spawning sites.
Emerging weeds in sandy bays and along reed-strewn shorelines near streams and creeks are prime areas. Use the shallow-water advantage of your kayak to explore these zones.
2. Sight-fish
Wear polarized glasses and paddle slowly, looking for fish sunning themselves in the shallows. When you spot a fish cast beyond it and then work jerkbaits, inline spinners, spinnerbaits or topwaters into its strike zone.
Gear Tip
- Use long, heavy-power rods for fish-fighting leverage to keep jumping and thrashing pike at a safe distance.
- Wire or heavy fluorocarbon (60-pound plus) is a must to prevent bite-offs.
- Catch-and-release tools should also be at the ready, including long-nosed pliers, hook removers, and jaw spreaders.
- Whenever possible, use single-hook baits to speed up release times and reduce boat-side mishaps.
- If conditions don’t allow sight-fishing, fan cast the area and cover water.
3. Go weedless
As summer arrives, dense vegetation demands weedless baits. Use topwater frogs and surface spoons to fish floating weeds.
4. Stick to the edge
Also, concentrate on weedbed’s outside edge, inside pockets and cuts. Pike cruise these routes or wait in ambush in the shade inside these edges. Position your kayak on the deep-water side and cast parallel to these edges, working the entire water column with jigs, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits.
5. Go deep to go big
Don’t neglect deep weedbeds, such as those found on points, around islands or on reefs. This is big-pike country. Here, work baits above the weed tops. Rip-jigging bucktails or large plastic jigs, slow-rolling a spinnerbait, retrieving a crankbait or plastic swimbait all produce pike.
6. Stick to the veg
Come autumn, as shallow weedbeds die off, focus your efforts on the remaining, healthy ones. As baitfish and species like walleye migrate to bays and tributaries the nearby weedbeds become prime pike spots.
