Invading the Trout Stream………

Just wanted to share a little adventure I had yesterday with you guys.

I have a cabin in Rusk County WI and from our property, there’s one of two small streams that form from springs and eventually come together out in the big swamp. The main stream does eventually make it’s way out the Chippewa River. So, after talking about it for the last 10 years or so, I finally packed up a small tackle selection, a pair of waders, a telescopic rod/reel, and jumped on the motorcycle.

Over the years, I’d heard rumors about “just about anything could be in there” because there’s a couple small slack areas and some deep holes to be found. Current can be swift but manageable. The only thing we could verify for fish, however, was trout. We once had some small brookies get into a minnow trap my dad had set out.

Well, to get to the point, I found fish! No trout, no panfish varieties, no eyes, and no (disappointingly) smallies. PIKE! Nothing but PIKE!!! Now, I love fishing northerns but it’s really different finding them and fighting them in a “trout stream”. In 4 hours, I had 9 fish get on, 5 got off, the other 4 released. It could’ve been 10, but one of my bite offs was rehooked and released. While it was hanging around in front of me, (they seem to use me as an eddy when recouperating) I saw it flare it’s gills and it spat out one of my lost Mimic Minnows!

It was really cool to see what kind of areas held the fish and how they’d behave around you. While experimenting with a released 22″ and it’s reactions to a bottom bouncing Mimic Minnow, I had another pike rush in and steal it! I saw a shadow of another fish and WHAM!!! It’s burst speed is pretty incredible! That was the biggest of the day and went 24″. The further downstream I went, the smaller the pike. I’m not sure if that means anything but I do know some of the better holes were north of where I started fishing. I’d like to return and try those spots.

Anyway, while I didn’t encounter any long lost trophies, fishing pike in a trout stream truly was a hoot! If you guys are feeling like “a little something different”, get a pair of waders and check out some water………. just to see what you might find.

Small water / backwater pike fishing can be some of the wildest action you’ll see. These fish probably have never seen a lure before. They don’t hold back. Most fish don’t get huge because of the constraints of the system they’re in. But action is furious and a ding-dang good time!

A leader is a must — otherwise you could end up killing the fish with a lure lodged in its throat. They inhale ’em! (You’ll need pliers too.)

I need to make some leaders with some strong braid for sure! I usually fish pike with superlines but this telescopic has ceramic guides, forcing me to use mono. I should have thought to make up a few leaders first!

Before the weeds get too thick (spring or late fall) I like to cast a softbody swimbait (Storm’s Wild Eye perch is especially hard for them to resist — I take the lower treble hook off because its overkill, the single top hook is all you really need).

Then as the summer weeds take hold and almost choke off the water, I like the Blade Dancer or the weedless Jawbreaker. These babies will really get yer ticker pumping as the fish explode out of nowhere to grab ’em.

I was talking with my dad about this and he wondered if there were any migratory circumstances involved with my discovery. I don’t really think so but I’ll have to find out if they’re still in there over the summer.

As for weed growth, I only found a handful of shallows starting to sprout some green. I think, with this being such a silty waterway, that much of the stream will remain open. Again, we’ll have to see as summer comes on.

Thanks for the additional info! I’ve got some Wild Eye Perch and some Jawbreakers too so I’ll have to give those a shot. The shallow weeds I saw will still be in some of the stronger current areas but worth a try anyway, I suppose, because I’ve seen pike in other systems just lay in those current layed weedlines.