Equipment

• Although any tip-up is capable of handling a northern pike, the best one to use is the Polar-thermal variety. These disc-shaped plastic tip-ups fit snugly over an 8-inch hole drilled in the ice and keep the light out of it. They also will not allow the hole to freeze over or snow to blow into it. An angler should rig this type of tip-up with a heavy Dacron line designed for ice fishing and within the 35- to 45-pound test range because a northern pike can weigh as much as 30 pounds. A barrel swivel needs to be tied to the line with a 3-foot-long leader tied to the swivel. Northern pike have razor-sharp teeth and lots of them, so a leader made up of steel, fluorocarbon or a very high test monofilament is a must. One or two small split shots can be attached to the leader about a foot from the hook to keep the bait down in the water. While some ice fishermen favor treble hooks, a No. 4 hook will spare a fisherman the trouble of trying to extract a treble hook from a pike's mouth. Also, buy a tool used to grab the pike by the lip as it is being pulled from the hole to avoid getting your fingers near those teeth.
  
  

Pike habits

• Pike are active feeders during daylight hours, especially after dawn and before dusk. Cloudy days seem to turn pike on, and they will attack a variety of small bait fish, with chubs, white suckers, golden shiners and smelt among the best baits. Medium to large regular shiners will also attract pike. Anglers should set up in shallow water, especially later in the season when pike move close to shore to spawn. Pike tend to stay near weeds under the ice. An angler should suspend his bait about two feet below the ice when fishing over weed beds. Hook a bait fish through the back fin so it can swim freely. Check your bait every half hour to make sure it is active.
  
  

Landing the pike

• When a flag goes up on a tip-up rigged for pike, the angler should not run to it because this can spook the fish. Pike swallow a bait fish head first. After grabbing the bait, a pike will typically swim with it before maneuvering so it can swallow. Once at the tip-up, the fisherman should take it out of the hole, look to see if the line is extended under the ice or if the reel is spinning, and then gently pull in any slack and set the hook with a hard yank. If there is a pike on the other end, it will begin to fight. Make sure the line being retrieved does not become tangled as it is pulled from the hole. After the fish has tired from its fight, it must be positioned to come through the hole head first. A companion should have a gripping tool to grab the pike by the lip. Otherwise, lift the pike clear of the hole and then lay it down on the ice without giving it any slack.