If I'm fishing in the weeds I like a single or double blade spinnerbait. black or orange or silver blades and black or white bodies.

 

I second the spinnerbait with a closed eye that you tie your line to. Leaders are not needed with a spinnerbait. Where in the U.P. are you going? I go up there every year.
Scott

 

I'm going up to Curtis to the Manistque lakes. Gonna hit a couple of streams with the fly rod as well

 

We just got back from the UP last week. I caught a 30+" pike on a 1/16oz tube jig lol. Rapalas (the long skinny originals) were the lure of choice up there and the pike were hitting them.

 

pike love tube jigs!!!!! chart. spinnerbaits. Brighter, Louder, shinier the better

 

Rapala jointed 13. Shallow shad rap 9. Or get some bigger bass cranks or pike cranks like pikie minnows. They also like spoons. And some will use a mepps aglia or aglia long 4 or5. Good luck. And colorme jeolous.

And try buzzbaits eaaaarly in the am.

 

Got some spinner and larger raps. So do I need the steel leader for the raps then?

 

We just came back from canada just on the other side of the UP and this year we trolled deeper 12-ft- than ever before. Killed everything on a Chart/ white Hot n tot knock off, with rattles. Use something with rattles. dad caught a 41 in pike, I got a 27 in walleye.
For shallow we always have used an old style lure called Lucky 13(Heddon) you ahve to order them, never seen one in a store. bigger lure, bigger fish.

 

We were in Ontario last week as well and caught most of the pike deeper than usual. I didn't have the temp gauge on the fishfinder but the water was definitely warmer than most years that we go up. We were trolling just outside of weedlines with long stick baits in 12-20' depth. We caught several on deep husky jerks as well as several other lures but the best producer all week was definitely the Smithwick Spoonbill Super Rogue. Unfortunately I only had one in my tackle box. I know I will not be heading up next year with just one.

 

In addition to the above, I'd bring a few 1/2 and 3/4 oz spoons like a Williams Wabler in hammered gold/silver.

 

Johnson silver minnow spoons. Makes pile go nuts!! They'll hit every size too.

I caught him on a smaller one and just got him mounted. 43in


"fish all day , every day"

 

I use the spoons some as well but I am more in favor of spinnerbaits when throwing flash at them. And for trolling I never like going with spoons because of the line twist. I always use a swivel but can not get rid of the twist.

I am becoming more and more a fan of the big stickbaits.

 

Rapalas always seem to catch me pike when I am targeting them.

 

Got some spinner and larger raps. So do I need the steel leader for the raps then?

I don't think anyone answered your question (if they did I missed it, been up 18 hours...).

I personally do. They are very easy and cheap to buy. A pack of like 6 is a couple bucks and lengths/strengths range from 6"-18" and 12-45lbs. I personally use the 12" (or are they 18?) 45lb leaders from Wal-Mart. Caught half a dozen on one before it needed replaced.



Even reeled in a 35ft long, 6" thick tree with one. Freaking beavers..... Thought it was a fish and set the hook hard as hell. Eh, wrong. Tree.

 

Well I got back from my trip and I did catch a 20 " pike however, I caught that pike on a perch spreader while perch fishing and throwing spin baits at the same time. That pike hit that spreader hard and i thought the light action rod was going to break in half. Heck of a fight though.

 

Williams wobbler med. size silver and gold is the best I have found

 

It all depends on if it is a river or lake , but personally I use buchertail (bucktail ) 500 series in firetiger , 6inch grandma jerkbaits ( black back and silver holographic side) , and firetiger spinnerbaits . These are my three personal favorties . I have caught pike on all these baits in rivers and lakes . But from my personal experiences they love firetiger colored baits .