Minnesota Pro Tip of the Week: Look to the outside cabbage edges for big pike

Tip by Steve Scepaniak

Years of guiding experience: 30

Home waters: Lake Mille Lacs

With the heat of the summer starting to dissipate, and water temperatures dropping, focus your attention on fishing the outside edge of the cabbage patch weed beds. Concentrate a little bit on the outside edges of the rocks also. Anywhere from 12 to 16 feet of water will produce northern pike nicely.

Use spinnerbaits, small jerk baits, crankbaits and start using plastics, like Medusas and Bulldogs, stuff like that. Any crankbait with a tight wiggle will also produce pike. Let spinnerbaits sink a few seconds and get towards the bottom and tip the rear hook with a white grub tail. Every fish’s belly is white colored.

That’s your hot tip for the hot season we’re having for big pike.

Scepaniak runs Predator Guide Service, which focuses on trophy northern pike and muskies in north-central Minnesota. He can be reached at (320) 253-7535.