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       #Post#: 4--------------------------------------------------
       Middle Winter Pike
       By: FishIQAdmin Date: January 28, 2018, 2:52 pm
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       Where:
       Middle of the winter becomes more challenging for catching pike
       than early ice. That being said, you can still have some great
       days on the ice. If there are still some weeds on the mid-depth
       flats of the bays, don't be afraid to fish there, but most
       likely, they are all dead. Since the weeds within the shallow
       bays are dead, it is safe to assume that the pike have migrated
       to deeper waters.
       Some examples of deeper structures are the base of drop-offs,
       humps, or shoreline points. Start your search along the break
       lines of these structures. Some key areas to focus on are inside
       turns, steep inclines transitioning to gentle slopes, and
       transitions from hard to soft bottom. These areas will
       congregate fish.
       
       Why:
       It is important to focus your efforts on those micro-transitions
       mentioned above (weed lines, soft to hard bottom, inside turns)
       because not only these act as congregating points, but fish use
       them as highways to move from spot to spot.
       The northern pike has to leave the shallows at this time due to
       the lack of oxygen. The deeper water is also usually warmer and
       provides the pike with much more prey (almost all species
       migrate deeper). For example, species who live in lakes that do
       not have access to deep water often suffer from winterkill; most
       species die because they cannot access deeper water for oxygen.
       
       Tactic:
       Start your search on the edge of the bays where you found them
       during the early ice period (shallow, mid depth, deep access
       bays). If no fish are there, move to the base of the drop-offs
       or other offshore structures. With ice fishing, it is important
       to drill a lot of holes and to keep moving, or cover as many
       different areas as possible. For example, have holes on the
       shallow flats of the bay, on the mid-depth weed lines, and at
       the base of the drop-off.
       Some great Baits to use during this time of the year are spoons
       or jigs if you prefer moving from hole to hole. If you just want
       to sit back and enjoy the weather, tip ups are an option many
       anglers resort to and have had proven success. If you're with a
       group, place the tip ups at various assuming spots. Such as one
       tip up shallow and one deep.
       Either move from hole to hole with a flashy jig/spoon and try to
       get reaction strikes or setup a predator rig on a tip up with
       either a dead bait or live (6"-12") work best.
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