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Mississippi Pool 8 Pike Action 7/2/09
by Bret Clark on 07/04/2009
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Thursday 7/2/09 the 25hp Merc was fired up and pushing the 14footer on its way to Gator country. The driver was red eyed and yawning from the lack of sleep the night before, different plans kept running through my head making sleep impossible. It still feels good to get all excited like a teen the night before 
After yet another Wisconsin cold front the end off June  but a warming spell on its way, I was hoping to find some top water pike action.
Armed with a steel leader, toads, frogs and super spooks and making commotion to beat the band on the surface never did create that big explosion a guy always trys to stay prepared for, but it did however reveal a couple Titans that just tried to kill the bait out of spite 
The Gators were found , now it was time to find something they wanted to eat!
Taking Bob Boman’s advice and backing off the playing field has helped put some nice toothy’s in the boat for me this year, and it was the key to getting these finned wolves to crush a bait on this day. The cover being fished was thick pads in 1-3fow with clumps of weed running parallel on a shelf in 4-5fow. The boat was kept past the shelf in the side chute channel with 7-8fow of running water.
Staying a distance away from the work and tossing baits as far out towards the cover makes the perfect opportunity to fully work a bait back to the boat.
After working the edge of the cover back to the boat with a Husky Jerk and only one follow the next in line for the task at hand, a chartreuse spinner tipped with a Firetiger K crub, this girl wanted to show off the bait for you 
A long flail with the spinner landing 2-3 feet into the pads, keeping the rod tip high and pulling the bait to the edge of the pads caused some good commotion in the cover. Once the bait was out of the pads a moderate retrieve turned the commotion from the pads into a wake just above the weeds The long cast gave me the advantaged, the pike was pulled from the cover and now that the killing machines attention has been captured, whats it going to take for the strike………..it was a retrieve, quick pull and pause 
A good tug on the rod while retrieving made the hunter pick up pace while chasing the bait, then a dead pause made the hunter open wide and show his pearly whites
After putting this pattern together it worked for the rest of the day, long cast into the pads looking to move a fish, drop and run the bait just above the weeds with a wake behind the bait, tug and pause, wham
A number of hammer handles 24-30inches made it into the boat but every now and then, a bruiser would move out of the cover angry at the intruder 
The best fish wanted so bad to be 40inches but she was just shy (My best this year), one 38, a couple at 36 and a few 34’s - 32’s also caused there to be dancing in the 14’ floater. Sorry about some of the pics (and lack of) but, holding a net over board with one pee o’d gnarled toothed pike in it while trying to set up a make shift tripod and camera makes for a tussle 
The day started off with one tired not fully awake dude and turned him into one wired pumped up old man
Get out and enjoy the pike bite, it is hot right now. If it keeps warming up don’t forget the top water will kick off again 
Good luck fishing people, and have a safe and fun 4th 
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Location
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Wisconsin
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Water Body
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Mississippi River
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Species
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pike
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Water Temp
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74
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Stage
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4.70
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Flow
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17100
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Technique
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casting
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Bret Clark - IDO Ice Pro Staff
"Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway."
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Don Hanson
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Bret, them is some dandy pike!
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Pete Bauer
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Great report Bret, Nice lookin Pike!
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Jeff Jensen
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It's like I was there with ya  .......awesome report Bret on some great looking wolves 
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Jeremy Liebig
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Very nice fish. Congrats!
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Wade Kuehl
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Great report and pics Bret!
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Wade Kuehl - Jolly Ann Marine & Outdoors
FREE Shipping on EVERY Order!
Click on the Jolly Ann Marine Banner above to visit our website!
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plungepool
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Great report Brett
Nice Pike
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mikehd
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Way to go buddy. Tell me again why I was working on Thursday and not out fishing with you 
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IDO Member formerly known as Mike C
Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says, "Dam!" 
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Abe
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Awesome fish buddy! Nice Report We were missing your reports!
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Jonny P
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Nice. Good job pulling off the main structure and luring the pike out. Aways a good day when you break the code.
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Outdoors with Jonny P
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Joel Ballweg
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Looks like one heck of a lot a fun there Bret!
Good to see a report from you again.
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JOEL BALLWEG - IDO FIELD STAFF
SAUK-PRAIRIE LIVE BAIT & TACKLE
www.lakewisconsinfishing.com
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sippi
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I didn't know the big pike would be going so good with the water as warm as it is, what were the water temps. and is this normal for you on the river? does this bite die off at a certain water temp?
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Stuart
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Good report Bret,now I'm fired up to go chase some gators.
So many fish, so little summer. 
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About as useful as a back pocket on a shirt
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Bret Clark
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Thanks guys
I don't know why you were at work either Mike, I needed a camera man
sippi,
I now what you mean about the dog days of summer, it has not yet happened this year. The water temp was 74 degrees, this is not typical for the 4th of July weekend here on pool 8.
During the warmer water periods there is still some great pike to be caught. They may not tend to be in wolf packs but covering a lot of water will pay off. The gators also seem to get closer to current such as, current swept points holding some cover such as grass or pads and running sloughs lined with pads and grass.
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Bret Clark - IDO Ice Pro Staff
"Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway."
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Everts Resort
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See,that open water fishing aint so bad is it? Probably can leave the insulated coveralls home next time.
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Dean Marshall - Everts Fishing Resort
Located Below Lock & Dam #3 near Red Wing, MN!
Click on the Everts Resort banner above to visit our website!
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Bob Bowman
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Nice work on those toothies
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Bob Bowman - Loan Officer
City - County Federal Credit Union
"Get the lowest possible rate on your boat, ATV or vehicle!"
" Hey.....I'll take some of that"
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Bosman
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nICE job Bret! Glad to see you didn't get your hand all tore up bringing those bad boys top side 
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Cuz that's what the Bos says..........
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Joe Scegura
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Very nice report and fish Bret!
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Joe Scegura - Joe Scegura's Guide Service
"Walleye, Pike, Muskies & Panfish on Alexandria Area Lakes & Mille Lacs!
Ph# 320-260-9056
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BucketMouth1
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Awesome report and awesome fish Bret
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Brad Juaire
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Wow! That had to be fun! Great report Bret! Many pike hunters don't even think about targeting big pike in the thick stuff. Good job and congrats on a very successful outing!
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Brad "Grifter" Juaire
IDO Fishing Field Staff
IDO Hunting Pro Staff Director
brad.juaire@in-depthoutdoors.com
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Chris Granrud
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Nice Pike Bret!! Topwater action for giant gators Hope the weather stays stabilized for a month
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Chris Granrud - RainyDaze Guide Service
World-Class Walleye, Crappie, Pike & Smallmouth Bass Fishing!
Visit RainyDaze Guide Service to book your next adventure!
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Re: Mississippi Pool 8 Pike Action 7/2/09
