How to catch bass, but avoid pike

[Shamus32]

With so many lures being good at catching both bass and pike I was wondering if there are things (lures or otherwise) that would be more likely to catch the interest of a bass, rather than a pike?

Cheers

[OldTimer]

That really is a tough question................ pike are eating machines and will hit everything at one time or another.

It would be easier to list what you would use to avoid bass and target pike.

But here's my cut a some solutions:

- smaller lures (pike want a good meal that has a bigger pay off in calories gained versus energy expended )
- slower retrieves (pike do like a faster moving target)
- avoid using minnows as bait.......... go with worms, leeches, or crayfish.
- top water baits will take more bass than pike.

Hope that wee bit helps................ I'm sure others will have a few more thoughts...........

Cheers,

OldTimer

[alex_fish]

(08-10-2013 10:46 AM)Shamus32 Wrote:  With so many lures being good at catching both bass and pike I was wondering if there are things (lures or otherwise) that would be more likely to catch the interest of a bass, rather than a pike?

Cheers

really? your problem is that you are catching nuisance pike? how do I get this problem?

[MichaelAngelo]

(08-10-2013 10:46 AM)Shamus32 Wrote:  With so many lures being good at catching both bass and pike I was wondering if there are things (lures or otherwise) that would be more likely to catch the interest of a bass, rather than a pike?

Cheers

Now my question is what's the general "safe" fluoro leader strength that'll give you a chance against pike but still allow you to finesse bass..

25, 30 lb?

[fishfight]

If there are pike in the area, bass will be limited and running scared. One reason you are not catching enough bass.

[Shamus32]

Unfortunately not surprising. The small lake I grew up on had bass in it until some pike fry showed up. Within a couple of years the bass, sunfish and leopard frogs were all but gone.

[rich_ace_G]

bass and pike will generally hit the same lures. the only lure that I have had success with bass in water that have both are senkos or live 'crawlers. plugs, spinners & spoons, it's first come first serve.

[MuskieBait]

I don't buy the argument that if there are pike in the area they will scare the bass away...or if pike is found in the lake other fish will be gone.

I can list (off the top of my head) 10 waterbodies I've fished where there are very good populations of bass and pike cohabiting in the same waterbodies, both big (like Bay of Quinte) and tiny (lots of them I've fished over the years). I've also caught bass and pike from the same area while fishing on anchor or drifting down a weed line.

Heck, we caught more bass last time on our muskie trip than we caught muskies...and we saw a good number of 30-40" muskies. Bass and muskies were in the same bay.

[rich_ace_G]

(08-13-2013 10:45 AM)MuskieBait Wrote:  I don't buy the argument that if there are pike in the area they will scare the bass away...or if pike is found in the lake other fish will be gone.

Agree...I don't think Pike scares the Bass...They compete in forage together with walleye...if there's not enough then maybe the population of the other might be affected. But pretty much...bass, pike & walleye can co-exist.