The wet years of the late 1990s spurred a boom in northern pike fisheries across the upper Midwest, and in those early 2000s after flooded sloughs and high water levels in my native North Dakota harbored the fingerlings from incredible spawns each spring, solid pike fisheries were abundant. With the catches my friends and fishing buddies tallied, I quickly learned how to Y-bone fish in the five-to-eight pound range, and we had more than enough pike to fill a freezer or fuel fish fries until spring. Far easier to catch than walleye, and certainly an all-day affair on the ice, chasing flags and watching big red blobs move in on our Vexilars became a popular pastime, especially as the ice season drew to a close. 
While the number of pike fisheries in North Dakota – and quality ones loaded with fish and the occasional leviathan of 15 pound or more – have dipped in recent years, the pursuit of the water wolf is still one of my favorite late ice adventures, and a trip to any water in the Roughrider State containing them is worth it this time of year, especially as the season has closed in Minnesota. Each popped flag or rod bent with a missile-like strike spurs a surge of adrenaline on the hardwater that harkens back to those glory days when I was earning my stripes chasing these fish with the streaking white spots. Along the way, I learned a good deal, especially about late ice angling for pike, which is perhaps the best time to target them.
Making Moves
Foremost, pike are the earliest spawning fish in our region and they begin making their moves ahead of that activity long before the ice is off. In some late springs, they’ll even begin the process before the surface has melted. This time of year, look for pike to migrate to the mouths of feeder creeks and streams, or those gullies that fill with water in the spring which become the annual spawning grounds for northerns. If an arm on a lake or reservoir looks like a place they can run, begin your late season on-ice exploration there, setting up an array of tip-ups or searching a series of holes to find active fish. Odds are, if pike are present, they’ll come in for a look for a rapidly ripped rattle spoon or other flashy, loud lure.
Big Baits
While the drudgery of winter may have slowed other fish down, pike remain relentless in their pursuit of prey, and just seem to have a bit more energy than everything else under the ice. Thus, using those big flashy lures, or dressing tip-ups with larger items such as frozen smelt or herring, will still be effective for these fish that are already girding their reserves for the spawn that’s likely just a few weeks ahead. Remember too that pike are a grab-and-run predator, especially when using tip-ups. Let the spool spin for a few seconds as the fish hits the bait, holds it as it swims off, and then pauses to turn it sideways and swallow. When you see the reel stop, that’s the time to pull up the slack and set the hook hard to power through the bait and into the fish’s bony mouth. 
Catch & Cook
In waters where they’re present, pike present an abundant resource in most cases, due to their ability to survive, multiply and thrive. Selectively harvesting fish provides an excellent opportunity to not only stock a freezer filled with fillets, but also a chance to get better at cleaning them; which is a process that requires a bit more attention to get the Y-bones out. However, when it’s done right the effort produces a firm, white fillet that rivals any other species under the ice this time of year. If they’re in good shape, release those big fish to assist with the upcoming spawn, and keep a limit of eaters from three-to-10 pounds, especially if they’re gill- or gut-hooked when using tip-ups. 
This time of year can provide epic on-ice outings for northern pike. While the opportunity is often overlooked in favor of other fish, such as walleyes and crappies that in most cases have limited windows at dawn and dusk, the all-day aggressive nature of pike keeps things popping on the ice, and a sojourn to such a lake or slough in North Dakota is worth it as we make the turn toward spring…in our outdoors.

Simonson is the lead writer and editor of Dakota Edge Outdoors.