You can definitely catch some nice northern pike in Little Bay de Noc and Big Bay de Noc. Pike are often overlooked here because the walleye fishing is so good, but if you come here to target northern pike, you should be able to catch some fish and there are plenty of big pike that roam these waters.
Fish the Spawning Season
Good numbers of big northern pike move into the creeks and rivers to spawn every spring. Because pike spawn very early in the year when water temperatures are still very cool, there are not too many anglers that take advantage of the ice out pike fishing. If you did come up here for that early season pike fishing you have a shot at finding a decent amount of fish in that 38 to 40 inch range and even bigger. There are a lot of big Northern Pike in Little Bay de Noc and Big Bay de Noc and this might be your best shot at getting your lure in front of a bunch of them.
Fish the Weeds
Weeds will hold pike from spring through fall. The new green weeds in the spring will definitely attract perch and walleye and pike will be found here feeding on these fish. As water temperatures warm up in the summer, the deeper weed lines are going to be the better spots for quality northern pike.
Fish the Offshore Waters
With all the deep water in the main basins of both bays, there is so much water here for pike to roam offshore. Northern pike will often suspend around schools of baitfish out in the offshore waters from summer through fall. These pike are a lot harder to find, however you can up your odds by targeting the shoals found outside of both Little Bay de Noc and Big Bay de Noc. Those shoals are big pieces of structure that hold walleye, perch and smallmouth bass. Pike will move into these areas to feed on the abundance of food.
Fish During the Fall
Good numbers of big northern pike start to move back into the bays from the main lake at the end of August and into September. Fish might still be found in fairly deep water but you get a better shot at finding some of these big pike without having to go way offshore. Fish the weed edges in 8 to 15 feet of water and you should run into some quality pike in the fall. You still may have to fish 20 to 25 feet down in some areas as well, so don’t rule out going a little bit deeper. Some of the river mouths will also attract some good sized pike in the fall. At some point, good numbers of pike are going to go much deeper as water temperatures drop through October.
Learn More About Northern Pike
Our northern pike section is huge with information on the best lures, live baits, where to catch them and how to catch them. Visit our northern pike page to learn more.
