GARRISON They are big, powerful and an absolute blast to catch. Find ’em and the fun begins!

Many of the northern pike roaming Lake Sakakawea are at or closely approaching trophy class fish. The top end fish are likely the survivors of the monstrous pike spawn of 2009. Seven years old now, the hefty predators provide an ample angling challenge for the best of fishermen.

Twelve to 16-pound pike are common for those fishermen who target them. Twenty-pound-plus fish are there too. Although it’s been several years since a 30-pound pike was reported to have been caught in Lake Sakakawea, some feel there’s a population of those huge beasts in the reservoir right now.

“Growth rates on pike are so dependent on forage,” said Greg Power, North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries division chief. “They are relatively slow growing. They don’t grow as fast as down South but they live long. We certainly have 30 pound pike, seven to eight year old fish.”

A sample of the pike caught this fall reveals fish much heavier than what normally is expected according to most length/girth ratio tables. One fisherman reported a 35-inch pike weighing 14 and one-half pounds. Most estimate charts would place that fish in the 10-12 pound range. Last year an angler weighed in a pike at 20 pounds, 8 ounces that was 40 and one-half inches long. Most weight charts say a pike needs to be 44 inches to reach the 20-pound level.

Yes, Lake Sakakawea pike appear to be growing at a terrific pace. Power says the growth is directly related to forage. While pike are known to feed on just about anything they can find, they do have some preferences. In Lake Sakakawea large and easy targets for big pike would include white suckers and Red Horse. Of course, in a fish-eat-fish world, there’s smelt, emerald shiners, carp, crappie, bass, goldeye, perch, pike and walleye too.

That trophy pike fishing has returned to Lake Sakakawea should not be surprising. The reservoir has a long history of being touted as a “world class” pike fishery. While “world class” seems to get tossed around frequently these days, it is hard to imagine many bodies of water that can rival Lake Sakakawea for big pike. There are a few such places, to be sure, but they are rare. For North Dakota anglers seeking a trophy northern pike, the opportunity is now and the place is nearby.

Lake Sakakawea has had several excellent northern pike spawns that led to today’s population of big fish. In particular, those years which followed several seasons of low water on the nation’s largest reservoir.

“Pike spawn similar to perch,” explained Power. “Ideal conditions are an early spring rise into the vegetation. That’s the glory days for reproduction.”

Power points out that North Dakota fishermen placed an emphasis on northern pike in what he calls the “pre-walleye years” prior to 1972.

“Pike fishing was a big deal when the lake was coming up every year,” said Power.

Lake Sakakawea was referred to years ago as the “Pike Capital of the World.” While that title may or may not have been proper, it certainly attracted the attention of those seeking trophy pike. Those days appear to have returned or, at the very least, are beginning to return. Pike fishing on Sakakawea is on the upswing and could last for several more years.

Big water produces big fish. Right now Lake Sakakawea pike fishing is a remarkable boon for fishermen who are taking advantage of a near perfect situation.

Pike fishing equipment

Most fishermen in North Dakota already have the fishing equipment necessary to chase pike. Sure, there’s always ways to improve on fishing tackle for a particular species, but there’s no need to do so all at once. Just give it a try with what you’ve got and you might be surprised at the results.

Basic needs are a medium heavy to heavy fishing rod, a favorite reel and 15 to 30 pound test line. Many pike fishermen prefer braid in the 20-30 pound range. Steel leaders in the 20-30 pound range or fluorocarbon leaders of 50-pound test or more will keep toothy pike from biting off the line. Fluorocarbon can be used for multiple catches while steel leaders tend to become bent, sometimes after a single fish. Fluorocarbon leaders can become nicked by pike teeth and lose strength, so checking them after each fish is a good idea.

Pike will chase a variety of lures but, as pike fishermen will attest, not all lures will work at all times. There are days, or hours within days, when pike will viciously chase surface lures. At other times lures under the water will work better. No matter which presentation a fisherman prefers, some fine-tuning might be necessary. For example, pike following a spinnerbait but not taking it might completely inhale a swimbait. It is up to the fisherman to find the best lure for any particular time on the water.

There are times when pike will follow or swallow almost any lure. Single hook lures, such as spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, make for easier removal but perhaps fewer hook-ups as well. A fisherman must choose what he feels is the best presentation. It is part of a typical challenge faced by anglers of any species.

Do big fish prefer big baits? Probably, but big fish will hit smaller baits too. However, don’t be afraid to use a lure as big as your fishing rod and reel will handle. The results will often be very surprising and many fishermen will discover that even small pike will chase and bite big lures.

Almost any fishing reel will do for pike fishing, at least for starting out. Spinning reels are fun and easy to use but baitcasting reels generally have a heavier drag which proves useful, even necessary, when battling hefty pike. A heavier drag also can help shorten the time needed to bring in a big pike, an important factor if practicing catch and release. The less tired a pike is the better its chance for survival when returned to the water.

Finding big pike

You can’t catch big pike if you can’t find them. Fishermen of any species will say the same thing. You have to fish where the fish are to have success. An important thing to remember when fishing pike is that they are an ambush fish. They prefer to use cover as a camouflage, such as weed beds or submerged trees, often in 10-12 feet of water or less.

Pike are considered a cold water species, meaning they prefer to seek cooler and deeper water during the hot months of summer. However, that doesn’t mean they all stay there all the time. Quite often big pike can be found cruising in a foot or two of water at virtually any time of the year. Fishermen should always make a few casts to shallow water to determine if pike are present.

Good bets for big pike are shelves that are adjacent to deep water, particularly if the shelf has cover located on it. When pike come up from deep water and go on the hunt, or are simply warming up in the sunshine and shallow water, they are usually susceptible to being caught on hook and line.

Lake Sakakawea provides plenty of challenges for pike fishermen, especially when water levels rise or fall. Favorite pike catching areas are certain to change along with the water levels. At those times it is up to the angler to solve the riddle of where the fish have moved and a search for new fishing areas begins.

Small pike must feed often. If an angler encounters an area with an abundance of small pike with a good catch rate and then experiences a drops off, it may be that bigger pike have moved into the area. The presence of big pike will cause smaller pike to hide. The very time it seems the fish quit biting might be the best opportunity of the day to hook into the fish of a lifetime. Persistence often yields rewards when fishing for trophy-sized pike.

Pike can be caught anytime of the year, but excellent times for finding big pike are in the early spring and late fall. Right now is a great time to try and catch a big pike or two and Lake Sakakawea is the perfect place to do so. Also, what a fishermen learns on the water yet this fall may prove useful next spring and in the years to come.