By Jack Kulpa Northerns prowl specific areas in fall. And it's not where you fished in spring.
Big pike are tough to find in summer and even more difficult to catch.
After the spawn they retreat to deep water where they remain inaccessible and aloof. Even if you're lucky enough to catch one then, you'll seldom catch two large pike in the same area. Yet, when aspens turn gold and teal fly south, these same fish begin a feeding frenzy that makes them reckless and vulnerable. Although big pike are by nature solitary fish, several factors concentrate them into small areas when autumn arrives. Here they prowl, much like a wolf pack, feeding on migrating fish.