Location

• Typical pike habitatLake Wakatipu in Glenorchy image by Pamela Hitchon from Fotolia.com
  
  Northern Pike are especially common in the northeastern part of the state, where many of the lakes went through a period of high water between the years of 1993 and 2009. Pike live and spawn in the flooded timber along the shorelines. Some lakes, such as such as Bitter Lake, Waubay Lake, Enemy Swim Lake, and Lake Thompson have better pike habitat than others and are known as pike factories.
  
  

Season

• Pike become active as soon as the ice meltsIce and water image by pioregur from Fotolia.com
  
  The most productive time to fish for pike is in the spring. From ice-out until about mid-May, pike are in warm shallow water feeding and spawning. In South Dakota, southern lakes warm sooner. In spring, fish the warmer back bays of lakes like Lake Oahe, Waubay Lake and Bitter Lake, as well as the smaller lakes like Blue Dog Lake.
  
  During summer, many pike remain in shallow water, however larger lakes may be the more productive for pike, as water temperatures in the smaller lakes climb and pike become stressed. Lake Oahe, Waubay Lake, Bitter Lake, Lake Thompson, Enemy Swim Lake, Pickerel Lake and Roy Lake are all good bets for summer pike. By fall, pike will again move into the shallows and are caught in most of the same locations that produce fish in the spring. During winter, pike scatter throughout the lake and are caught through the ice along submerged trees and roadbeds. Waubay Lake and Marsh Lake are popular winter destinations.
  
  

Rods, Reels and Line.

• Heavy duty rods and reels are a necessityJetty Fisherman image by Wimbledon from Fotolia.com
  
  Heavy equipment is a necessity, as pike are strong and vicious fighters. They are also quite toothy. First and foremost in importance is a steel leader. Tied to your line with a lure attached, this 6 inch piece of heavy wire will keep pike from clipping your line off with their razor sharp teeth. A typical pike setup consists of a six to seven foot medium or medium-heavy action rod, and a strong spinning or baitcasting reel capable of holding a full spool of 10 to 20 lb. monofilament or braided line.
  
  

Lures

• Large plastic crankbaits catch pike.series object on white: isolated fishing spoon-bait image by Aleksandr Ugorenkov from Fotolia.com
  
  Popular pike lures include casting spoons, plastic crankbaits (avoid wooden crankbaits, as pike tend to destroy them), spinnerbaits, inline spinners, large jigs with soft plastic lures and large bucktail jigs with bait.
  
  

Bait

• A live smelt. Frozen smelt and other similar fish make excellent pike bait, either live or dead.Fish on Hook 2 image by Valeriy Kirsanov from Fotolia.com
  
  Dead bait such as frozen smelt are effective. Attach a large hook, such as a 1/0 Aberdeen style hook to your steel leader, and then hook a 4 to 7 inch minnow, small sucker, or frozen smelt. Frozen smelt can be purchased at many grocery stores in the freezer section.