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How to Catch a Northern Pike on your fishing trip

Huge Northern Pike caught at Oak Lake Lodge.
When you come to Oak Lake Lodge, you'll experience the most fun fly in fishing experience in all of Ontario and Canada. 

However, you may also suffer from extreme frustration when trying to catch the huge pike that live in our lake. 

Never fear! 

The following pike tips are practiced by our skilled and professional guides and should help you catch the pike of your dreams.

Have Patience for the Pike's Silly Games

Pike are notoriously playful fish when it comes to bait: they'll often hit the bait and let go or simply thrash around it. 

While we know it's definitely rude to play with your food, the pike has no such objections. 

That's why you need to have some patience: if you see your bobber bobbing up and down without sinking, you likely got a pike.

Some pike will happily nip away your bait without taking it for a run. There's not much you can do about this, but playing with the bait a little bit may incite it to take a full bite. 

And if your bait keeps disappearing down the gullet of a pike in nips and bites, keep casting in the same area: there's bound to be more!

Choosing the Best Bait

Pike in our lake get really big: you're going to need bait at least six to eight inches long to catch the biggest pike. While you may be able to find live bait, such as worms, leaches, or minnows in that size, you may need to use artificial lures.

The best artificial lures should be white, yellow, or chartreuse versions of the following:

In-line spinners,

Spoon,

Minnow-imitating plug,

Spinner-bait,

Surface plug.

When it comes to rod, reel, and line, you're going to need ones that can handle 20 pounds: our pike get huge, thanks to our unique “catch and release” policy, which guarantees an active and large fish population.

Get the Gas and Bug Spray Off Your Hands

Pike are very sensitive to smells and the two strongest in your boat are likely to be gas or bug spray. If you handle either of these substances in your boat, don't bait your fish immediately. Instead, wash your hands in sugar or salt (using water kept on the boat) and carefully dry. This should remove the harsh scent of these substances from your bait and encourage pike to strike.

Other substances to keep off your hands include:

Food scents (especially potent ones),

Urine,

Scents of other pike you've handled,

Artificial scents (such as peppermint),

Cologne.

Avoid the Weeds

You're probably used to fishing for pike in weed beds: pike are “ambush” predators that use the cover of weeds to attack their prey. 

However, this is a mistake if you want to catch the biggest pike in Oak Lake: only small to medium pike hang out in the weeds. And we don't really have small or medium pike in our lake!

Instead, you should head out for the open waters of our lake: large pike prefer hanging out here, near the bottom of the lake, to ambush their favorite prey. 

Not sure where to stop? Never fear! Our expert fishing guides have fought pike on this lake for years and they know all the best fishing spots.

Are you excited about the possibility of catching the biggest pike in Canada? 

Then come to Oak Lake Lodge for the most comfortable and successful fishing experience of your life. 

Our fish catch photo gallery should give you all the visuals you need to want to come.
However, other popular amenities of our lodge include:

Delicious meals,

Private access to a beautiful lake,

Highly skilled and experienced fishing guides

Comfortable, clean cabins with modern bathrooms -- just like a hotel.

Sound like a dream come true? Then contact us to make a reservation!

Northern Pike 

Big fish.
02 May, 2020
For many people living in urban and suburban areas, the idea of a week on a lake only accessible by plane is relegated to dreams and fantasy. This is why fly-in fishing has become an important part of people's planned vacations and getaways. While there are some limited locations in the American west to fly in and fish, there is an entire country to the north of the United States with vast tracts of sparsely populated land, ideal for the unique getaway. Canada has some of the best wilderness fishing and hunting on the planet, and resorts specifically catered towards explorers who desire to head out and explore while still enjoying a high-quality vacation.
01 May, 2020
Imaging flying to a remote fishing spot in beautiful Ontario, Canada. You don't have to disembark from your float plane as it turns into a boat from which you do your fishing. If this appeals to you, consider the fun of fly-in fishing. Once you’ve loaded your fishing gear and board a float plane, you can enjoy the stunning views below you, while flying to your fishing destination. If you’re an avid fisherman and want to experience fly-in fishing in beautiful Ontario this fall, here are some guidelines for catching some of the most common species of fish on a fly-in fishing trip.
44.5
29 Apr, 2020
Yes, it is a battle to pull a 44.5" Northern Pike from our Canadian waters, but our guest, pictured in red, did just that on June 2, 2016. His picture has captured the heart of our Oak Lake Lodge Facebook fans! Our guide, Zoel, is pictured to the left.
02 May, 2020
When you vacation, finding access to food is always an issue, especially when you're traveling with a big family. Having many people along on your trip also means dealing with some picky eaters. When you ultimately can't find the food you want while traveling, it only makes your vacation more of a frustration than a relaxing experience. This is all the more reason why you should try our fly-in fishing vacation package here at Oak Lake Lodge. Meals are never a problem at our lodge because we prepare in advance to make your experience the best it can possibly be. You'll also appreciate our attention to something other vacation spots don't always do: Making sure you never go hungry while still making the food healthy. If the word "healthy" sounds like it shouldn't go on vacation, having a hearty meal already means eating well. You have to keep your energy level up to fully enjoy the pristine nature around you here at Oak Lake Lodge. While providing relaxation for you is our goal, you'll have the privacy of Oak Lake where all-day fishing excursions are available at your leisure. The same goes for archery hunting out in the wilderness that's untouched by excessive amounts of tourists or industries. Despite you vacationing in one of the most undisturbed natural locations on earth, being out in the great outdoors always works up an appetite. It's why we place special emphasis on creating meals we know you're going to love. This includes some of the amazing and large fish you'll catch in Oak Lake that you can enjoy as part of a shore lunch. Take a look at what kind of meals you'll experience for every meal of the day, including the ability to snack when you want to.
Oak Lake Lodge view of docks and cabins.
02 May, 2020
When you hear the term "fly-in fishing", no doubt you immediately picture thoughts of a hideaway vacation. While accurate, you've perhaps created a new definition of what a hideaway vacation is. You've possibly become overly cynical about the term because so many hideaway vacations your family visited in the past didn't live up to expectations. This was even more disappointing considering you paid a significant amount to commune with pristine nature and a promise of few tourists. In reality, there aren't any truly pristine tourist areas left in the world other than deserted islands and uninhabited jungles. Only a few places still exist on earth where you'll get some exceptions. We're fortunate to tell you that we provide exceptions here at Oak Lake Lodge thanks to long-standing stringent plans on limiting tourists. Here in Ontario, Canada, we still have some pristine natural environments left not invaded by excess tourism or industry. The land around our lodge received government approval to stay as pristine as you can get while still allowing limited visitors at a time. We only allow 32 people in every few weeks, so you're never experiencing excess tourists. You'll also find many other differences compared to other so-called hideaway vacations. Maybe you know about other secret locations where you can essentially get lost, at least in the off-season. Even if you can sometimes successfully escape crowds in those places, they don't offer the amenities we do. Let's take a look at some of those differences and why we frequently get singled out as one of the best vacation spots within Canada and the United States. We'll help you redefine what a hideaway vacation really is.
Pork back ribs served at Oak lake Lodge, a fly-in fishing lodge in Canada.
01 May, 2020
There isn't any question that food is a top concern when traveling on vacation. You've probably had more headaches over what to eat than anything else when visiting hideaway resorts, hotels, or even bed & breakfasts. What makes this all the more problematic is the kind of food you'll find in the places where you stay. If you're staying overseas, it sometimes means consuming exotic items you've never had before, which only brings elements of risk. While the above is exciting for some people, it can bring some dangers to your health. The last thing you want is food that could potentially make you sick in a foreign location where medical facilities aren't the greatest. Here at Oak Lake Lodge, we decided that food needed a strong focus on our vacation packages. We knew that when people travel to a vacation destination, they wanted food that's substantive, yet also not overly offbeat to a point where it could cause illness. Also, based on the response of our customers, we understood that most people enjoy having traditional food. Yes, traditional food gives you a sense of home, despite being served here in a remote location where pristine nature surrounds you. Let us show you the kind of traditional food you'll find for your fly-in fishing vacation. We'll show you why it's safer and even healthier than many other foods found in other tourist destinations.
A view of Oak Lake Lodge from the lake. A fly-in fishing lodge in Ontario, Canada.
01 May, 2020
When you decide to experience our fly-in fishing vacation package here at Oak Lake Lodge, you'll immediately notice the sense of peace and quiet you'll have in comparison to other vacations. We'll remind you that when you arrive here, you're a long way from any industry. This means miles and miles of natural surroundings and not the loud bustle of traffic. With our limitations of 32 people per visit, you also eliminate concern about excessive tourists. You won't find many vacation spots on earth that don't have an excess of tourists clogging streets, or even on lakes. This sense of peace might sound like we're too far away from providing outstanding amenities. Keep in mind we fly in and provide more amenities and supplies than most lodges do that exist away from civilization.
Main dining room at fly-in fishing lodge.
01 May, 2020
Experiencing autumn during your fly in fishing vacation here at Oak Lake Lodge is like no other nature experience available in the civilized world. Even if you already live near natural areas and love doing activities in the outdoors during the fall or winter, you probably have to experience an excessive amount of people in those places. Plus if it's a vacation spot, you probably work up a considerable appetite after excessive physical exercise. The problem with the two situations above is that being in nature with too many people already ruins any claims of the surroundings being unspoiled. At a vacation resort, it also means crowded restaurants, leaving you having to wait for food when you want food immediately. You won't find either of the above unfortunate scenarios here at Oak Lake Lodge. The nature here is truly pristine because there isn't any industry around for miles. We also have limitations on how many people we let in at a time, so getting food when you want it isn't a problem. Moreover, you'll have more food here than you can probably digest. Our meals are extremely hearty and generous in their servings. The question is how much of an appetite can you generate while visiting us? When you have cooler weather, invigorating fishing, and hunting all together, you can probably get as hungry as the black bears and moose are when they forage for food this fall.
Muskie fish caught at Oak Lake Lodge
30 Apr, 2020
You've probably heard of that term "vacation from the vacation" more than once and maybe only thought of it as facetious.
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