Ted Peck Fishing

Northern pike are the gangbangers of the Mississippi, preying on the weak, crippled and clueless. They are built for fast attack with long, slender bodies, large anal & caudal fins and a powerful tail enabling them to shoot forward quickly in a serpentine motion, just like a snake.

Snake is just one popular nickname for this alpha predator. Other popular descriptions are hammer handle and my favorite: snot rocket. Regardless, anglers seldom describe these gamefish in favorable terms until they grow to at least 30″. News regs which went in place this year changed the daily bag limit to 3 with only one over 30″. Last year and for long as anyone can remember the daily bag here has always been 5 with no minimum length limit.

Harvest restrictions on northern pike is one place where I take umbrage with learned fisheries biologists. Regarding all other harvest restrictions which took effect this year–I don’t think they are restrictive enough. But with pike I believe the desultory and often profane comments echoing across the water when a pike finds your hook will see drastic increase in years to come and snot rockets proliferate to dominate the fishery. This year a remarkable number of 18-22″ toothers have found hooks intended for other species for my clients. Many times their visit is only confirmed by a slack line and a $7 lure gone forever.

Late summer snot rocket and fish bigger than 30″ which deserve to be called
” Mr. Pike” behave like two different species, something to consider when actually targeting Esox lucius. With binocular vision, pike are primarily sight feeders. Water with visibility of at least 2′ because of overall water clarity and light penetration are major factors in location and behavior.Of course, the presence of easy prey trumps all other parameters.

Since they are sight feeders, pike tend to cruise weed edges in thicker submergent growth instead of tucking back in the midst of the canopy. They like to hang around points, narrows, beaver trails and tributary entry points, waiting in ambush.

Although pike are explosive swimmers, they don’t waste energy. Wary bluegills swimming just a few feet away are relatively safe. But the injured fish–or one on the end of your line is in real peril.

Fishing is generally tough for all species except panfish at this point in the summer because there is so much forage in the water. If you want to catch pike of substantial proportions, the adage big bait=big fish holds true.

My two favorite big pike baits are a 1 oz. Northland tandem spinnerbait in orange/chartreuse and a 3/4 oz. FLOATING RT-97 Rat-L-Trap.. Several years ago Bill Lewis lures honored me by naming the classic ‘Trap with a red head/white body ‘Uncle Ted’s Red Head’ because the color pattern and vibration of this lipless crankbait are so very, VERY effective on Mississippi River pike.

My next lure choices for pike this time of year are Z-Man buzzbaits & chatterbaits in black/blue pattern. I like to add a 2″ blue Kalin scrub to the buzzer to enhance both action and lift and a 4″ Kalin Sizmic shad to the chatterbait to enhance bait profile. In both cases, these lures are further tweaked by adding a stinger hook. On the Z-Man chatterbait I swap out the snap for a snap attached to a 6″ steel leader to prevent buying a pike from enjoying a five-dollar lunch.

Static tension on the water’s surface produces a “bubble line” when retrieving a buzzbait. If this bubble line is not at lease 3′ long another lure is likely a better choice. Static tension is usually greatest on hot, muggy summer days like we typically see in late August and early September.

Returning to that that 30+” pike behave like a different species than snot rockets, with normal summer pool levels drawing lots of forage to main channel rocks, trailing edges of wingdams and closing dams become prime spots for a big pike to wait in ambush. The confluence of two currents at any trib entry point is also worth at least a few casts.

Using livebait for bigger pike requires more patience than I’m typically known for can be very effective. But a 4-7″ bluegill with half its tail snipped off, impaled on a 5/0 hook with a steel leader pegged 2-6′ under a big bobber–presented at an optimum ambush point–will almost always produce a decent pike…especially if you can watch the cork with a cold beverage from a shady spot.

Although River level is the lowest we’ve seen in a couple years, it is still a couple feet above historic lows over the past 20. Bluegills are a great go-to when fishing mid-day. Fog is usually a factor. burns off between 8-9:30 a.m.

A large portion of the bluegill biomass can be found in <7 fow this time of year at these pool levels–usually relating to submergent vegetation or under water lotus canopy.

Fish are usually eager to bite–once you figure out a couple of critical parameters on depth and presentation.

On Wed. the ‘magic’ depth was 4-4.2 fow. Yesterday 4.6-4.8. Today 5.2-5.6. visibility is 18-24″, with ‘gills (and perch!) holding within a couple inches of the bottom. Crappies are cruising suspended about 2′ down.

If water is flat calm I like to pitch a 1/80-1/32 ounce jig. With a breese, 1/32-1/16 oz. The bite is usually EXCEPTIONALLY light, often when bait wafts down to within 1′ of bottom. Tailoring jig weight to wind & current conditions is important.

My favorite stick is a 9’ St. Croix panfish series. Sufix 6 lb. YELLOW braid. Ultra sensitive rod + hi-vis line definitely an edge to realize the bite.

On windy days a vertical presentation works best. On calm days pitching the jig away from the boat and swimming it back produces more quality fish.

There are three distinct late summer crappie patterns that i know of which will consistently produce late summer crappies: wood, weeds & cruisers.

Crappies relate to pretty much the same submergent/emergent weed growth as ‘gills and perch in backwaters and running sloughs in last August, BUT you’ll find crappies suspended a little higher in the water column…maybe not much when we’re talking gills/perch in 3-6 fow.

A good way to confirm their presence is to tie a pink/white/silver hook in-line about 18-24″ above the tiny bait you’re searching for perch with. It is possible to fish too deep for crappies. But seldom too shallow. The panfish bite is truly a finesse bite. Adding a 1/32 oz crappie jig might be too much. (but sometimes needed in a stiff breeze). If wind is not a factor I go with a #8 streamer fly. Most crappie bites occur as hooks are falling or when reeling in the lures to make another cast.

Crappies are already starting to relate more to wood. A pattern which usually doesn’t kick in until Sept…then gets better every day. Look for at least 10 fow on wood and drop a little hair, feather or tube jig close to the wood 1-4′ down. I don’t use live bait. 10’ sticks+20 lb braid+ light wire hooks keep you in the game. I teach a technique in which you only break of 1 time out of 10 when the hook finds wood…and if you aren’t finding wood regularly, you aren’t fishing where the crappies are!

‘cruisers’ are schools of crappies dogging schools of baitfish. They may be relating to deeper submergent wood, or simply subtle current breaks. Watch for SUBTLE feeding on the surface. Might be gar, might be crappies. If the fish are SMB or WB the feeding activity is much more obvious.

I always have a 1/16 oz white RoadRunner or Rooster Tail ready to cast at those feeding dimples on the surface, with a steady retrieve 1-3′ down. Sometimes this pays off with crazy action which might put 12 slabbers in the box in that many minutes. Or not. You’ll never know if you don’t try.

August begins with the River level at the ‘Action’ stage, which means access can be dicey and dam gates are open. This is the new normal, as siltation has become a factor in backwaters throughout Pool 9 and directly upstream.

But the ‘new normal’ is different this year. Since June the River level has been like harmonic waves which roll behind an upbound tow running heavy long after the tow has passed upstream around the next bend. Wave crests and troughs behind a tow must be respected–but they are manageable.

Fish patterns have been the same way. Daily movement +movement driven by changes in River level of a couple feet or so from week to week, making it easier to predict where fish are gonna be when I get to the job site pretty much every morning.

Although habitat parameters have been good all summer, we’re at a point where both forage base and aquatic weed growth are at max levels. With an abundance of food in the system, it’s tough to get fish interested. They get a vote too, usually choosing something without a hook.

The panfish bite has been most consistently good throughout the day. One segment of the bluegill/crappie forage base is always relating to the wood. Another bunch is relating to the weeds, where both location and attitude change every day.

Last Thursday’s trip we struggled to put a mess of panfish in the boat. A fairly stiff NW breeze from an overnite cold front felt great, but pretty much shut ’em down. Returned to the same 2-4 fow yesterday and absolutely pounded the crappie, gills and perch. In days gone by there has been a wingdam bite for late summer gills. Too much water this year for this to happen–unless the harmonic wave of River level drops Her down about 3′ more.

Willocat have generally been the best weapon for wingdam walleyes this summer. Somedays, the marble-eyes want cranks bounced off the rocks. But floating eelgrass can be a factor. A drift bite with a 3/16 pyrokeet jighead and half-crawler has usually been more productive.

Pike are always pretty easy and active all day long. With SMB, the bite is best early & late in the day–playing the shade–on the rocks. Frog fishin’ for LMB is always predictably easy if you know what other habitat parameters to look for. Personally, I’ve never cared much for frog fishin’. Cranking in a 10 pounder which comes with 8 lb. of weeds just isn’t fun. Just like old school hay baling to pull a chunk of deer jerky from the middle of the alfalfa once the bale is in the boat.

With significant temperature differences between water & air between towering bluffs which line the upper Miss, morning fog is a factor probably 5 days a week in August. Navigation in the fog is profoundly hazardous. I don’t rely on electronics much on the River, BUT having mapping capability with a Lakemaster or Navionics chip is a Godsend when sneaking through the morning fog.

Eelgrass has been a minor nuisance with perpetual River level changes all summer long. This situation will get worse as water temperatures cool. Weeds are a major factor in bait presentation as we get into September and beyond.

My latest book: Tails, Trails & Tales with the Old Guide is available on Amazon, local outlets along the River in in Kindle ebook. There might be a Vol II next Spring–or I’ll finally start an all encompassing book on fishing the upper Miss. This will be a lot of work. Would rather be fishin’.

Compared to 2019, this covid-crazy year is spectacular–at least in MY world. 2020 started with my induction to the Hall of Fame. This honor has been profoundly humbling. have been trying to shed the notion that i should hold myself more accountable for behavior ever since.

River levels have been yo-yo since June. Fortunately, more “Yo! Fish on!” than “yo, the water is coming through the trees again” the latter was the case over 200 days last year–so this one is a beauty!

Never has been need for a mask or social distancing here on the River. God is in charge here. He is down with the concept of personal freedom…so long as you don’t lose sight of who the Great Rainmaker is. The only time I realized our freedom is in serious jeopardy is when the TV is on or the Admiral & me have to make a trip to town. When the TV is on, it’s either Netflix or TV Land. If far left twits ever start a “Defund the Andy Griffith Show” groundswell, I’ll just unplug the TV. All the news that matters in MY world can be found on Wunderground.com and the NOAA River level chart.

here on the River there are times when hooking up can be challenging. With the exception of panfish & pike, gamefish activity has been pretty much before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. Water temp has dropped to the mid 70’s from the low 80’s on the main channel. Even though the dawg days are right around the corner, look for water temps to fall a few more degrees beginning next week.

Not that this impacts fish metabolism. This is pretty much in overdrive. But fish of all species have SO MUCH FOOD in the water right now, they don’t have to actively chase down anything with hooks. They have to be triggered to bite. This gives reaction lures an edge over livebait most of the time INCLUDING switching presentation in a trolling presentation or with the basic ‘cast it out/reel it in of a crankbait or spinnerbait with a little ANIMATION. Pops, twitches and radical direction change in the lure just before you pull it out of the water to make another cast.

With all the food in the system fish will often cruise behind your bait on a steady retrieve and investigate rather than deciding to chew. A little “figure L” maneuver right at boatside will often wake you up with a jerk on the other end of the line when there’s less than 5’ of line out. Yo! Fish on!

With water temps vacillating between 70-84 degrees common sense might tell you to go after pannies in deeper, cooler water. But with both emergent and submergent weed growth at summer peak most catchable perch and pannies in general are living in less than 8 feet of water–often in waters less than half that deep.

The key to fish location is FOOD and there is an absolute cornucopia of forage swimming and wriggling around in elodea, American water lotus, eelgrass edges, under duckweed, in between clumps of smartweed–essentially everywhere but in blue green algae .

Although surface temp in open water is steamin’, the temp under the weed canopy is about 10 degrees cooler. With food all over the place and escape cover just a tail flick away all habitat requirements are happily met.

I seldom use a float when probing for summer panfish on the River. Reasonable stealth and a 7-9 ‘ St. Croix panfish series rod is just about perfect for dropping 1/80-1/32 ounce jigs tipped with a waxie or little pinch of worm between the weeds and in front of a fish face.

It takes less than 30 seconds for this weight to fall seductively through the water column to the bottom. The best action is found in water with >2’ visibility, so fish are watching it pretty much from the instant it touches the water’s surface.

If you don’t get bit by the time the jig hits the bottom, raise that long rod and repeat the process between weeds a foot or so away. It may take an hour or so to find the weeds that fish are relating to and tweaking the presentation to find out what trips their trigger.

My favorite baits for catching gills and perch in the weeds are the Bimbo Skunk and Teddy Skunk Perchanator. Both are available at most bait shops along the River and directly from Bimbo Skunk. com.

Sometimes the perch are relating to the deep water weed edges, especially elodea (commonly known as coontail) where they like to feed on little benthic macroinvertebrates–essentially larval stage of bugs which morph into flying bugs which live in the weeds or emerge from dark bottom to eventually stretch their wings and take flight.

When probing this soft bottom/weed edge habitat my weapon of choice is a 1/16-1/8 oz Northland Tackle Buckshot Rattlespoon in perch/gold tipped with a little bait–with a Perchanator hanging just off the bottom nearby.

Time of day is not that critical when chasing pannies. In high summer the first couple hours after sunrise and before sunset are the best times to chase bass or walleyes. Those obnoxious pike are active all day long. If humidity is causing high surface tension producing a ‘bubble trail’at least 5’ long behind a Z-Man buzzbait with a Kalin scrub trailer its hard to find a more effective pike trigger bait in the River in late summer. But snot rockets will have to wait for a future blog. Gotta go pet my Lund.

As the River continues to drop and clear, closing dams are tremendous places to find numbers of active fish. Closing dams run parallel to the main channel. Purpose is to keep water in main channel rather than following nature’s course downstream through a running slough.

Closing dams are not perfect. Every one has a couple of anomalies like a mis-placed rock pile or low spot which are fish magnets. The backside of closing dams off of the main channel have little anomalies like sand bars, eddies and current chutes which also attract fish.

The key is bait. Find bait and fish won’t be far away. This morning i got on the water at 1st light, planning on catching a mess of SMB to fed my fishing addiction.

I started by spot-locking on the backside of the closing dam where current causes depth along the shore behind the closing dam rocks. A short distance away the bottom comes up to form a sandbar. The perfect ambush spot!

After 5 casts with a topwater failed to produce I switched to a #Zman ned rig w/ finesse TRD and a few drops of Liquid Willowcat. 14-incher on the 1st cast–and 6 of the next 8 casts fishing a current seam at the leading edge of the hole behind the wingdam.

Then a school of white bass showed up, herding river shiners to a point where they could be ambushed. Caught several pump/snapping the Ned off the bottom on my #StCroixrods 7′ panfish series ultralight. Fish weren’t huge, 9-11″.

Rigged a 1/16 oz. white RoadRunner with a 1″ Kalin fliptail on my Croix NINE FOOT panfish series rod, while the water boiled with whiteys. It takes about 5 mins. of pure joy to whup a WB on a 9′ ultralight panfish rod. By the time this fish was at boatside, the whiteys had skulked back downstream to plan their next attack. Picked up the Ned rig and popped several more SMB and a short walleye.

Then the surface started raining shiners again with WB in hot pursuit. Quit counting @ 25 fish…but had to catch one more. This turned in to about 10 more. Started counting again. At 23 fish a 16″ SMB slurped in the Roadrunner. Takes awhile to bring a critter like that to boatside on a 9′ buggy whip.

Kalin fliptail came off in the melee. This and special pain in both shoulders told me this was enough fun for one morning.

Got off the water @ 9 a.m. Pretty sure the WB @ SMB will be chewing there for awhile. July & Aug. produce closing dam action like this on a regular basis if the river level is right. Time of day can play a role in fish activity. But if the bait is there, you can bet predators will be close by, too.

My passion for fishing knows no bounds. Catching fish until you’re tired of catching fish isn’t an easy benchmark to achieve. But I’m there now. Just heard the Admiral fire up the lawnmower. 10 a.m. Might have to go help her after my nap. Or not.

A few weeds coming down the main channel this morning. Water is stained out there, but not so bad in the running sloughs. River is dropping like a stone. fishing really good for walleyes, pike and those stupid bass. Panfish getting re-oriented. Bite will be good by Wed. morning. Water temp 84!

Hot weather pattern means I’m fishing from 5-10. Kinda reminds me of the summer of ’88 when we had a bunch of 100 degree days. This summer not so bad–yet. ’88 was an exceptional yr. Boated 1004 eyes from June thru Aug. Similar pattern developing this yr. as the River level begins to fall.

Have several openings during the week for most of July if ya wanna get out–but until this weather breaks I’m only gonna fish half-days, getting out at first light.

My special Saturday rate applies for those who wanna fish from 11-4 until projected high temps drop below 85. Yes, fishing is HOT… but so is the weather.

Smart old dogs don’t even stay on the porch when there is air conditioning and cold beverages on the other side of the door.

After about a week of truly wonderful water levels the River is projected to jump a bunch into action stage again just in time for the July 4 weekend. Action has been really, really good for walleyes on the rocks the past few days. Looks like we’ll have maybe 2-3 days to cash in on this bite before the River spikes again.

Bass/pike fishin’ is pretty easy and should remain so as these fish push back into the nether reaches of running sloughs away from the main channel as the River begins to rise.

the key for catching just about all active fish will be targeting areas which load from downstream as the River goes up. this pushes cleaner water at the upstream edge of these areas providing 2’+ visibility which is key in finding aggressive fish. Right now the water temp is about 73 degrees.

Obvious emergent weed edges will be a little tougher to find by the weekend, as rising water makes these edges submergent again. Optimistically, this just concentrates fish into fewer areas, which should make fishin’ easier…once you know where to find these areas!

truly, there is nothing more important than time on the water. Those folks who are out there pretty much every day have a good handle on where fish will be and how they will behave under these ‘new normal’ conditions.

i’m out there pretty much every day and it still takes me about an hour–every single day–to figure out both fish location and attitude.

The Navy SEALs mantra is “the only easy day is yesterday” . Pretty much true on the River…but fishin’ is certainly easier–and better than it’s been since 2017.

Bottom line: any day you can get out on the River is better than any day spent NOT on the River. When a fish finds the hook, it’s even sweeter than when fishin’ is too easy. For some of us, not fishin’ is NOT an option. So there ya go.

The effects of 4″ of rain a couple days ago may prove short lived. River came up almost 2′ at Genoa. Projections call for it to fall sharply in the next 24 hours. This fluctuation came on so quickly that a lot of fish pretty much sheltered in place

Look for bass to stage at choke points in running sloughs as River levels drop sharply. This can be a time when a distinct mudline change can hold a pile of active fish!

If I could throw just 2 baits to start with they would be a white tandem spinnerbait and my beloved oxbow Trap. Doesn’t make much sense to leave active fish once you’ve found ’em.!

Buzzbait bite has been good on humid days when surface tension is high. Frog bite good too. Not gonna say much about the plastics bite…but it involves Ned riggin’ with a willocat plastic and da sauce.