Riege: The Search for Esox Lucius (Water Wolf) at MaKoop Lake

Published 10:38 pm Wednesday, November 16, 2011

By Bob & Ginny Riege

On Aug. 1 Ginny and I were guests of the community of Bearskin Lake, the Wasaya Group (WGI), its new tourist association Wasaya Wilderness Adventures and Wasaya Airways LP. We arrived at Bearskin Lake and were shown around the community by Richard Moskotaywenene, the general manager of MaKoop Lake Lodge. (www.MaKoopLakeLodge.com) By the late morning our float plane had arrived and took us on a short 20 minute flight to MaKoop Lake Lodge and the hunt for Esox Lucius (a.k.a. the Water Wolf) or northern pike.

The Water Wolf name begins with “Esox” this is the old Latin name for pike and “Lucius” is also Latin, and probably derived from the Greek word lukos or “wolf” alluding to the predatory habits of the fish.

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MaKoop Lake is a 28,000 acre lake that lies in the Northwestern part of Ontario and it is a trophy lake especially for northern pike and walleyes. MaKoop is a fairly shallow lake and it has a large amount of vegetation that grows in the lake, this makes it an ideal place for northern pike to grow and to ambush their prey.

For the most part, pike are associated with weeds. They lie in ambush in weeds, and then attack their prey with astonishing speed. You cannot move a lure too fast for a northern to catch it, either trolling or casting. In fact, a lure that zips past a pike at extremely high speed is likely to trigger a strike that a pokey lure might not.

The weather that far north even in early August was more like the weather in the middle of September back here. While many of you were basking in the 90’s we had high temperatures in 50’s. In the morning we had our fireplaces going to stave off the chill from the night before. This could only mean one thing to the fish. It was time to start preparing themselves for winter and that meant putting on the feedbag.

One of the key areas to look for active pike and walleyes are in funnelled down areas. We know that fish and animals use funnelled down areas to migrate from the feeding source to a place of resting. When I am on the water in autumn I tend to look for funnelled down areas, because it is a great place to look for walleyes as they pass through in search of food. Necked down areas, saddles between islands and land, narrows, and even break lines are great places to begin looking for active northern pike in the fall. Breaklines are areas where the floor of the lake or river drop-off from shallow water to deeper water. The breakline is a transitional area. Walleyes have a tendency to move up into the shallows on cloudy, windy days or in the evening and then slide back into the depths to rest. The “water wolf” takes this into account and waits until it can hunt in a pack and attack these walleyes as they make the transition.

Pike are aggressive, which is unfortunate for them but fortunate for fisherman. They lack judgment. Where a walleye would look at a minnow from six sides before believing it is a minnow, a northern will nail almost any glittering object that moves. Even better, northerns keep bankers’ hours. You can sleep in, get up, and find the northerns pigging out at midday. My kind of fish, and, better yet, northerns go right on snarfing up the poor forage species even after cold fronts that cause so many fish to throw tantrums and go on hunger strikes. Finally, and best of all, northerns keep right on filling their bellies when hot weather arrives and other game fish become picky eaters.

This is also one of the best times of the year to get a trophy northern pike. These monsters move into the shallow areas and because of their unique tendency to “fatten up” a large number of big fish are caught. Usually big northern pike can be very spooky fish, and in shallow water they become even more cautious. This was not the case during the first two weeks of August at MaKoop.

Pike fishing traditionally means BIG baits, but what about those days when the fish continuously follow the lure but refuse to strike? Small baits are the answer to the question. Pike can become conditioned to big baits that are commonly thrown by the majority of anglers. Some of the fish there are 30 to 40 years old and they have seen just about every bait known to man. Although pike can attain tremendous weight and size, there is something about a small bait under the right circumstances that can work pure magic. Early season is one of those moments. Northern pike are less likely to exert themselves chasing down large prey, but can be convinced to take a swipe at a bite-sized snack.

The phrase “small bait” is a relative term when discussing species-specific lures. For the northern pike, small can be defined as a lure that measures less than five-inches in length.

Cold front conditions are another situation that calls for downsizing your presentation. We’ve all been there before – bright blue skies, sunny and without a cloud in the sky. This is darn tough fishing in anyone’s book. Pike can be caught during these periods, but it will take something small, natural and unobtrusive to do the damage. This isn’t a time for monster cranks or behemoth trolling plugs, but scaled down versions that will be appealing and noteworthy to the lazy pike with lockjaw. The most popular lures have been the Mepps #4 and #5 spinners both dressed and undressed. Similar Blue Fox varieties are also very popular. Plastics and jigs are also effective at this time. Although these lures seem smaller than what you would normally envision as pike tackle, they are producing record class fish. Over the course of the season the most popular lure may well be the Mann’s Minus 1- in various sizes. It has a wide wobble and can be cranked over the top of the weeds without getting hung up. We selected colors that varied from silver to bright red to attract the pike.

The tackle required is a stiff rod, like a Shimano Clarus Series rod that you might use for muskie. The line should be a low stretch monofilament in about 12 to 17 lb. test, Berkley XT is good choice. I will also spool this up on a Shimano Calcutta bait casting reel. The reason that I use a baitcaster is that it allows me more line capacity and I can use a long handled rod to tuck under my arm while speed trolling.

If you are looking for a hunt for Esox Lucius “The Water Wolf” look no further than MaKoop Lake. For more information contact: Bruce Fallen Wasaya Tourism Advisor; brucefallen@tbaytel.net or tourism@wgimail.com. MaKoop Lake Lodge General Manager, Richard Moskotaywennene at richardmosk@yahoo.com, of visit Wasaya Group Inc www.wasayagroup.com/WWA_Home.html. I know we will be back for the hunt next year and many years to come.The Search for Esox Lucius (Water Wolf) at MaKoop Lake

By Bob & Ginny Riege

 

On August 1st Ginny and I were guests of the community of Bearskin Lake, the Wasaya Group (WGI), its new tourist association Wasaya Wilderness Adventures and Wasaya Airways LP. We arrived at Bearskin Lake and were shown around the community by Richard Moskotaywenene, the general manager of MaKoop Lake Lodge. (www.MaKoopLakeLodge.com) By the late morning our float plane had arrived and took us on a short 20 minute flight to MaKoop Lake Lodge and the hunt for Esox Lucius (a.k.a. the Water Wolf) or northern pike.

The Water Wolf name begins with “Esox” this is the old Latin name for pike and “Lucius” is also Latin, and probably derived from the Greek word lukos or “wolf” alluding to the predatory habits of the fish.

MaKoop Lake is a 28,000 acre lake that lies in the Northwestern part of Ontario and it is a trophy lake especially for northern pike and walleyes. MaKoop is a fairly shallow lake and it has a large amount of vegetation that grows in the lake, this makes it an ideal place for northern pike to grow and to ambush their prey.

For the most part, pike are associated with weeds. They lie in ambush in weeds, and then attack their prey with astonishing speed. You cannot move a lure too fast for a northern to catch it, either trolling or casting. In fact, a lure that zips past a pike at extremely high speed is likely to trigger a strike that a pokey lure might not.

The weather that far north even in early August was more like the weather in the middle of September back here. While many of you were basking in the 90’s we had high temperatures in 50’s. In the morning we had our fireplaces going to stave off the chill from the night before. This could only mean one thing to the fish. It was time to start preparing themselves for winter and that meant putting on the feedbag.

One of the key areas to look for active pike and walleyes are in funnelled down areas. We know that fish and animals use funnelled down areas to migrate from the feeding source to a place of resting. When I am on the water in autumn I tend to look for funnelled down areas, because it is a great place to look for walleyes as they pass through in search of food. Necked down areas, saddles between islands and land, narrows, and even break lines are great places to begin looking for active northern pike in the fall. Breaklines are areas where the floor of the lake or river drop-off from shallow water to deeper water. The breakline is a transitional area. Walleyes have a tendency to move up into the shallows on cloudy, windy days or in the evening and then slide back into the depths to rest. The “water wolf” takes this into account and waits until it can hunt in a pack and attack these walleyes as they make the transition.

Pike are aggressive, which is unfortunate for them but fortunate for fisherman. They lack judgment. Where a walleye would look at a minnow from six sides before believing it is a minnow, a northern will nail almost any glittering object that moves. Even better, northerns keep bankers’ hours. You can sleep in, get up, and find the northerns pigging out at midday. My kind of fish, and, better yet, northerns go right on snarfing up the poor forage species even after cold fronts that cause so many fish to throw tantrums and go on hunger strikes. Finally, and best of all, northerns keep right on filling their bellies when hot weather arrives and other game fish become picky eaters.

This is also one of the best times of the year to get a trophy northern pike. These monsters move into the shallow areas and because of their unique tendency to “fatten up” a large number of big fish are caught. Usually big northern pike can be very spooky fish, and in shallow water they become even more cautious. This was not the case during the first two weeks of August at MaKoop.

Pike fishing traditionally means BIG baits, but what about those days when the fish continuously follow the lure but refuse to strike? Small baits are the answer to the question. Pike can become conditioned to big baits that are commonly thrown by the majority of anglers. Some of the fish there are 30 to 40 years old and they have seen just about every bait known to man. Although pike can attain tremendous weight and size, there is something about a small bait under the right circumstances that can work pure magic. Early season is one of those moments. Northern pike are less likely to exert themselves chasing down large prey, but can be convinced to take a swipe at a bite-sized snack.

The phrase “small bait” is a relative term when discussing species-specific lures. For the northern pike, small can be defined as a lure that measures less than five-inches in length.

Cold front conditions are another situation that calls for downsizing your presentation. We’ve all been there before – bright blue skies, sunny and without a cloud in the sky. This is darn tough fishing in anyone’s book. Pike can be caught during these periods, but it will take something small, natural and unobtrusive to do the damage. This isn’t a time for monster cranks or behemoth trolling plugs, but scaled down versions that will be appealing and noteworthy to the lazy pike with lockjaw. The most popular lures have been the Mepps #4 and #5 spinners both dressed and undressed. Similar Blue Fox varieties are also very popular. Plastics and jigs are also effective at this time. Although these lures seem smaller than what you would normally envision as pike tackle, they are producing record class fish. Over the course of the season the most popular lure may well be the Mann’s Minus 1- in various sizes. It has a wide wobble and can be cranked over the top of the weeds without getting hung up. We selected colors that varied from silver to bright red to attract the pike.

The tackle required is a stiff rod, like a Shimano Clarus Series rod that you might use for muskie. The line should be a low stretch monofilament in about 12 to 17 lb. test, Berkley XT is good choice. I will also spool this up on a Shimano Calcutta bait casting reel. The reason that I use a baitcaster is that it allows me more line capacity and I can use a long handled rod to tuck under my arm while speed trolling.

If you are looking for a hunt for Esox Lucius “The Water Wolf” look no further than MaKoop Lake. For more information contact: Bruce Fallen Wasaya Tourism Advisor; brucefallen@tbaytel.net or tourism@wgimail.com. MaKoop Lake Lodge General Manager, Richard Moskotaywennene at richardmosk@yahoo.com, of visit Wasaya Group Inc www.wasayagroup.com/WWA_Home.html. I know we will be back for the hunt next year and many years to come.