James Lindner and Jeff Simpson bring spoons back into the spotlight, proving their power on huge Sunset Country pike.
There are moments on the water when everything just lines up — the location, timing, big fish, and the best presentation. And when that happens, it doesn’t matter how many new baits are hanging on the pegboard back home. The fish tell you exactly what they want.
On this trip, chasing giant northern pike across Ontario waters, that answer was loud and clear: a spoon, worked slowly through weeds, with intent.
It started the way these things often do — a couple of explosive bites early that immediately told us we were dealing with a serious size structure. Not just “good” pike. Heavy, thick, high-shouldered fish that live in systems where groceries are plentiful and pressure is light. You make a pass through the weeds and suddenly it’s chaos — rods loading up, fish boiling, and that unmistakable feeling that there are whoppers down there waiting to ambush something that flashes the right way.
Why Weeds Matter — Especially Big Weeds
One thing that never changes with trophy pike is their relationship with weeds. Big cabbage beds, especially in the fall, are prime real estate. They hold baitfish, provide ambush cover, and give pike multiple depth options without having to move far.
What really stood out on this trip was weed quality. Not all weeds are created equal. The fish were clearly keying on the thickest, greenest cabbage — the healthiest clumps inside broader weed flats. We spent time identifying those sweet spots, marking them, and making repeated controlled passes. When you hit the right clump, it didn’t take long.
And that’s where the spoon shines.
The Spoon Advantage (Yes, Still)
I’ll say it straight: spoons still catch giant pike because they do something few baits can replicate — slow flash with erratic interruption.
The setup is simple but intentional. We pull the treble off and replace it with a single, barbless Siwash hook. That one change turns a classic spoon into a near-weedless tool that can be worked deep into cabbage without constantly fouling. You let it wobble, feel it tick a weed, pop it free — and that sudden burst is often the trigger.
That pop-free moment is lights out.
Fish after fish proved the point. Thick pike buried in weeds would track the spoon, wait for that hesitation, and then absolutely hammer it. No finesse bite. No maybe. Just full commitment .
Gear That Matches the Job
When you’re fishing weeds for big pike, balance matters. You need enough backbone to move fish out of cover, but enough forgiveness to keep hooks pinned.
A medium-heavy rod with a moderate-fast action is ideal. Pair that with a high-speed reel so you can work the spoon slowly but still pick up line fast when a fish charges the boat. The goal is control — over lure speed, over hooksets, and over fish direction once they’re hooked.
We weren’t horsing fish. We were leading them.
Big Water, Bigger Opportunities
What made this trip special wasn’t just the spoon bite — it was the variety. Giant weed flats, portage lakes, massive connected systems, and smaller cache lakes all in play. Each offered something different, but the common thread was opportunity.
In these big Canadian fisheries, you’re never fishing for just one species unless you choose to. Pike, walleyes, lake trout, muskies, smallmouth — they all overlap if you’re willing to explore. And exploration is half the reward. Loading small boats, running trails, launching into water that doesn’t see many lures — that’s where memories and patterns are made .
The Takeaway
Here’s the lesson if you boil it down: don’t overthink giant pike.
Yes, swimbaits work. Yes, modern baits catch fish. But when pike are buried in weeds and feeding with confidence, a properly rigged spoon is as deadly as anything ever made. Slow it down. Let it hunt. Feel the weeds. Pop it free.
And hang on.
Because when that rod loads up and the water explodes, you’ll remember exactly why the old standards never really go out of style.
That’s spoon magic — and it still flat-out works.
