Pike are predators, but they don't wander the reservoir looking for forage fish like the walleye in Yuba.

"Pike mainly sit and wait for prey to come to them. They are an ambush specialist," said Richard Hepworth, an aquatic biologist with the Division of Wildlife Resources.

The key to catching pike is covering a lot of water. The two most productive methods are cruising along the shoreline in a boat and casting crankbaits toward the shore. Look for cover like submerged sagebrush that makes it easier for the pike to ambush their prey.

Lipless and diving crankbaits in carp and perch colors up to 4 inches long worked well on a recent trip.

The other way to cover water is to troll crankbaits or spinner rigs. Bottom bouncers in chartreuse/orange, firetiger or copper work well tipped with night crawler.

Pike are designed to grab onto prey and not let go. Wire leader is a must if you plan on getting pike into the boat. Pike teeth shred fishing line.

-- Brett Prettyman