What to Expect

Did you know Great Sacandaga Lake holds the former world record and now UNITED STATES RECORD Northern Pike!? We believe the next record will come from the lake in the next 10 years! Therefor, we offer two types of ways to target these Big Northern Pike based on experience.

Casting Trips (Mid-High Experience Level): The Pike in Great Sacandaga Lake are of immense size and overall low population, and casting for them requires strength, determination, and a serious learning curve. While Captain Aaron Gaza is willing to teach any range of skill and age, those aboard must be prepared to cast heavy lures hundreds and thousands of times with big rods and reels provided by Aaron’s Guide Service. We cast 99% of the time and rarely if ever troll. Hours can go by without sight of a Trophy Northern Pike. It’s all about patience for when the water erupts and a fish of a lifetime is caught.

LIVE BAIT Jigging/Bobber Trips (Beginner Experience Level): These Pike trips are perfect for an angler who may have just started fishing or who may have limited casting ability. We hook up multiple live minnows and will teach you how to gently cast them out. There is no shortage of thrills as seeing the rod bend and the minnow get slammed is one of the best adrenaline rushes in fishing. We often catch many Pike doing this and its an excellent opportunity to catch a big fish without having to cast hundreds of times.

Great Sacandaga Lake is considered a trophy Pike lake and not a high numbers Pike lake. Unlike lakes further north in the Adirondacks, we rarely catch more than 10 pike in a day, instead only catch 2-4 pike per trip however many times they are in the 35”-45” range. If you’re looking to have more pike action and less concerned about size, we recommend selecting Saranac Lake or Long Lake on our booking page.

We only offer EXCLUSIVE Trophy Northern Pike trips from May 1st into mid-June and again from mid-September to mid-November. This is due to the Northern Pike shifting below the thermocline in the summer months. Drawing them up rapidly into the warm surface temperatures will increase mortality rates dramatically.

Pike Season is closed from March 14th until May 1st in NY to allow for the big females to spawn (Lay eggs). Once the spawn ends, these starved trophy pike go on feeding binges on virtually anything that swims prone. This results in exciting and heart-pounding action on Aarons Guide Service. These feeding binges only happen in select locations on the lake and Captain Aaron has spent many years discovering these locations and now shares those spots with clients who book with Aaron’s Guide Service.

Chasing Trophy Pike in the fall is an exciting experience. The biggest Northerns head back up into the cooling, shallow waters and feed heavily before the winter comes. Once again, only select locations on the lake produce these giants and Captain Aaron has devoted his time to finding the best Fall Pike locations.

Nestled in the central Adirondacks, Long Lake is a fisherman’s paradise! With high numbers of both small and large Northern Pike, this mountainous oasis is a perfect fit for the new or experienced angler. Whether you are looking to go all out and catch only Pike, or catch Pike and take breaks catching BIG smallmouth bass, Long Lake will not disapoint!

If you’re looking to catch higher numbers of Northern Pike and less interested in catching a trophy all while being immersed in a remote Adirondack Wilderness experience, this is the lake for you! The Saranac Lake chain is a true fish haven. With little to no houses on the lake, your dream of catching unlimited numbers of Pike, Bass and Perch theres no greater place on earth than Saranac Lake, NY to go fishing!

Looking to catch a Northern Pike any time of the year? Whether its the heat of the summer, the chill of the spring or the dead of winter this Pike paradise never seems to turn off. Because Pike season is closed in New York in Late March and April, we offer guided trips on the Housatonic river during this time as well as during the heat of the summer and the late fall. We have over 10 years of experience guiding here. We offer these trip only in our small 14’ princecraft boat limiting the trips to 2 angler + Captain. This unique Pike fishery allows us to fish long stretches of the river. 10+ pike days are not uncommon with some trophies often mixed in. These fish lay in very shallow water making for an exciting river adventure. It isn’t uncommon to see Black Bears, Bald Eagles, Loons and sometimes never see a person all while being immersed in the beauty of the Berkshire Mountains.