Poll ten different anglers about their favorite pike lure and the answers will undoubtedly lean heavily towards classic casting spoons like the Eppinger Dardevle or crankbaits the likes of Rapala's famous floating minnow. Spoons, crankbaits and even jumbo sized spinnerbaits are the kinds of lures that pike fishing lore is built upon. Without question these baits have earned space in every tackle box, but another more obscure lure deserves special consideration as well.
Northern pike are often characterized as being an aggressive and easily caught species. At times pike can seem suicidal, but this is rarely the case with adult sized fish. Pike that stretch more than 36 inches have developed into a completely different variety of sport fish. Those that approach 40 inches are a breed in of themselves. While larger trophy sized pike can and often do deliver savage strikes, these fish are by no means easy or the push overs smaller pike can be.
Tempting larger pike into striking, is a job for lures that are so realistic in shape, action and even smell that these fish have a difficult time discerning them from natural forage. This goes double during cold fronts and other times when fishing conditions are less than ideal.
Only one group of artificial fishing lures can bring a lifelike profile (shape), action, smell and even taste into the fishing picture. In case you haven't already guessed, soft plastic lures are among the most deadly on northern pike.
Bass and even walleye anglers live and die by the power of plastics, but the typical pike angler has few of these lures in his arsenal. Plastic lures suitable for pike fishing come in a wide variety of shapes and types. These lures can be fished in a multitude of methods and they are on average far less expensive that the typical hard baits marketed as "pike" lures.
PLASTIC LURE ROUND UP
Size is the primary feature that separates pike fishing plastics from those used to tempt other species. The typical three inch twister tail may catch the occasional pike, but larger sized plastics are required for serious pike fishing. Bigger lures not only closely represent the size forage these fish target, but larger profile baits are more visible at greater distances. Baits in the five to 10 inch range are ideal for pike fishing.
Some of the plastic lure shapes that work well for pike fishing include, shad bodies, jerkbaits, curl-tailed grubs, oversized tubes, lizards, and creatures. Manufacturers who produce plastics in these categories include Bait Rigs, Berkley, Zoom and Culprit. Most soft plastics are best presented when casted into position or dragged from a drifting boat. This in turn means that the most productive times to fish soft plastics is during early to mid spring when adult pike are found in relatively shallow water.
Weed growth and other cover play a major role in the location of pike. In most lakes the deep water limit to weed growth occurs in water from 10-15 feet deep. This defined transition between deep and shallow water is one of the best places to find adult pike hunting for their next meal.
If weedlines stop abruptly pike are going to be concentrated along this natural edge. If the weed growth tapers gradually, pike will be scattered along this taper.
Other pike hotspots include downed timber that protrudes into deep water. Shorelines that feature deep water near shore and downed trees are a natural pike magnet. This kind of timber routinely holds pike, but the best locations are going to be trees that have only been in the water a few years. After the smaller limbs and branches start to rot off and sink to the bottom, timber holds fewer pike.
Deep water saddles between islands are another excellent location to find adult pike. Rock structure in these areas combined with natural currents that flow between islands make for ideal ambush points.
Yet another great location to seek out northern pike are rocky shorelines that drop off quickly into deep water. The sharper the break the more pike will tend to cruise along the edge and hunt for baitfish they can pin up against the rocks.
JIG RIGGING METHODS
Depending upon the type of soft plastic selected and the habitat to be fished, various rigging methods get the nod. When fishing scattered weeds, flats or rock outcroppings where snagging isn't a big issue, a jighead dressed with a creature, lizard or curl-tail grub is a great option. This rig casts like a bullet and can be worked along the bottom or in a swimming motion that lifts the bait near the surface and then allows it to free fall back to bottom.
The jighead must feature an extra large hook gap. Saltwater style jigs that are built using tempered style hooks in the 3/0, 4/0 or 5/0 range are ideal for fishing soft plastics. An assortment of these jigs in 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8 ounce sizes will cover most fishing situations.
Glider and stand-up style head designs are ideal for jigging pike sized plastics. Jigs that feature a 60 degree hook bend are also preferred over traditional 90 degree hooks. Jigs with the 60 degree bend position the eye tie at the nose of the jig where it will slide through cover with fewer snags. Outstanding jigs in this category include the Bait Rigs Esox Cobra and Grubmaster.
WEEDLESS JIG RIGGING
In areas where weed, wood or rock cover presents a snag hazard, a little different approach is warranted. The Title Shot jig produced by Fin-Tech (www.jigfish.com) features a weedless rigging system that is perfect for fishing plastics in cover.
The jighead itself has the eye tie coming out the nose which helps the jig slip through cover. Molded into the jighead is a plastic retainer that when pushed into the grub body or other plastic lure holds it securely against the jighead. Next the oversized wide bend hook is buried into the plastic making the whole rig as snag resistant as possible. The Title Shot jig can be fished with a wide variety of plastics body shapes, but grubs, jerkbaits and worm bodies are some top choices.
BULLET WEIGHT RIGGING
An option to using weedless style jigheads is to rig soft plastics Texas style with a bullet sinker and oversized worm hook. Bullet weights in the 1/8 to 3/8 ounce range are best for this rigging method. Texas rigging also requires wide gap hooks at least 4/0 or 5/0 in size to insure the hook can pass through large plastics and still have enough gap to hook fish securely.
Pinning the weight to the plastic with a piece of toothpick allows this rig to be fished like a jig through heavy cover with few hang-ups.
When pike move into deeper water, a carolina rig offers up a useful rigging option for plastics. Pre-manufactured caroline rigs that feature weights and beads threaded onto a wire shaft are the most efficient way to go. With these ready to go rigs, all an angler needs to do is tie the main line to one end of the caroline rig and a leader that runs to the soft plastic on the other.
Drifting in deep water flats or among the saddles between islands is a great way to combine plastics with caroline rigging. Caroline rigs can also be casted and slowly dragged along the bottom. Creatures, lizards, grubs and jerkbaits are some of the best plastics to use with carolina rigs.
RODS AND REEL SUGGESTIONS
Big pike call for stout tackle. Anglers who are comfortable using baitcasting gear will enjoy the most versatility and power when fighting fish. A seven foot medium heavy action triggerstick combined with a baitcasting reel capable of holding 200 yards of 17 pound test is a good starting point.
Those anglers who favor the use of spinning gear are going to find that most freshwater rods are on the light side for fishing pike. A spinning rod should be rated for at least 14 pound test line to be suitable for pike fishing.
A better option is to pick one of the many models of saltwater spinning rods and reels on the market. A typical seven foot medium/heavy rod will easily handle 14-17 pound test line and provide the backbone needed to wrestle with big fish in heavy cover.
Finding saltwater gear at most tackle shops is a challenge however. The mail order companies is where anglers will find the best assortment of saltwater rods and reels. Good sources include www.cabelas.com and www.bassproshops.com.
LINES AND LEADERS
Pike fishing isn't a game for wimpy lines or leaders. Light line and pike fishing is a disaster waiting to happen. Monofilament lines suitable for fishing plastics range from 14-20 pound test. Both nylon and co-polymer lines are good choices.
Super braid line has grown in popularity in recent years, but for pike fishing plastics this low stretch line leaves much to be desired. One of the major problems associated with no-stretch lines is the reaction speed. Because bites are telegraphed immediately, it's easy for anglers to literally jerk the bait away from fish as they strike. The reaction time for most anglers is simply too fast for fishing braided lines. Beginners and others who struggle to "feel" the fish may find braids useful, but the majority will be better served with monofilament lines.
Leader materials play a major role in pike fishing. Reducing or eliminating the threat of "bite offs" has lead pike anglers to fish leaders for generations. Unfortunately, traditional wire leader material is a poor choice for fishing plastics. These stiff leaders and heavy hardware kill much of the natural action plastic lures bring to the party.
Newer titanium leaders are an improvement over coated stainless wire. Titanium leaders are expensive, but they pay for themselves quickly in preventing bite offs and lost tackle.
Monster pike appear mean and threatening, but the truth is these fish are among the most delicate in freshwater. Pike that are poorly handled will quickly die. The best way to handle pike is to come prepared with the right tools and techniques.
A heavy duty pair of pliers and wire cutters are must have equipment for any pike fishing adventure. If a fish is hooked lightly, the pliers are a good tool for removing the hooks and getting the fish back into the water quickly. Fish that are hooked more securely are a different story. Pulling out big hooks is going to do horrible damage to a pike. Instead, consider using a heavy duty pair of wire cutters to cut the hooks free. This will significantly reduce damage and mortality to the fish.
Landing nets can also do a lot of damage to pike. When a pike comes to net, keep the fish in the bag and in the water while the hooks are being removed. This will reduce abrasions on the fish's delicate skin and slime layer. Pike cradles like those produced by Frabill are the best possible way to handle big pike, but the fish has to be completely played out to land them with a cradle.
Once a pike is unhooked and ready for release, snap a couple quick pictures and release the fish immediately. If the fish is sluggish and your boat features a large aerated livewell, it's not a bad idea to put the fish in this oxygen rich water for a few minutes until it recovers. The fish can then be released once it regains its strength.
FINDING TROPHY PIKE
Trophy pike are among the most difficult of all species to find. This in part is because pike are slow growing species and they can't sustain heavy fishing pressure. Some of the best pike waters are remote destinations where fishing pressure is exceptionally low. Ontario features some of the best pike waters in North America. Check out www.gofishinontario.com for specifics.
Closer to home, big pike are often found in Great Lakes bays. Amazingly, pike in these Great Lakes waters seem minimal fishing pressure. Large reservoirs are another great place to search out trophy pike. Backwoods lakes accessible only by rough roads are yet another good bet for fishing trophy pike.
All trophy pike waters have certain things in common. The biggest pike come from waters that have an abundant population of protein rich forage species, low fishing pressure and the kinds of cover rich habitat that pike depend upon.
SUMMING IT UP
Few fish can stretch a line any tighter than the northern pike. Big, powerful and exciting, these fish are a perfect match for the power of plastics.
