Sleek, powerful, menacing and as long as a man's arm. Few sport fish can match these attributes. Widely distributed throughout the northern United States and Canada, northern pike are found in the greatest numbers on remote or inaccessible waters.
The biggest pike are taken early in the year when the water is cool and pike are most likely to be found feeding in shallow water. Depending on the latitude where you'll be fishing, this bonanza can take place as early as March or as late as July.
Some of the best pike fishing waters in Northern Canada don't give up their coat of ice until late June or early July. Further south, the summer months find pike using deeper waters, sometimes suspending over deep water or cruising the deep water edges of weed beds, sunken islands and other cover.
The habitats that pike prefer change throughout the season. Not surprisingly, productive fishing lures also change as pike move from shallow to deep water haunts.
SHALLOW WATER PIKE
When pike are found in shallow water, jerkbaits and topwater plugs are among the most productive lures. These lures can be casted long distances and they can be fished slow or fast as the situation dictates.
Jerkbaits worked seductively near cover are deadly on northern pike. No other lure does a better job of imitating an injured or dying minnow. Pike will strike just about any size jerkbait, but using larger lures helps anglers to cast further and also to avoid some of the hammer-handle sized pike that often plague fishermen.
The Salmo Whitefish SW18F is a classic shallow water pike bait. A full seven inches long, this bait is designed to target trophy class pike and also muskie. The Rapala No. 18 floating minnow is another classic pike bait. A full seven inches long from nose to tail, this balsa wood lure has accounted for countless pike. The newer Husky Jerk is a plastic version of the famous balsa wood minnows with a similar action. More durable than wood lures, the 1/3 and 1/2 ounce sizes are best for pike fishing.
The Lucky Craft Pointer 128 is another pike sized jerkbait that must be considered essential gear for pike fishing. The body profile of this lure does a good job of imitating alewives, ciscoes, suckers and whitefish that are among the favorite foods of pike.
In many waters, pike have nothing to feed on except smaller versions of their own species! The Salmo Pike is a jerkbait patterned after a pike fingerling. Other good jerkbaits for pike fishing include the Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow, Storm ThunderStick, Bomber Long A, Rebel Minnow, Reef Runner RipStick and Cotton Cordell Red Fin.
Topwater plugs are hands down the most exciting way to target pike in shallow water. The Lucky Craft Sammy has fast become the topwater bait of choice among bass anglers and the larger versions of this bait are just as effective on pike. Designed to be worked as a surface jerkbait, the Sammy 128 is the right size for most pike fishing situations. Other good topwater lures in this class include the Heddon Spook, Rapala Skitter Walk and Yo-Zuri Crystal Vibe.
Chugger style topwater plugs are also effective shallow water pike lures. Some of the must have baits in this category include the Lucky Craft G-Splash Popper, Yo-Zuri 3-D Popper, Strike King Spit-n-King, Rapala Skitter Pop, Storm Rattlin' Chug Bug and Heddon Lucky 13.
DEEP WATER PIKE BAITS
The warm sun of summer soon forces pike to seek out deeper and cooler waters. Locating pike in the summer often requires anglers to explore large areas of open water. Deep diving crankbaits are the lures of choice when hunting for suspended fish or fish that cruise the deep water edges of cover.
Pike are capable of catching and eating just about anything they can get their jaws around. Adult sized pike prefer a large meal, often targeting prey up to 1/4 their own length! Large crankbaits dive deep enough to reach cooler subsurface waters and they appeal to fish looking for a good sized meal.
The best producing crankbaits on pike feature slender minnow profiles and substantial diving lips. Popular choices like the Salmo No. 8 Bullhead and Perch 12 Floating, Storm Deep Jr. and Deep ThunderStick are typical of the diving crankbaits pike seem to favor. Similar baits in this category include the Bomber 24A, Rapala Husky Jerk, Rebel Spoonbill, Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow and Reef Runner Deep Little Ripper.
Casted or trolled, crankbaits are the logical choice when fishing deep and covering lots of water are the order of the day.
For more pinpoint fishing situations, jigs remain the ultimate deep water pike lure. A 3/8 to 3/4 ounce jig dressed with a large grub, lizard or soft plastic jerkbait is the ideal way to fish specific spots along cover. An isolated rock pile, the tips of points, cups in a weed edge or the top of a submerged island are just a few of the places that jigs excel.
A jig for pike fishing requires a larger hook than those found on the typical walleye jig. The Bait Rigs Esox Cobra is designed especially for pike and muskie jig fishing applications. Built with a large and stout hook, the Cobra pulls through weed cover and debrie better than other "pike" style jigs. This jig is also designed with a collar to hold solf plastic baits.
Soft plastic aren't the only jig dressings that work on pike. Try using pork rind, a fresh sucker minnow or frozen minnow to entice strikes.
A WORD ON LURE COLOR
Pike are sight feeders and they are most often found in clear or lightly stained waters. The best producing lures are those that closely imitate natural prey species in action, shape and color. Shad finishes, chromes, Earth tones and other subtle color combinations are the best color choices for pike fishing.
In stained waters, brighter colors take control. Firetiger, red, pink and even fluorescent colors are good choices.
ARE LEADERS NECESSARY?
Strong steel leaders are considered standard equipment when fishing for the toothy likes of northern pike. The problem with standard steel wire leaders is they tend to reduce the natural action of most lures. Avoid ordinary coated wire leaders. Instead try using the new Titanium leaders that are thin and very flexible. This style of leader won't kink and cause the lure to have an unnatural action.
Fluorocarbon line is also very tough and makes a good leader material for pike fishing. A short length of 17-25 pound test fluorocarbon line is plenty tough to avoid the 'biteoffs' so common when pike fishing.
For some types of fishing such as crankbait trolling or fishing jerkbaits leaders aren't necessary since most of the fish will be lip hooked anyway.
The warm sun of summer soon forces pike to seek out deeper and cooler waters. Locating pike in the summer often requires anglers to explore large areas of open water. Deep diving crankbaits are the lures of choice when hunting for suspended fish or fish that cruise the deep water edges of cover.
Pike are sight feeders and they are most often found in clear or lightly stained waters. The best producing lures are those that closely imitate natural prey species in action, shape and color. Shad finishes, chromes, Earth tones and other subtle color combinations are the best color choices for pike fishing.
