Pike Lures 101

Pike are one of the most popular game fish that are commonly found in most freshwater lakes and rivers throughout the world (Asia, Europe, and North America). Its aggressive nature provides us with a great deal of challenge and excitement. An important part of overcoming that challenge is familiarity with pike lures.

A decade ago, the most popular pike fishing lures were live baits, such as chubs, shiners, and suckers. Typically, an angler will want to use bait that is at least 5 inches in length, but the longer and larger the better. Many anglers have great success using live bait in excess of 12 inches.

A common alternative to live bait is dead baitfish, especially in cold waters. Dead baitfish do not create the action that excites pike, but in colder waters, the pike are sluggish. This makes them more prone to opt for easy targets. Because of the oils and smells, ciscoes and smelt work particularly well as dead baitfish.

Today, most anglers use pike lures rather than live or dead bait, and that’s a testament to modern technology and understanding of pike. The basics are still the same. In general, the bigger and the flashier the lures are the better because this is what grabs pike attention. Anglers who catch specimen pike generally do it with 12-14 inch lures.

Make sure to choose your flashiness with purpose. There are two important considerations when it comes to selecting color scheme. First, in clear waters, opt for subdued natural colors, and in cloudy waters, pick bright colors. Second, adapt to the lighting. Even in cloudy water, pike lures will be easier to see when the sun is high and there is little cloud cover.

Another aspect of choosing the right lure type is action. In clear water with ample lighting, minnow type lures with metallic spoons or natural colors do quite well. In murky water with low lighting, you want a lure that has a lot of action including built-in rattles and fluorescent color patterns.

Lastly, an angler has to choose the appropriate style lure. The most common is the plug because of its depth versatility and the ability to use it near or over weeds and shallow water. Plugs are a good all season choice, but pike lures such as jerkbaits are extremely effective in the summer months when pike are prone to react to their erratic movement. Other popular options include soft plastics, spinners, and spoons.