Fish for Northern Pike

Fish for Northern Pike by focusing on casting near weed lines and other structures in shallow water. Use large, flashy lures like spoons, spinners, or large soft plastic baits. Retrieve them with a steady, aggressive action, often with a “jerking” motion to trigger strikes. Use a strong leader to prevent pike from biting through your line when they strike. Prime time to fish for Northern Pike is early morning and late afternoon, and the best locations are often near drop-offs or the edges of weed beds. 

Pike are a cool looking fish that resemble a freshwater version of the Great Barracuda. Pike are voracious toothy predators that routinely try to consume prey half their own size and larger.  I have seen pictures of a 3” baby pike eating a 2.5” baby pike.  Apparently they are hard to raise commercially because if you fill a pond full of pike fry you generally end up with just one huge pike.

Pike are much, much easier to catch than their elusive cousin, the Muskie.  Frankly I never understood why people like to cast for days on end to try to catch one or two Muskie when they could be loading the boat with Pike.  The two fish look very similar and although the average Muskie is bigger there is not that huge of a size difference.

Pike are generally referred to in terms of length, with anything over 35” being a large fish.  Pike under 30” tend to be skinny and kind of a nuisance to catch, but around 30” they start to put on some girth and become a more substantial fish.  A 32” fish will weigh significantly more than a 27” fish.

Fish for Northern Pike Techniques

Pike are caught on lures, live bait, and dead bait. They are ambush predators that tend to just hang out until some food swims by. Many larger Pike are caught on bait, especially in heavily fished areas. Right after winter they tend to be in shallow water where it is warmer. In the summer when weed beds grow, they are often found in those. They also like hanging around rocks and other ambush points.

Pike Lures

Lots of lures work for Pike.  When they are feeding, you can throw almost anything at them. Preferred lures tend to be spoons, spinners, Baby Buzzbaits, hard plastic baits and even jigs, though the latter tend to catch smaller fish due to their smaller size. Spoons are very effective because their shiny side reflects sunlight and mimics the white belly of certain prey fish.

Baby Buzzbait

Nothing is more exciting then a big northern pike breaking the surface of the water. What better way then enticing the pike with a buzz bait. With a buzz bait you get the ease of fishing in covered, weedy, or open water along with a combination of sound and flash that draws explosive pike strikes.

Pike fishing tip: On a sunny day use a black skirt Baby Buzzbait with a Gold or Silver blade.

Spinner Baits

Spinner baits are a great choice for early spring weed filled bays. As the spinner skims across the top of the weeds, it simulates a distressed fish near the surface attracting northern pike. While retrieving the spinner bait, you should reel just slow enough to not break the water surface. Spinner baits have a teardrop blade that help conceal the treble hook from getting snagged on the weeds.

Spoon

Spoons are a staple for northern pike fishermen tackle box. The wobble of the pike spoons are great for catching the attention of northern pike as the spoon passes by. The simplicity, toughness, and effectiveness of a spoon is what makes them a long time favorite among pike fishermen.