First Time Fishing For Pike 2024
guitarglynn1 reply :
I fished a lake today that has pike in it. I was talking to an angler who lives right near this lake and he was telling me about the pike in there. I have never fished for pike but that is about to change. I am fishing from the shore. Any tips or advice any of you can share would be appreciated.
Thanks
Sean
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
use a good leader
I dont really target pike but they take quite a few of my 1/2oz lipless cranks and bucktail jigs.
They like spinnerbaits too and I have better luck not getting bit off with them.
Yesterday pike got my last spro prime bucktail jig sliced through my 12# sniper fc with ease.
guitarglynn1 reply :
On 10/26/2014 at 8:53 AM, QUAKEnSHAKE said:use a good leader
I dont really target pike but they take quite a few of my 1/2oz lipless cranks and bucktail jigs.
They like spinnerbaits too and I have better luck not getting bit off with them.
Yesterday pike got my last spro prime bucktail jig sliced through my 12# sniper fc with ease.
Thank you for the info. any suggestions as far as leaders? I'll have to pick some up.
OntarioFishingGuy reply :
Use big jerkbaits, such as a 4'' Husky Jerks or X-raps in bright colors, chartreuse spinnerbaits, and spoons. Be sure to use a heavy (15lb or heavier) fluorocarbon or wire leader. Use you heaviest spinning rod with braid, although a baitcaster will work also. USE PLIERS TO REMOVE HOOKS, being attached to a pike is extremely painful (and quite nauseating for those watching). Have fun!
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
Well like I mention dont target them often but when I do I have SPRO 30# wire ball bearing leader.
guitarglynn1 reply :
Thank you very much guys. My pike fishing gear will have to be a work in progress. I do have some wire leaders I found from some salt water fishing stuff I have and I have spoons and some larger soft plastic baits that might work. Its a poor mans pike rig until I can pick up some better stuff but at least I can try.
And I always have a couple pairs of pliers just in case. I know these things have razor sharp teeth. Even the pickerel I catch I use pliers. Will be fishing for bass and mixing in some pike fishing as well. This week I will buy some more gear so next weekend I can take a more serious attempt at landing a pike.
DFrench97 reply :
Good tip is to have fast erratic moving baits. Pike love em. Large bright Rapalas and shiny spoons may entice a bight!
SirSnookalot reply :
Most species will hit any kind of a lure, fish are fish. If afraid to lose lures then use wire. It isn't unusually to see panic and intimidation set in when a larger fish is on the line, too often I've seen people tighten that drag down too much, worst thing to do. I try and use the same landing philosophy whether I have 1# or 100# fish on the line, stay calm and don't try and horse it in. I'm there for the battle, I say enjoy it.
guitarglynn1 reply :
On 10/26/2014 at 2:02 PM, SirSnookalot said:Most species will hit any kind of a lure, fish are fish. If afraid to lose lures then use wire. It isn't unusually to see panic and intimidation set in when a larger fish is on the line, too often I've seen people tighten that drag down too much, worst thing to do. I try and use the same landing philosophy whether I have 1# or 100# fish on the line, stay calm and don't try and horse it in. I'm there for the battle, I say enjoy it.
On 10/26/2014 at 11:22 AM, DFrench97 said:Good tip is to have fast erratic moving baits. Pike love em. Large bright Rapalas and shiny spoons may entice a bight!
Gonna start with some large shiny spoons. Gonna be cold but clear and sunny.
SirSnookalot, thanks for the advice. I use an ultralight rod and light line all the time. It is all I fish with pretty much and while it is not exactly the same obviously, I think fishing like that forces me to be calm and relaxed. Having to adjust my drag after a strike is not uncommon for me and if I try to horse larger fish in as you say, I will lose the fish. So hopefully those lessons serve me well when the time comes that I get one of these on my line. Thanks again!
desmobob reply :
Pike and pickerel are my normal by-catch when bass fishing on southern Lake Champlain. I normally bass fish with a 20lb. fluoro leader on braid and find that pike can easily cut me off (and they do, fairly regularly).
Instead of the bulky, standard braided wire leaders with the swivels and snaps, I like to use thin nickel/titanium braided fishing wire to make a bite-proof leader if targeting pike or other toothy fish. It is much more stealthy than a normal store-bought leader and can be knotted like normal fishing line. A spool of it seems expensive but it lasts a long time. I use some from American Fishing Wire for fly fishing and regular fishing. Knot2Kinky is another popular product.
Pliers are a must for unhooking them and you will find that standard needle-nose pliers can be too short to use on large pike that are deeply hooked. They have a big, long snout and your lure could be eight or more inches in from their front teeth. A big pike bloodied me up this summer when I tried to reach too far in with a regular pair of needle-nose. There are several long-reach hook disgorgers on the market, or you can make a simple one with some heavy music wire and a wood handle.
I find that a pair of those bright orange plastic fish-grippers is very handy to get a grip on their lower lip when you're working on getting your hooks out.
I would normally consider lures that are big, active and noisy as ideal for pike, but I've hooked some nice ones on wacky-rigged Senkos, so you never know....
Tight lines,
Bob
guitarglynn1 reply :
Bob, I never even thought about that point you made about the pliers. Really glad you did though because my pliers are shorter and if I deep hooked it that would be a problem. I'll add that to my list among some other stuff you mentioned. Thanks :-)
Crestliner2008 reply :
How large do the pike get in the area you will be fishing? You can find that out at a local tackle store or your F&G dept.. If what you will be targeting weight between 8 - 15 lbs., you will probably realize success a lot quicker using a spinnerbait. If they are larger than that, then you need to step up your gear with heavier line, substantial baitcasting rig and musky sized, inline spinners and large plugs. (You could a lot worse than an 8" Believer in chartreuse with black bands.) 
Definitely use a steel leader (titanium would last longer, but are more expensive) of at least 12" in length. And if you are fishing from shore as you say, determine the bottom content before you start casting spoons. Or....you will be loosing quite a few in short order. Again, like I say, if I were fishing from shore, I'd opt for a spinnerbait and/or a 5" Storms Wildeyed Shad swimbait. Either one will get you in some action and reduce hangups considerably.
The smaller pike can easily be landed by grasping the fish across the top of the head, on the gill covers, squeezing with one hand. That stops them in their tracks. Then slip your other hand inside the gill plate (do NOT let your fingers get inside the gill rakers - very sharp!), grasp tightly on this outer gill plate and lift. Release the top head grip and use that hand to unhook your catch.
BTW, be aware that pike are a quite fragile species. If you intend on releasing them, handle them carefully. Good Luck!
Choporoz reply :
Whenever I hit pike lakes in Ontario I take a couple of these along:
http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Fish-Mouth-Spreaders/product/10205355/
Those and a sturdy forceps make life much easier up there.
J Francho reply :
Fall is bucktail spinner time for pike. 
Tim Kelly reply :
On 10/26/2014 at 8:40 AM, guitarglynn1 said:I fished a lake today that has pike in it. I was talking to an angler who lives right near this lake and he was telling me about the pike in there. I have never fished for pike but that is about to change. I am fishing from the shore. Any tips or advice any of you can share would be appreciated.
Thanks
Sean
Don't "lip 'em"
Here in the UK we fish for pike a lot. Steel leaders are pretty much mandatory. As we tend to be trying for larger fish (20lb +) we tend to use larger lures and heavier tackle, much more like musky tackle than bass tackle, but most pike I've seen in the US and Canada have been fairly small, less than 10lb. If that's what you have in your lakes then 4" spoons, larger bass type spinnerbaits, 6" swimbaits like storm wildeyes, larger suspending jerkbaits and that sort of thing will probably catch them for you. Fish 30-50lb braid and a stiffer rod as you need to set the hooks in their boney mouths, unlike bass which will get hooked on the most masked hook point.
J Francho reply :
The best thing to throw is an irreplaceable, one of a kind, lucky bass lure that holds immense sentimental value. Pike love that stuff, though they only bite if you throw on delicate mono, under 10# size. They're much more active during bass tournaments.
guitarglynn1 reply :
On 10/28/2014 at 1:06 AM, Crestliner2008 said:How large do the pike get in the area you will be fishing? You can find that out at a local tackle store or your F&G dept.. If what you will be targeting weight between 8 - 15 lbs., you will probably realize success a lot quicker using a spinnerbait. If they are larger than that, then you need to step up your gear with heavier line, substantial baitcasting rig and musky sized, inline spinners and large plugs. (You could a lot worse than an 8" Believer in chartreuse with black bands.)
Definitely use a steel leader (titanium would last longer, but are more expensive) of at least 12" in length. And if you are fishing from shore as you say, determine the bottom content before you start casting spoons. Or....you will be loosing quite a few in short order. Again, like I say, if I were fishing from shore, I'd opt for a spinnerbait and/or a 5" Storms Wildeyed Shad swimbait. Either one will get you in some action and reduce hangups considerably.
The smaller pike can easily be landed by grasping the fish across the top of the head, on the gill covers, squeezing with one hand. That stops them in their tracks. Then slip your other hand inside the gill plate (do NOT let your fingers get inside the gill rakers - very sharp!), grasp tightly on this outer gill plate and lift. Release the top head grip and use that hand to unhook your catch.
BTW, be aware that pike are a quite fragile species. If you intend on releasing them, handle them carefully. Good Luck!
I believe 4-16 lb range. The spot is pretty weedy as you cast out deeper and it is slightly rocky and you could get caught up. Not terrible though. I was casting larger spoons and did not lose anything. But I think the ones you mentioned about reducing hangups might be ideal. I was hitting heavy weeds pretty consistently.Thank you very much crestliner, this is really great info! I'll be referencing this thread for a while until I absorb all this info.
Jolly Green reply :
1/2 oz. Chrome + Whatever Rat-L-Traps are awesome for pike if the cover permits. Spinnerbaits would be my next choice.
Catch 22 reply :
On 10/28/2014 at 3:12 AM, Choporoz said:Whenever I hit pike lakes in Ontario I take a couple of these along:
http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Fish-Mouth-Spreaders/product/10205355/
Those and a sturdy forceps make life much easier up there.
I second the motion to carry a jaw spreader. They make lure removal and release a lot easier.
We had some deep fried northerns last summer and they were great tasting. There are several good youtube vids on how to fillet the y bones out.
C22
guitarglynn1 reply :
On 10/28/2014 at 8:33 AM, Jolly Green said:1/2 oz. Chrome + Whatever Rat-L-Traps are awesome for pike if the cover permits. Spinnerbaits would be my next choice.
I picked up a few husky jerk baits. After the pickerel I fought yesterday on a countdown I gotta walk a way from that hoping at the very least while I lost the fish, it taught me a little something to help me land a pike. If it does that it will sting a little less.
Hey guys, I am looking at AFW titanium single strand leaders. How do these things impact your lure? Is the stuff heavy and make your bait sink ect? Thanks
Jolly Green reply :
If you're fishing Husky Jerks you may find that a tiny bit of added leader weight is not a bad thing, as they tend to rise a bit, depending on water temp. With a wire leader they actually suspend (or sink very slowly.)
J Francho reply :
Titanium leaders are great - last forever. It depends on the bait, but really a little bit of sink or rise doesn't seem to matter that much. The pike bite is like a light switch. Turns on and off. When you get one, usually it ignites, and there's a flurry of bites.
Jaw spreaders...I don't use them. Typically, grabbing their gill plate causes them to naturally open their mouth. Long shaft, 11" pliers are more important when dealing with northerns over the 8-10 lb. class.
guitarglynn1 reply :
On 10/31/2014 at 9:59 PM, Jolly Green said:If you're fishing Husky Jerks you may find that a tiny bit of added leader weight is not a bad thing, as they tend to rise a bit, depending on water temp. With a wire leader they actually suspend (or sink very slowly.)
Awesome! thanks man. I have never used a husky jerk and I was not sure if I was going to try a leader or not? Honestly at first I was leaning towards not. But now I will. Sounds like it will behave kind of like a countdown which I love.
guitarglynn1 reply :
On 10/31/2014 at 10:08 PM, J Francho said:Titanium leaders are great - last forever. It depends on the bait, but really a little bit of sink or rise doesn't seem to matter that much. The pike bite is like a light switch. Turns on and off. When you get one, usually it ignites, and there's a flurry of bites.
Jaw spreaders...I don't use them. Typically, grabbing their gill plate causes them to naturally open their mouth. Long shaft, 11" pliers are more important when dealing with northerns over the 8-10 lb. class.
Good stuff to know.
I did not get jaw spreaders but I already have some 11" long reach/neck pliers I packed in my tactical bag and I got some fish grabbers. Spooled up some braided line last night and I got some of that knottable wire leader. Also besides some husky I got some swimming shads in 4 and 5". I want to try the bucktails you suggested as well and i will. This is just the start for me.
J Francho reply :
If you can pick up a Bucher Topraider, that's probably my all time favorite pike lure. So stupid looking, yet the strikes are nuts.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
On 10/28/2014 at 4:36 AM, J Francho said:The best thing to throw is an irreplaceable, one of a kind, lucky bass lure that holds immense sentimental value. Pike love that stuff, though they only bite if you throw on delicate mono, under 10# size. They're much more active during bass tournaments.
Can I get an AMEN Brother?!
guitarglynn1 reply :
On 11/1/2014 at 12:01 AM, J Francho said:If you can pick up a Bucher Topraider, that's probably my all time favorite pike lure. So stupid looking, yet the strikes are nuts.
Awesome! I seem some the monster pike you have caught so I definitely plan on getting one asap 
Scott F reply :
On 10/31/2014 at 10:08 PM, J Francho said:Titanium leaders are great - last forever.
Titanium leaders in my opinion are the worst. I've done a lot of pike and musky fishing and the only metal leaders that have ever failed me were titanium. They do return to shape if you bend them but if you kink one, unlike a steel leader, they can break. Musky guys never use titanium anymore. Small pike will do more damage to your leaders and lures that big pike do because they'll just go crazy twisting and turning. Take a titanium leader and put a sharp bend in it. It will snap. Whatever leaders you use, make sure they have quality welded ring, ball bearing swivels and good, strong snaps.
J Francho reply :
Weird. Don't really have a problem with them. I use them for jerk baits - little 3-4" leaders. Can't remember the brand. Big baits, I don't bother. Pike aren't that big here. My biggest is a little over 16 lbs.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Never had a titanium leader fail either, pike or muskie. I have seen a snap on a titanium leader fail, but never the leader itself. They're metal so I'm sure they'll snap once bent enough times, but I haven't reached that point with any of mine.
Tim Kelly reply :
I won't use titanium either. It just breaks and you can't tell when it's going to break. A steel leader looks worn, but titanium, unless you put a bend in it, looks the same until it fails. The problem with titanium seems to be worse if you use baits that vibrate a lot. Trolling crankbaits will kill a TI leader pretty quickly. I believe TI gets stress fractures from the vibrations. If you're using TI leaders on lures that don't vibrate much and aren't too heavy, they can last quite well, but eventually they are prone to failure.
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