Pike fishing tips

Modern fluorocarbon leader materials have become really durable and are made of high quality, which means that more and more anglers use and trust them when fishing for pike.

During spring and fall, fishing between morning and noon will be the best time to catch pike. Very early mornings and later evenings are your best pick during the summer, as water temperatures will be somewhat lower. On the other hand, in winter, the later mornings and middays will most certainly produce the most bites.

When it comes to wire leaders for pike, your best choice is leaders that are made of multi-strand titanium or stainless steel wire. These materials are extremely strong, smooth, and flexible, allowing for an optimal bait and lure presentation.

In order to make your own dead bait pop-up stick, all you need is a 60-80mm long balsa stick, a float stop, a piece of braided line, and some steel wire. Additionally, you will also need a razor blade and sandpaper to cut, sharpen, and smoothen your pop-up stick, as well as some varnish in order to waterproof it.

The best ways to catch cold water pike include slower spin fishing with inline spinners, crankbaits, and soft baits close to the bottom, as well as float fishing and bottom fishing with dead or live baitfish in deeper water and over drop-offs.

As the northern pike can also be a pretty intimidating and difficult species to fish for, especially for beginners, I went ahead and wrote this helpful article filled with my very best pike fishing tips that I have gathered over a period of more than 20 years.