Pike

Pike fishing is a lot of fun, and catching one of those huge predators is as thrilling as it can get. To land your trophy pike successfully, you will need both a robust and a big enough landing net. 

The very best lures to use for pike in clear water are swimbaits, softbaits, and crankbaits with an authentic pattern and swimming action. Natural lure colors that resemble the pike’s prey, such as white, silver, green, or black, have proven to be most effective.

Topwater lures or crankbaits and spinnerbaits that make a lot of noise and produce vibrations are your best picks for pike fishing in murky water. The absolute best lure colors for murky water pike are white, green/chartreuse, and orange.

Favorable weather conditions for pike include a low-pressure system with moderate temperatures, overcast skies, and southern or southwestern winds. Rain does however have a somewhat more negative effect on the pike’s appetite and should hence be avoided.

Northern pike grow to a much bigger size than pickerel. Checking body coloration, as well as dot and bar patterns, are other reliable ways of identifying these two species, as pickerel have a chain-like pattern on its sides, while pike have plenty of short, light bar-like spots all over its flanks.

In order to show you just how easy it can be to rig the sunken float, I decided to write this illustrative step-by-step guide. It includes both simple explanations, images, and tackle recommendations.