What Bait To Use For Pike?

[shimanomade]

Im going to utah in a couple of weeks and we always fish for trout up there and theres this one lake that has pike but have never managed to catch one. I don't think the pike are very big we always try to catch them but no luck what do you guys recommend?

[Dwight Hottle]

In line spinner bait, blue fox vibrax #5.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I've always had great luck on a 1/2 chart/white spinnerbait.  I catch more of them off those then all my pike lures.

[5dollarsplash]

I've always had great luck on a 1/2 chart/white spinnerbait.  I catch more of them off those then all my pike lures.

 

 

 

In line spinner bait, blue fox vibrax #5.

 

 

 

Flash and movement.  I prefer spinnerbaits myself, the amount of vegetation in the area plays a role in whether I use a inline or spinnerbait. 

[Felix77]

1/2oz spinnerbait, Red Eye Shads (1/2oz or 3/4oz), and Magnum Zoom Super Flukes worked for me the last two Pike Tournaments I fished.  

 

Vary the retrieve but avoid going slow.  They get bored easy.

[Cgrinder]

Dardevle 5 of Diamonds or Red/White depending on water clarity. 

[Choporoz]

I like the above answers.  Spoons and/or inline spinners.  Daredevils are great.  Johnson silver minnow with pork trailer.  Nice heavy inline with some bright bucktail.  Consider using a wire leader.

[Scott F]

Especially if the pike are small, be sure to use a steel leader. The teeth on smaller pike are close together and work like a saw to slice through your line. They are not very accurate and miss when hitting baits so they will often miss the lure and just hit your line. They also go nuts and shake violently which will tear up your baits and kink up your leaders. Typical spinner baits will work but those that have the "R" bend where you tie your line will be a problem. Your leader will ride up and you'll be fighting the fish with them pulling on the blades and hardware. If you can find spinner baits with a closed loop, they'll work better. Early in the year, smaller baits will work better than large ones. Like largemouth, they like weeds so if there are weeds, weedless spoons like a Johnson Silver Minnow are good with a 3 or 4 inch twister tail as a trailer. A #4 or 5 Mepps will just slay them. The pike will bend them up, but they straighten up easily.

[A-Jay]

The waters here all have a very healthy population of pike.  I do catch them while "bass" fishing, more than I'd like.

 

However, early and late in the season is a time when the bigger pike make themselves available in the mid to shallow depths. 

 

Early in the season, it's tough to beat the slow lazy wobble of a spoon.  It's like magic on pike.

 

These two articles discuss some bait options and pike fishing techniques.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

 

http://www.in-fisherman.com/2011/07/15/beyond-traditional-pike-spoon-tactics/

 

http://www.in-fisherman.com/2013/02/23/allure-for-pike/

 

 

[papajoe222]

All great suggestions, but two I haven't seen mentioned are LazyIke/Flatfish style lures and minnow style baits like Bomber LongA's and Jointed Rapalas.  Both are great options for trolling or casting.

[J Francho]

Pretty much any bait that I value, is hard to replace, or expensive is a pike magnet. Failing that, anything fast and shiny seems to work.

[A-Jay]

Pretty much any bait that I value, is hard to replace, or expensive is a pike magnet. Failing that, anything fast and shiny seems to work.

X2

 

They also like Huddleston swim baits quite a bit ~ but just the tails for some reason . . . . .

A-Jay

[Jmrichardson2011]

Rapala Husky Jerks in Ghost variations for clear water, clown colored or blue/silver for darker water.

 

Swim jigs with a fat curl grub tend to catch a lot of smaller pike for me.

[ww2farmer]

1/2oz spinnerbait, Red Eye Shads (1/2oz or 3/4oz), and Magnum Zoom Super Flukes worked for me the last two Pike Tournaments I fished.  

 

Vary the retrieve but avoid going slow.  They get bored easy.

This....and they like swim jigs, and squarebills too

 

Pretty much any bait that I value, is hard to replace, or expensive is a pike magnet. Failing that, anything fast and shiny seems to work.

You don't say LMAO.

[bigbill]

Catch some smaller pan fish for live bait.

[Tugmaster]

I have a friend who catches a lot of big ones on a foating, jointed Rapala

[Scott F]

Floating Rapalas work good if you don't mind getting holes in the baits from the teeth. I try to avoid multiple treble hook lures just because they can be difficult to remove especially for a novice pike fisherman who does not want his fingers cut up. Better make sure you have a set of jaw spreaders for opening up their mouths. when you catch one, grab it by the back of the head from the top to keep your fingers from his teeth.

[bigbill]

Watch out when removing the hooks they will bite you.

I been carefully removing the hooks on picketed for five decades. Last year I had one engulf my bomber crank where he could close its mouth. He constantly snapped his mouth shut at me. This was a nasty mad little pickerel. Look out for the bigger ones.