If you had to pick one Pike bait...

[logger]

I am heading to a catch and release lake here on Tuesday and I know there are 10+lb pike in there. If you could only take one bait with you to hook up with a big pike what would your go-to bait be? The lake is all under 12 feet deep, with massive amounts of laydowns, stumps, and huge lilypad mats. There is plenty of open water too. I forgot to mention earlier this lake does not allow live bait.

I am taking Storm Swimshads with me for sure. Suggestions?

[highlander]

That one bait for big pike would have to be a pearch hanging under a bobber pike just love that struggling fish.  But I hate bobber fishing so I always work a spinner bait or jerk bait while I keep an eye on the bobber.

[MskSlyr]

In years past have caught a lot of pike in a lake similar to what you described and my two suggestions would be a bucktail in the 6 inch ballpark or jerkbait. Never seemed to do as well with the larger musky size varieties hence the smaller size suggestion.

[bilgerat]

Mepps inline spinner. Preferably with a dressed treble. They kill 'em here in the east. A close second would be a beefy topwater plug ala Zara Spook.

[moby bass]

Black buzzbait. My PB came back after it 4 times before he decided to really hit it and run.  I have also read where a red and white lure is the best color for pike, ie: dardevle

[DawsonH]

Lots of weeds? Lots of pads? Ever heard of a Norman Lures Weed Walker? You can throw them on the bank and reel them to the water, they won't snag. They always land hook up. It is shaped like a spoon, but has a square hole in the middle with a smaller blade in the hole. It makes a rooster tail when you reel it in. It also has a skirt like a spinner bait and you can put a trailer hook on it. That is what I would take.

[billbrum]

Find the deepest weededge and start throwing a 9 inch bulldawg in sherbert color. Either that or a bright colored bucktail.      

[Marty]

Pike readily take any lure that exists. If I had to choose one, it would probably be a spinnerbait, but by a small margin.

[SmokeRise1]

I just got back from Northern Quebec.  Over 4 days, 12 guys, we pulled in hudreds of pike on every lure in the box.  Most consistent were spinnerbaits with red/white, blue/white combo.  Len Thomson's "Five of Diamonds" spoons were also consistant.  Big fish of the trip was taken on a 1 lb walleye that was already hooked up on a big spoon.  14 lber that my buddy released.  We ate some of the 3-4 lbers and they were better than the walleyes.  Good luck.

[Skunked in DR]

Absolutely number 1 is a White Spinnerbait, followed closely at number 2 by a White Spinnerbait and 3rd would also be a White Spinnerbait.

My other answer would have to be whatever jerkbait I have tied on and forgot to use a flouro leader.  This never fails.

[Koop]

I'd throw a black buzzbait.

[TrippyJai]

Absolutely number 1 is a White Spinnerbait, followed closely at number 2 by a White Spinnerbait and 3rd would also be a White Spinnerbait.

My other answer would have to be whatever jerkbait I have tied on and forgot to use a flouro leader.  This never fails.

White Spinnerbait, enough said.

[RoLo]

My favorite pike lure changes with the season.

Since your asking in July, I'd recommend working the outer cabbage-line (generally 8 to 18 ft of water).

Cast a Johnson Spoon (1-1/8oz x 3¾) with Fat Albert Twin Tail trailer or troll your favorite in-line spinner.

Realistically, unless your fishing the northernmost latitudes, gator pike are conspicuously absent in summer.

During the summertime, horse pike seek coldwater pockets in 20 to 40 ft of water, unrelated to vegetation.

On the other hand, middling size pike are very cooperative in summer.

Roger

[esoxangler]

I would go with a spinnerbait for sure...white of course. Maybe a Johnson silver minnow with a grub trailer...also in white.

[VolFan]

For the lake you described, i'd fish aspinnerbait deep arnd heavy cover or use a soft jerbait in the same places.  You should be abe to fish every inch of that lake, top to bottom, with those two lures.  Of i had to add a third it'd be a Zara spook, just for kicks.  

[farmpond1]

Big in-line spinner for more open area.  Big spinnerbait for heavier cover.  In white or chartreuse.

[D4u2s0t]

color is irrevelant... but my bait of choice would be spinnerbait.

[Dwight Hottle]

;) My choice would be a lc pointer 100 series.