While fishing tackle can be an umbrella term for virtually any piece of equipment necessary to catch a fish, pike fishing tackle generally refers to the lures, spoons, spinners and hook configuration necessary to produce a strong presentation to a Northern pike. Fishing for pike becomes a blend of art and science with every rule having an exception, and the key to successful pike fishing is to build your arsenal of pike fishing tackle to incorporate something for every occasion. During the spring time pike can likely be found in the warmer shallows. As the weather warms up during the summer, pike will drift toward cooler pockets of water farther down. Be sure to incorporate lures, spinners, and spoons that work for a variety of water depths to give the proper presentation to pike no matter what their mood is.
One vital element to pike fishing is to know that they will migrate to different areas of the lake. Prime time for pike fishing is early spring just after a thaw when large female pike drift into the warm shallows to spawn. They will also remain there after spawning to regain their strength. Utilizing lures that mimic a pike’s natural prey such as suckers, minnows, and perch is often a good to incorporate into your pike fishing tackle, as pike species are predatory, but also be sure to try dead bait presentations if the situation calls for it. When female pike are recovering after spawning they are less likely to be in predatory mode and more likely to be in scavenger mode. Munching down the remains of a dead perch on the bottom suits them just fine, and expends less energy than hunting down the live target. If this is the case, the pike is likely to ignore your lure no matter what the recovery speed is.
Some of the best pike fishing tackle lures have treble hooks which are equally likely to catch as many weeds as they are pike. Given that pike love the natural shelter of weed beds some snags are to be expected. It is important to note that many of the spoons and spinners found in pike fishing tackle can cause serious damage to a pike that is intended to be released since the hooks can catch deep within their throats. Removing the hook with a good pair of needle nose pliers can prevent a hook in the hand caused by a thrashing pike. A more effective piece of pike tackle in this scenario is a large spinner bait with an attached trailer hook, such as is commonly used in bass fishing. These hooks are also easier to remove and cause less damage to a catch and release fish.
For the occasions when pike are not interested in pike fishing tackle that drifts to the bottom consider pike fishing tackle that stays in the top 3 to 5 feet of the water column. Such fishing tackle is generally designed to mimic injured prey, such as a crippled minnow or a thrashing duckling. When such tackle is effective it gives the added joy of watching the pike explode out of the water and attack your presentation.
Once you have a broad selection of baits, lures, spinners, and spoons it’s important to stick it on the end of a rod that you feel most comfortable with. For pike fishing, medium or heavy action rods are most recommended with a 10 to 12 pound test line. Light or ultra light rods can be used by anglers who want even more of a challenge but regardless the most important factor is the drag. Whatever rod is used must have a smooth drag throughout. If the reel has jerky or erratic drag, consider investing in a new reel since pike can take advantage of that flaw.
In some ways pike fishing is all about options. The more you learn about pike the more likely you are to match the right lure with the right presentation. Water temperature, weather forecast, pressure from other anglers, the time of year, the geography of the lake, and the migratory patterns of a pike’s prey fish (minnows, suckers, etc) are all factors that will influence a pike’s behavior. Successfully landing a pike requires a broad range of pike fishing tackle to match the particulars of each fishing expedition, and putting it all together increases your chances while fishing for that trophy northern pike.
March 5th, 2011 at 11:07 pm
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May 20th, 2011 at 9:35 am
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