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Pike Fishing Gear Recommendations

While northern pike fishing can be boatloads of fun, there’s no question that you need to make sure to have some really high quality gear if you want any chance of not only hooking, but actually bringing in a big one. The following are my recommendations for being properly prepared to reel in truly giant northern pike.

Full reviews of each item below however if you want the quick run down for my picks for best pike fishing gear:

Best Medium-High Action Fishing Rod

The Croix Triumph Casting Rod is my absolute favorite for bass or pike fishing.

There’s no question that the St. Croix Triumph Casting Rod is top of our list when it comes to great fishing rods for northern pike. Finding a quality medium action rod that can put up with the fight that a northern pike can give is a challenge. That’s why St. Croix’s Triumph is so good: it’s a medium-high action rod that brings the best of that high action rods and medium action rods have to offer all in one.

This is a one-piece fishing rod, which is a definite plus in my book when it comes to fishing for giant pike. Made from a very high quality graphite material and featuring a strong but comfortable premium cork, this rod is the real deal.

The perfect combination of strength, flexibility, and action, this is a rod that can handle even the largest and most aggressive northern pike while still offering enough give to remain fun.

There are some rods that just really stand out as being great when it comes to fishing for big-time fighters like pike, and while there are many that do really well with pike, you’re not going to find one better than the St. Croix Triumph casting rod.

Best Ultra Light Fishing Rod for Pike

Choosing to go with an ultralight fishing rod when fishing for northern pike is a brave decision – and one that I love as someone who has had some truly epic fights with a lot of 10-20 lb pike on an ultralight fishing rod that looked like it belonged to a 5 year old.

The best ultralight fishing rods for pike are going to be a little bit better than the one I used in Canada during that memorable fishing trip as a boy and we recommend the Ugly Stik Elite Spinning Rod. These come in nine different size & action combinations and the ultralight even has three versions: two one-piece ultralight models and one 7 foot 2-piece model.

For pike I recommend going with one of the two one-piece ultralight rods. The Ugly Stik Elite Spinning Rod makes a stunningly good ultralight rod and while one piece rods tend to be better with pike, especially with ultralight heavy action models, you have a great fighting chance with either.

And you haven’t lived until a decent sized pike hits a lure you’re using with your ultralight rod. This is a great way to experience the incredible fight and still have a fighting chance of bringing even the big ones in!

Top Fishing Line for Pike Fishing

No reason to get fancy here. Even if you go with a slightly different brand, you still want to go with the high-quality monofilament. Trust me we’ve tested it all: monofilament, braided, fluorocarbon, Kevlar, everything. There’s a reason we always keep coming back. Monofilament is reliable, it’s well made, and it doesn’t have the drawbacks many other fishing lines do. It’s also a recyclable fishing line.

While there are several good options out there, for our money the Momoi Diamond Monofilament line is as good as it gets. Right off the bat it is worth noting that this line is a bit more expensive than most big name brands, but there’s good reason for it. This line is virtually unbreakable and unlike many braided lines the base color can’t be seen fourteen feet into the water.

In other words, the line is strong, it spools smoothly, and it will last a very, very long time. The money definitely pays for itself in the long run. This line is worth the purchase and it will give you a serious fighting chance against even the most aggressive pike.

There’s a reason as of this writing this was the highest rated fishing line on Amazon.com and at the 60 review mark it wasn’t even close.

Top Fishing Net

You need a big heavy-duty net if you’re going to bring in a trophy-sized northern pike. As much as we love walleye and trout – nets made for those fish just isn’t going to cut it. If you are going to be going after those truly trophy-sized northern pike you will need a heavy duty net to bring them into the boat.

The EGO S2 Slider Large Landing Net is up to the task. There are multiple hoop sizes and the 22-inch hoop is ideal if you are chasing northerns. The 29 inch handle is well built and balanced, and the net can even be extended for a little bit more reach when you need it most.

The grip on this net is excellent, and that’s really important when you have a heavyweight fish on the other side fighting like crazy to avoid getting pulled in.

There are several good nets out there but between materials, versatility, and the fact it simply holds up, the EGO S2 Slider large landing net is my choice as a must buy for all pike fishermen out there.

Favorite Pike Fishing Lures

Look there might be plenty of controversy with this one, and I realize that the best lure in an area can depend on a lot of things including environment, what pike are used to, color, day, and a variety of other factors. Every lure has its day, after all.

However I’ve fished pike with heavy success using crankbaits for years, and this one might not bring in the most pike, but it’s the go-to when I want to fish for larger pike. The magnum crankbaits (aka the extra large crankbaits) are one of my favorites. The X-Rap Magnum 30 crankbait from Rapala is a great example.

You won’t catch as many fish because of the size of the lure but you tend to catch larger fish. Then again with northerns sometimes you catch one barely the size of the lure. Makes for a great picture, big laugh, and great story. When it’s between that or a good catch, you’re win-win either way!