| Most northern pike anglers know that fishing with | | | | are worth their price. This bait has a belly keel |
| dead bait (mainly minnows) off the bottom works | | | | design that makes it quiver while sinking on slack |
| great. However, this works best during the colder | | | | line. These are outstanding subsurface twitch baits. |
| months when the cold water slows down the | | | | You just need to know how to fish them. When |
| decaying process. When the weather starts to | | | | you cast your lure, after it hits the water, feed |
| heat up in the beginning of summer, the pike start | | | | line until it hits the bottom. And on your retrieve, |
| to go after live bait. So, you need to adapt, and | | | | twitch your rod to give it that life like appearance. |
| start using lures that mimic live bait. | | | | Jerk your rod up and down, this will put slack in |
| Wobbly spoons like Daredevils, and Blue Fox aqua | | | | your line and allow the lure to sink, then the lure |
| spoons have been around for a long time; and | | | | does its thing, quivering on its way down and |
| these lures work great for when pike are more | | | | provoking a strike. |
| aggressive. During the warmer months, pike have | | | | Then you have the new "Tyrant Tyrant Jerkbait." |
| no choice but to be more aggressive. Pike are a | | | | This bait has a hard body with a soft rubber tail. |
| cold water fish, so you will find them in the | | | | It has the action of a dog-walking glide bait, and |
| deeper parts of the lake where the water is | | | | comes with dual rattling chambers. When fishing |
| cooler. You can also try under piers where the | | | | this lure, I have found that you really have to |
| shade will provide cooler water or any place you | | | | experiment with your retrieve. You can do a slow |
| can find shade. When choosing your spoons, go | | | | steady retrieve or a hurky jerky retrieve with |
| for the wide-body spoons that are 3 to 4 inches | | | | pauses. It just depends on the mood of the fish. |
| long. The red and white spoons with a silver back | | | | In-line spinners have always done well for pike. |
| or the yellow five-of-diamonds work the best. | | | | And when it comes to brands, I like Panther |
| Now there are some new lures out that are | | | | Martin, Blue Fox or Mepps. Crainkbaits also work |
| getting much attention and praise from anglers. | | | | well, especially the deep-diving crainkbaits that can |
| One of them is the, Sebile Stick Shadd Musky | | | | get down in the strike zone where the water is |
| Baits. These lures are expensive, but, I think they | | | | cooler. |