Whats the best bait for pike?

Answer 1

Looks like there's a lot of American answers here, so as an Englishman, here's my advice. You should take note of what other fish live in the waters you fish that pike are likely to feed on. If it's a trout water, use trout as bait. If there's an abundance of coarse fish, use a live roach or similar (beware some waters don't allow live baiting) Pike will eat just about anything though and location is more the key, they like to ambush their prey from cover, so reed beds, sunken logs or underwater shelves are prime spots.

Answer 2

Pike are commonly thought of as being accomplished predators -- bullies of the water -- taking on anything that moves. But pike commonly eat dead minnows, suckers, smelt, alewives or other small game fish.
Wobbling spoons like Dardevles, Blue Fox Aqua Spoons and Len Thompsons are the bread-and-butter lures of spring pike fishing. These 3- to 4-inch-long wide-bodied spoons exhibit a slow lazy-like wobble that will often interest pike that are in a moderate to aggressive mood. Typically, the larger 5- to 6- inch lures are best left to the salmon crowd.
Red-and-white spoons with a silver metallic back or a yellow five-of- diamonds pattern have, without a doubt, been the top pike-catching spoons during the spring than all other combinations combined. If these spoons have a flaw, it would be their ability to catch weeds as quickly as pike. Typically, each comes standard with a large treble hook dangling from it and, when targeting northern pike that are holding in shallow weeds, these hooks can foul quickly.
Straight-shaft-spinners -- such as the Panther Martin, Blue Fox or Mepps -- are also good lures for trophy northerns. The spinning action of these lures causes a slight lifting action, which permits a slower retrieve and often an enticing action. That's not to say they can't be worked rapidly. The versatility of in-line spinners allows anglers to try different presentations while searching for the right speed for triggering strikes.
In weedy conditions, large spinnerbaits normally used by bass anglers can be an effective tool. The single hook is a welcome feature when you plan to release the majority of your fish; however, the number of hookups may be reduced. When pike activity is high on spinnerbaits, a good tip is to add a trailer hook. Many of the strikes that would have normally been missed will now put that trophy in the boat. Spinnerbaits can be good lures to use but normally don't match the attraction of spoons or in-line spinners.



If I had to pick a favorite method of catching fish, it would certainly be with the use of topwater baits. There's just something exhilarating about watching as the surface of the water explodes when a pike attacks my offering. Buzzbaits and other similar topwater lures only rate an occasional use for northerns. However, when pike are willing to feed off the surface, there is a great time to be had.
As good as buzzbait lures can be, they're normally not the best choice for topwater success. Slow-swimming floating minnow baits -- like large Rapalas or Thundersticks -- are a better choice during the spring since aggressive pike in shallow water are more likely to take a slow-moving or motionless bait off the surface.

there is actually alot more to this article...............
as far as watching pike fishing on tv,i usually see them using large swim baits,inline spinners,and regular spinner baits,i hope this helps u out a little

Answer 3

If you are fishing a heavily fished area that is known primarily for Pike, they seem to get used to seeing the large spoons. I have great luck catching large pike in those areas off of small spinners and spoons. A size 0 orange mepps spinner or a small swedish pimple spoon will tear them up. They may not work as well in areas that are also fished for trout or grayling, since those size lures work awesome on those fish too, and the pike will have seen them before.

Answer 4

Really depends where your fishing.Pike like to stay near weed beds.We like to drift along the beds with large minnows and a light sinker.Spinner baits are also good for pike and large rapala's.
http://fishingtips.forumsfourfree.com

Answer 5

this is how ive had my sucess with catching pike. use a yum dinger or a yamasenko and rig it either texas style or wacky (both work pretty good

here is a great website to learn about what im talking about. It probably talks about the sucess senkos have with bass but the catch pike just as well:

http://www.insideline.net/articles/gary-senko.html

Answer 6

Pike bite best on grizzly bear intestines. Go kill one 10 minutes before you plan on fishing for pike because they like the fresh ones best.

Answer 7

use large spoons and you will alwase catch pike or use large suckkers fish that work good to.
good luck and happy fishing

Answer 8

I use cut up fish. And it isn't really a certain kind, if I catch a smallish fish, it's bait.

Answer 9

empty car parks and fields ...

Answer 10

Sucker minnows