new lures for pike what should i get

[mrpike1973]

hi its that time of year i buy some new lures for pike. i troll and cast mostly i'm after 4 -8 lbs fish is what i have in my lakes. what would ya'll recommend based on personal experience thanks

[PTocko]

You didn't say what you have already so I'll just answer as if you had nothing.

1) Spoons - medium to large sizes (NOT Musky size), I like whites / reds / oranges in colors. The old dare devil still catches a lot of pike and is still a "goto" lure IMO.

2) Spinners - medium to large sizes (NOT Musky size), again I like whites / reds / oranges. I like the double bladed versions - one large and one small blade. Blade color is personal preferance and somewhat dependant on lake color - I like silver for my lake but you can get a variety of colors.

3) Crank Baits - take your pick - Rapala, Rebel, Reef Runner etc, etc. I typically like mine to match bait fish - perch colors etc. Depending on where I am fishing I use anything from 3' diver to ones that dive 20+'. Remember - pike feed upwards so shallower than the water depth is better.

Hope this helps and Good Luck

[dan z]

A hand full of Husky jerks in the bigger sizes would help if you dont have any. I have found that the tenn shad is the best color for me...

[pulleye16]

I'm giving these plastics by Storm a try. They've had some great reviews. Try the 3-4" Storm wildeye (???) perch. Pretty affordable for life-like minnows.

[mainbutter]

They're affordable until you only realize you might only catch one or two fish per lure.

I've never used storm's soft plastic products, and in fact the ONLY soft plastic swimbaits (other than grubs) I've used are ones I make myself.

Paddletail swimbaits are definitely like candy to pike at times, but I do generally only get one or two fish per bait, and then they go into my scrap pile to get recycled by remelting and made into a bait again.

[mrpike1973]

question on the husky jerks do they work good with steel leaders. i like them but they never seem to track right i do try to tune them just wondering maybe i'm doing something wrong

[mainbutter]

TBH I hate steel leaders, and there isn't a lure I hate them MORE on than any kind of jerk/crankbait. I've probably said it a hundred times or more on these forums, but here it is again:

25lb fluorocarbon leader, 6-18'', tied directly to the main line via back to back uni knots, and then I tie directly to ALL lures except inline spinners, which get a snap swivel to help manage line twist. Again, I use a uni knot. Sometimes if I want a wacky, wild, or just wider action on a crankbait, I won't cinch the knot all the way down to the eye.

0 biteoffs in two seasons, 100+ pike (I really have no idea how many I caught, could be way more), a number of muskies including 44''er and 48''er (the latter had the leader IN the teeth for much of the fight).

HJs and x-raps are going to get much attention from me this season, I'll let you know how they track once opener rolls around.

[Fish Head]

Husky Jerks are legendary Pike baits. I would make sure you have a few. Personally I've had no problem using metal or fluorocarbon leaders with them. I would use a heavier flouro leader than just 25lbs, but thats me.

One overlooked spoon is the doctor spoon. It's an old lure that still works. Get either the gold/gold or the gold/silver. Pike love them!

Pike also like swimbaits, but as said before, they don't last long.

[Lakeside_Nelson]

The new glide rap is a good option, as well as the larger sized flat raps. They worked wonders on pike in northern MN and Canada for me last year.

[FishLocker]

I have two new ones from last year that have moved my reef runner from the top shelf to the second drawer.

The first is the Triple Play Minnow and my side pic is from my insurance inventory pictures so it has the packaging (hope it does not get deleted). I think because it is so wide (Triangle shaped body) that it really set the Pike's lateral line on fire. It is really wide bodied, and it swims like CRAZY.

this shows how wide it is

the other is a walleye rig that looks like a Lazy ike mated with a 2 hook crawler harness. Retrieved steady along weed banks it was hammered by Pike

again, it is my insurance photo so includes the packaging, hope it does not get deleted

[NCLaker]

Don't typically target pike, but can't seem to keep them off of StrikeKing Redeye Shads, and Musky Meyhem double show girls (be sure to add a twister tail to the treble hook.

[slipperybob]

I was wondering about those Matzuo triple joint lures but now I've got a little more confidenct to purchase one.

I have always been pretty much a Super Shallow Shad Rap guy. But this year I'm going to give that Giant Chubby Darter a shot.

[kustmoboy]

Pike LOVE the 6.5" soft-tail Phantoms. Heck, they like the 8" ones too! I can't wait to try the new 4" ones this spring on pike.