5 Best Pike Lures To Catch Lots Of Big & Mean Gangster Pike.
These 5 Best Pike Lures Will Help To Catch Big & Mean Gangster Pike
These lures will help you overcome your fear of these big toothy monsters.
The Top 5 Best Pike Lures - Quick Guide:
TRUSCEND Fishing Lures Glide Bait
Strike King Rage Swimmer
Rapala X-Rap Subwalk
Acme Kastmaster Fishing Spoons
Mepps BM HO-BO Musky Killer-Bucktail
If you're looking to catch more pike this season, you need to read this post!
In this review, we will take a look at some of the best pike lures on the market today. We'll discuss what makes these lures so great for pike, and we'll provide some tips on how to use them effectively.
So if you're looking to catch more pike this season, read on. We're confident that these best northern pike lures will help you land more toothy serpents.
How We Choose
There are lots of options for choosing the best lure for pike.
Our team has read through thousands of pike fishing user reviews and star ratings to come up with a list that makes it easier for you to decide what pike lures is the best for you to use. Don’t bother spending lots of time reading over many many reviews, we’ve done it for you to find the best lures for catching pike.
There’s 5 options here that will be great for you. Read below for details and you can check the price on these pike lures when you're done.
What Are The 5 Best Pike Lures For Gangster Pike?
1. Mepps BM HO-BO Musky Killer-Bucktail
Why We Love It
The bucktail is basically a classic. Some people want to go with a huge flashy lure but the truth is you don’t need it to be that big. Something intermediate is just fine. The biggest benefit of using a bucktail is covering a lot of water very quickly. It’s basically a search bait that you can work fast, all around you, to find fish. They’re nice if you’re in a new lake or river and you’re not familiar with the structure and surroundings. The Mepps bucktail has been one of the go-to northern pike lures since about the dawn of time.
What To Look For:
Great for Northern Pike, also a Musky Killer bait
3/4 Ounce
Comes in hot orange and a variety of colors
Quality craftsmanship and materials make this product a must have for any fisherman
One of the most important players in the fishing tackle industry
2. Acme Kastmaster Fishing Spoons
Why We Love It
If you're looking for an effective way to catch pike, fishing with a spoon is a great option. These Acme Kastmaster spoons are versatile and can be fished in a variety of ways - fast or slow, deep or shallow. These are solid brass construction and they won't break bend or corrode, even in the harshest of saltwater environments. And Kastmaster has tested these spoons to prevent line twist as much as possible, which can be a problem for other types of spoons. Available in a variety of colors from muted to flashy to create commotion.
What To Look For:
Balanced and hydrodynamic without line twist
Field tested by expert anglers
Made to last
Built using the highest quality materials
Solid brass won't break, bend or corrode
Retains its luster even after repeated exposure to water,
even salt water
Freshwater or saltwater
10-15 lb test - medium-heavy spinning, baitcasting or trolling
3. Rapala X-Rap Subwalk
Why We Love It
Fishing jerkbaits are great for fishing in both fresh and salt water, and they're great for pike. Designed to look like minnows, their lateral lines and scales flash in the light to attract fish. The X-Rap is a great fishing jerkbait because it's the perfect size and shape, and it has a hard-cutting, aggressive darting action and internal rattle that really triggers strikes. It suspends and comes to a roll at rest to help the "pause" when most fish will bite. Plus, it comes with an integrated long-casting system so you can cast it farther out into the water. Rapala has been making lures for decades and they're a must have in every tackle box. We have chipped and abused Rapala lures in our arsenal, we still use them, and they still work!
What To Look For:
Xtreme attitude with its hard-cutting, aggressive darting action
Running depth: 3-8 feet
Weighs .4375 Oz
The integrated long-casting system
Irresistible rattle and classic Rapala action
It suspends and comes to a roll at rest to trigger the bite
4. Strike King Rage Swimmer
Why We Love It
Strike King's Rage Swimmer is one of the most versatile paddletail swimbaits on the market. The way the nose cone and softly ribbed body closely mirror what's found in nature, and its thin, pancake-like tail pumps out frantic vibrations at any speed. Strike King has targeted the Rage Swimmer for bass, but the larger sizes are also deadly for pike. The best way to use it for pike is pinned to a jig, or trailed behind a spinnerbait. The paddle on this tail really gives it the action to trigger a strike. Available in lots of colors to "match the hatch".
What To Look For:
Sleek nose cone
Softly ribbed body
Thin, pancake-like tail
Pumps out frantic vibrations at any speed
Great on a jig, a dropshot rig, or spinnerbait
Pack of 7
5. TRUSCEND Fishing Lures Glide Bait
Why We Love It
TRUSCEND glidebaits are designed to sink slowly, and imitate the movements of real fish. These baits are large, and have 3D realistic eyes and pearl powder coating, so they look extremely lifelike. Made of high-quality ABS material and equipped with built-in rattles, these lures continuously emit sound waves helping provoke fish to strike. We've seen these catch big pike in the 40+ inch range. Glidebaits can be very expensive, the TRUSCEND glidebaits are fairly priced. This one is a mega best seller, that's why it makes our list.
What To Look For:
Length:5.5in/14cm
Weight:0.9oz/25g
Swimming Depth: 6ft-8ft
Material: Hard ABS Plastic, Metal, Steel Wire, 3D Eyes, Rattle
Multi-jointed slowing sinking
Top Lure Types To Consider For Pike
Spoons
Not sexy but people have been catching pike on a spoon for seemingly 100 years. They’re so versatile and can be fished in a variety of ways, fast, slow, ripping off the top of the water. Deep or shallow too, you name it. The possibilities are almost endless.
The big deal with a spoon is that they’re flashy, the create commotion, some will be silver or gold and others maybe red and white. The color is what attracts fish, and it doesn’t have to be a specific color, just something obnoxious and flashy. Anything that will draw a reaction strike from a big toothy pike. johnson silver minnow spoon
Bucktail
The bucktail is basically a classic. Most northern pike anglers want to go with a huge flashy lure but the truth is you don’t need it to be that big. Something intermediate is just fine. The biggest benefit of using a bucktail is covering a lot of water very quickly. It’s basically a search bait that you can work fast, all around you, to find fish. They’re nice if you’re in a new lake or river and you’re not familiar with the structure and surroundings. The bucktail also can be a musky killer.
Glidebaits
These baits can catch huge huge northern pike. If you fish them with a walk the dog action that seems to be the best way to fish these lures. They work really well in the spring, when you’re fishing in shallow, maybe weedy water. These tend to not get hung up in the submerged vegetation which is crucial when you’re trying to cover water. If you retrieve them right below the surface, in roughly 2 feet of water in a calm area, you can keep it above the weeds where pike will attack from the cover below. And the strikes! It can feel and look like a topwater blowup when the pike rockets up at the lure from below.
Paddle Tail
Some have said that paddle tails are like “pike crack”. These can be volume baits, especially when targeting northern pike. The paddle tail should be on anyone’s short list of top lures and always carried in the tackle box. They’re so versatile, you can even get other fish on these, like walleye and bass. You don’t have to be fancy here, a 5 to 6 inch white, or even pearl white works well. It’s a staple fishing lure for pike. One of the drawbacks is that soft plastic lures can get beat up pretty fast and tend not to last too long when catching a lot of fish, especially toothy ones like big northern pike. That’s ok though because they’ll make more! If it gets cut or deformed in any way, replace it with a fresh one. The lurking pike can tell if the bait doesn’t look right, believe it or not.
Jerkbait
Many people’s favorite is the jerkbait. Particularly, like the glidebait, you want a jerkbait that won’t dive too deep because you don’t want it in the weeds. Just above the weeds, and just below the surface is the best spot to fish a jerkbait. The key here is the retrieve, and that’s why they call them jerk baits. It’s literally a jerk jerk jerk, pause type of retrieve. Pick one with neutral buoyancy so that on the pause, the bait will basically hang and not rise or fall very much. The aggressive pike will typically hit this lure on the pause.
Spinnerbait
There's no question that spinnerbaits are some of the best fishing lures for pike. They're versatile, durable and catch many types of fish like crazy, even lake trout in deeper water. You can fish them in a variety of ways and they're built to last. The heads can help keep your trailer plastic from dragging on the bottom, and the beveled blades add extra flash. The flash is what gets the strike, it’s generally annoying to pike. The skirts are even replaceable, so you can change up your presentation if you need to.
Size
In most cases, the best size is the medium to small size. With the large size, you can limit the size fish you can catch because smaller fish just can’t handle the larger sizes. But with a medium or smaller size you open up the opportunities to catch more fish. Maybe some will be smaller, but you’re catching more fish. Isn't that the goal?
Color
Always look to match the forage fish in the area. If you’re a fly fisherman, you know the term “match the hatch”. It’s really the same thing here, what color are the bait fish the pike are eating? Is it a sucker minnow, a small bass, a small perch? Or a silver shiner? Just keep in mind that matching the forage is the best way to go. In some areas in the north, Clown, silver/blue, perch, silver/black, and shad patterns are usually the ticket.
Best Pike Lures FAQs
Pike are one of the most sought-after fish by anglers, but they can be notoriously hard to catch.
Pike have a well-deserved reputation for being one of the most challenging fish to catch. They're often found in deep water and they love to strike at flashy lures.
We’ve created a buyer’s guide of frequently asked questions to help you choose the pike lures for your situation. This guide will answer some of the top questions people ask when choosing a pike lure.
What baits are best for pike fishing?
We have reviewed the baits, and these are our choices:
TRUSCEND Fishing Lures Glide Bait
Acme Kastmaster Fishing Spoons
Mepps BM HO-BO Musky Killer-Bucktail
What color of lures work best for pike?
The very best lures to use for pike in clear water are swimbaits, softbaits, and crankbaits with an authentic pattern and swimming action. Natural lure colors that resemble the pike's prey, such as white, silver, green, or black, have proven most effective
Do pike like topwater lures?
Yes. Sometimes it's hard to tell if it's actually a pike hitting the bait. Or they may miss the lure and their whole body rockets out of the water. Topwater piking is a great program for adrenaline junkies.
Do pike like crankbait?
Yes. Many feel the lipless crankbaits are the go to crankbait lure for pike fishing. Crankbaits come in may styles from lipless to deep divers. Having a great depth range is great as the pike fishing season progresses.
What's the best time of day to catch pike?
Pike fishing in the morning are more active than usual. Early morning right before the sun rises is an excellent time to target hungry pike. You can either find them in open or shallow water hunting down their first meal of the day.
Are spinners good for pike?
Yes. There is little doubt that the first lure most pike anglers will have used was a spinner, or bar-spoon as they are sometimes known. Spinner baits are used in the thousands, not least because they are widely available - and cheap, but because they catch northern pike.
How deep do you fish for pike?
Most of these fish are caught in shallow water. Big pike, however, go deep. Many times they are in water 15 feet deep or deeper. At these times, a big deep running lure is needed.
Where do big pike hang out?
The really large Northern Pike are more likely to hang around points leading into bays, narrows between islands or in river current especially later in the spring. They like to hang around areas where Walleyes and Bass are migrating through to ambush them.
Do bigger lures catch bigger pike?
Generally yes. But smaller 10-12 cm soft plastics, spinners and spinnerbaits will catch big pike also. No doubt these lures will catch pike of all sizes including trophy fish, but fishing with medium to smaller baits is sort of a “safe” way to fish for pike.
What is a pike's favorite color?
Generally dark colors in clear water and deep water as well work well for catching pike. Because dark colors create a strong silhouette, the lure has more of a natural appearance. Therefore black is often seen as the go-to natural color.
Is a jerk bait good for pike?
Yes. The motion of a jerkbait can be annoying to a pike, encouraging a reaction strike. A common type of jerk bait is the super shad rap.
Do pike like minnows?
Sucker minnows in the 8- to 12-inch range are ideal for dead bait fishing. Smaller minnows will only tempt bites from non-target fish and smaller pike. Keep these baits frozen solid until it's time to use them, then let them thaw about halfway so they are soft enough to put them on a hook.
The Summary On Best Pike Lures
So what’s the bottom line on the best northern pike fishing lures?
Pike are notoriously picky fish, and it can be tough to land them using the wrong lure. That's why we've put together this list of the best pike lures on the market today. These lures have been proven to work well for pike, and they're sure to help you catch more of these slippery serpents.
TRUSCEND Fishing Lures Glide Bait
Acme Kastmaster Fishing Spoons
Mepps BM HO-BO Musky Killer-Bucktail
So don't wait – click the button to search the price on these top-rated lures!
Cheers to the outdoors,
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