Best pike lures?

[Sourdough]

Hi all,
My son has been asking to go pike fishing (he always wants to catch big fish ). Last year we boated a few small ones, and he got pretty hooked, pardon the pun. So, I started doing a little research to increase our chances. For for anyone else curious I found the esox hunter website quite informative http://www.esoxhunter.com/ One of the topics was lure choice. We have had some luck on topwaters (frogs, heddon topedos, poppers) and on 3 to 5 inch crank baits ( mostly more narrow profile ones like wally divers). On the website the author mentions a suick, specifically a 7 inch one. I looked into them, and they cost a pretty penny, so before taking the dive, I thought I would ask if any of you have tried them, or if you have any other suggestions. I have also been looking at some of the long skinny rapalas. If it helps any, I mostly fish the Ottawa river between arnprior and Ottawa, and the south end of Mississippi lake.

Thank you in advance.

BTW, my son caught a 5.5 lbs carp in Mississippi lake last weekend. I had no idea they were even in there. If I can ever figure out how to get the picture off my phone I'll post it. Quite exciting on ultra light tackle, and the fist we ever landed.

Cheers,
Sourdough

[jona38]

Here are my two best producers so far this year.

Lucky Craft Pointer in Aurora Green Perch

Rapala Clackin' Crank in Helsinki Shad

If you're not set up with heavy gear I'd stick with smaller tackle. I had a few Suicks in my musky bag and couldn't imagine throwing them on anything other than musky gear. They take quite a bit of effort to work them properly. Jon

[MichaelGA]

Spinner baits work quite well. Perch looking styles and fall fish (silver / white) for Mississippi river and ottawa rivers, red trailer hooks.

Basically anything that looks like a wounded fish. Spoons can be big producers also in fast water.

[Sourdough]

Thanks for the replies. I have seen the luvky craft on the rack and thought they looked interesting. I will definantely pick one up. I will also give spinner baits a shot once bass season opens. Thanks again, I really appreciate it.

[smitty55]

Older friend of mine fished the Larry lots for pike and his favorite spoon was the Toronto Wobbler. Cheap and effective.

Have you ever heard of a Vivif? I was introduced to them in the late seventies when the term "weighted swimbait" wasn't common at all. Now there are articles in all the mags on using them. Stange loves them for Pike and Walleye. It was a great lure for all fish really, with the red and white being best for Pike we found. Then they disappeared after being around since their introduction in 1958. Now Panther Martin has reintroduced them since 2004. Very nice looking.



Here's a link to the tackletour review. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpmvivif.html Cheap and effective.
One last thing I'll add. If you want to target big Pike you will probably want to upsize your lure choice whatever method you use, which in turn means using the right rod and reel to handle heavier baits, so you may have to buy your son a new outfit, hehe.
Good luck to you and your lad. How old is he btw?

Cheers

[Sourdough]

Thanks for the tip about swimbaits. I have seen Doug Stange use them for walleye on TV. I would have thought her were a little small most pike. I am under the impression they will eat pretty much anything, but look for prey about a third of their body size. My son is 5, turning 6 at the and of the summer. My daughter ( who started coming out with us this year) turns 4 around the same time. Right now they both have a 5 ft ultra light ugly stick with an underspin reel on it.. They also use my gear for biggrr fish. Last year's highlights were a couple of pike in the 3 ft range, a couple of largemouth over 2.5 lbs to 3 lbs and a 5 lbs catfish. ( i caught none of them, just drove the boat, tied the line, brought the food, etc) This year we are on the chase for a pike in the 4 foot range. It will be quite a challenge for him to land such a large fish as it could weigh up to 10 or 15% of his body weight. We had a go today on Mississippi lake, and ended up with a stringer of panfish. Such is the way it works with kids. Better catch something, or the fishing trip is a hard sell next time. As it was, things worked out well with one catching, one netting, and dad cheering. Looks like my favorite fish soup is on the menu tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Sourdough

[smitty55]

Lol you are going to have a riot with kids that young. Have fun with it. Don't forget to take lots of pictures. Don't be shy to post them here. I wish I would have had a camera with me more often back when my girls were young. But I do have the memories, which is what counts the most. Have fun.

Cheers

[tbone1088]

Don't forget walk the dog style topwaters... big pike love them Especially the large zara spook models

[adempsey]

For Pike my "go to" lures are the Johnson Silver Minnow with a 5" white grub trailer, Northland Reed Runner Magnum Spinnerbait in white/silver and various spoons. I really like Lucky Strike and Williams spoons, they are Canadian and can be found at a great price. One of my favorites For pike are the Lucky Strike Red Eye Wiggler/Bug Eye spoons and Williams Whitefish.







You can even tie up some simple bunny strip streamer flies. Although I don't use them with a fly rod, it's still really fun to hook up some pike on your own flies.

[drake691]

I've also found that they like topwaters....... They're Pike, they like everything

[Sourdough]

Thank you for the continued advice. I note that a few responses suggest Zara spooks. Where does one find them in the Ottawa area. The CDN tire in kanata does not seem to have them in stock.

[bcjohnso99]

Lots of great options in this thread.

Don't forget the old-time favourites - the red and white spoon (aka red devil) or the five of diamonds.

They're only 69 cents and actually work.

[evan14]

I got my Zara spook at lebaron in the discount bin last summer. Fun to walk across calm water

[Tonyb]

Try a dead minnow under a bobber. Never know who will take it, but have caught a lot of cats and a few very large pike this way. Minnow on a bare hook, wait for the bobber to get pulled under and then count to 5!

[Streamside88]

up till now my big producers have been (this time of year anyways) small perch cranks .....perch or white/silver spinner baits....perch/minnow swim baits...... i use the spinner baits to cover water since they dont get caught in anything easily when i find a nice weed patch ill run it through ....if the patch is submerged a couple feet then that's when i bust out the cranks and swim baits.... spoons can be good.... specially rippled gold/silver Williams ..... dont bother with anything bigger then 6 inches... 8 is max and even then 6 and under will produce more quantity..... i lost a huge pike on a live minnow under a bobber while i was casting.. jumped out and cut the line.... (USE WIRE LEADERS)..