Anglers seek out the pike because they are a very challenging fish that’s hard to catch and this makes fishing fun and exciting. Their slender body, long head and sharp teeth distinguish Pike from other species. They have sensory pores underneath the lower jaw and dark spots on the webbing along the first dorsal fin and one on the lower part of the tail.
One of the reasons they’re so hard to catch is because they’re not a school fish. They travel around alone and they are very active moving around a lot depending on when you’re fishing. However, they do tend to stay near the shoreline so this narrows down the area where you need to search for them and they seldom venture out in water more than 15 feet deep.
When fishing for pike look for them around weeds, lily pads, rocks, brush piles and submerged trees. They will often hide out in these so they can ambush their prey. Fish lakes and rivers that are clear when seeking out pike because they prefer the clear water to dark or murky waters.
Pike Fishing Secrets
Knowing a few secrets about the pike will help to enhance your fishing trip and make it possible to reel in more per trip. Get your gear ready in advance so you don’t forget anything and check to make sure all of your gear is in good shape. Discard any old or worn out tackle that can hinder your fishing trip.
Once you get everything ready, here are four pike fishing secrets that can increase the number of bites you get on your next fishing trip:
1. One of the best ways to find pike is to look for the baitfish. Even though they are known to be a very active species, they do have a tendency of following the baitfish around. If you find the baitfish, you can normally find them easier.
2. Not only does the pike have many teeth but they are also very sharp and they can easily bite through regular fishing line. To prevent this from happening and to keep you from losing your catch, it’s suggested that you use a cable fishing line and wire trace. When taking the hook out of its mouth don’t use your fingers or you could be bitten. Use a hook remover or pliers instead.
3. Some of the best lures to use when fishing for pike are crankbait, jigs, plastic worms and spoons. When choosing your lures consider the color carefully because they can see well and colors do matter. Try different ones until you find what gets the most attention in any given situation. You can also use live bait to fish for pike especially if they are being picky. The best live bait to use are herring, mackerel, sardines, eel and trout. When you do notice you have a bite, give the pike a few seconds to swallow the bait before trying to set the hook. They usually hit it a couple of times before actually taking it.
4. This species has excellent eyesight and can see well in the dark. For this reason, they tend to avoid direct sunlight and feed more aggressively at night. Fishing during the night will usually yield excellent results when you can find them but that will be much harder than it would be during the day. Fishing in the early morning and late evening will make it easier to locate them and they’ll still be actively feeding during this time.
When fishing for pike you need to be patient. They have a delicate bite that makes it easy for them to steal your bait away but if you pay close attention you can limit how many times this happens without you noticing. You can also fish with a bobber to help you detect when they strike.
Pike Fishing Tips
Here are a few tips that can help you increase the number of fish that you catch and make all of your trips more successful. Before you go fishing do some research to learn all you can about the pike. This will give you an advantage and make it easier to find and catch them.
You can use most any technique you want to catch pike. Trolling, casting and drifting are the most common methods used to catch this species but fly-fishing is catching on with many anglers. This species is strong and it has a very aggressive nature. If you invade its space, it will strike even when it’s in a picky mood.
Always follow good safety habits when fishing for pike and this will help to ensure you stay safe to go out and fish another day. Any type of water creates a dangerous environment where accidents can and do often happen. It’s vital that you stay alert and pay close attention to your surroundings to reduce the risks of accidents.