It is fairly common to be fishing, and then all of a sudden get a huge bite that is not characteristic with the fish you are targeting. Any fisherman worth his salt will know that they just got a bite from a pike. Pike aren’t the most common species of fish to seek exclusively. They aren’t very good to eat because they have little bones throughout their body that are very hard to remove. Every once in a while, however, people will spend a day or two fishing for pike because they fight like beasts and it is extremely fun to reel them in. If you are interested in fishing for these sleek predators, I am sure you will find the following tips very useful.
Tackle
Your usual fishing gear may not be up to par to catch these strong fish, so you may need to make a few changes. As far as fishing rods go, there isn’t really one that is designed exclusively for pike. As long as your rod doesn’t break easily, it should be fine. What you need to do, however, is get some heavier line with a test of at least 15 pounds. Oh, and you want to go out and buy some nice steel leaders. You want leaders because pike have little razors for teeth and can effortlessly bite through a line. I know I have lost way too many lures because I wasn’t prepared and a pike bit right through my line. Now, while we are on the topic of lures, if you want almost guaranteed success when pike fishing, you would go with a spoon. Don’t worry about putting live bait on it. The spoon itself is more than enough to entice the pike. Along with your line and lure changes, you want to make sure you have a good pair of long-nosed pliers with you. I know I wouldn’t want to stick my hand in the mouth of a pike to fish out a hook that got too deep.
Where to Find Pike
Pike are very common in almost every lake you go to so finding them really isn’t difficult. Knowing where they like to hide in these lakes is what you should try and learn, however. Pike prefer to hide and ambush their prey. Because of this, you want to try fishing in places with a lot of weeds or hiding spots. Another good little trick is to try fishing out the edge of a walleye or other fish school. Pike tend to patrol the edges of prey schools in the hopes of snagging an easy meal. You know there is a school around when you see a bunch of boats clustered in one area. Just plant yourself on the edge of that cluster and you have a very good chance of landing some pike.
Now that you know a little thing or two about pike fishing, grab a buddy and head out to the lake for a day of fierce fighting, good times, and one hell of an outdoor adventure.
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