Hey there fellow fishers and welcome to my post where we will check out my best three lures for Northern Pike this year. Northern Pike is a highly sought-after freshwater sport fishing species commonly found in the northernmost parts of Europe, Alaska, Canada, and the upper Midwest of the contiguous United States.
Due to their reputation as ferocious and aggressive predators, albeit one that is maybe a little lazy, a good lure is essential if you are going to drag them out of the weed bed and into your net. So for those of you looking for a good lure for your Northern Pike fishing adventures, I have has a bit of a look around and come up with three decent options below.
Let’s check them out…
My three recommended lures for Northern Pike
I will review these in more detail below. Still, if you want to get moving without all the carry-on, my recommended products are listed here for your convenience:
What are lures for Northern Pike?
As we probably know, fishing lures are small, artificial objects that are often shaped like a fish’s prey with a hookset attached. Their primary purpose is to draw target fish to a fishing line. When it comes to Northern Pike, although they are renowned for their aggression, they are not a species that moves around a lot, meaning your lure will need to draw them out for the strike.
For the reason stated above, you’ll need a variety of lures that can dive to various depths, cut through dense vegetation and be of various colors. For Pike, spoons, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and jerkbaits are the primary lures that are effective. And as they also react favorably to sound, shimmer, and vibration, lures designed specifically for Pike are frequently shaped to imitate live bait‘s motion and encourage wiggling, to shake, or bobbing as it the water.
What should you be looking for?
The following factors should be considered as you look around for a good lure to attract Northern Pike.
- Lure type
- Material
- Color
- Realistic design
- Additions
Lure type
Here are the most-preferred lures that could increase your chance of catching Northern Pike.
- Spoon bait – This type of lure, also known as a fishing spoon, is known for its straightforward design. They possess an oblong shape, a concave side that catches water, and a flash of light that mimics a fleeing or injured bait fish. These work best for larger species such as Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Muskies, Walleye and Skipjack Tuna.
- Spinnerbaits – This lure belongs to a group of hybrid fishing lures that incorporate swimbait and one or more spoon lure blade designs. The action of the metallic blades, which passively revolve around the attachment point like a spinning propeller when the lure is in motion, gives spinnerbaits their name. Once submerged, the lure vibrates and flashes in varying degrees to imitate small fish or other prey items that attract large predatory fish.
- Swimbaits – The term “swimbaits” or “swimmers” refers to a broad category of fishing lures primarily made to mimic the underwater swimming motions of baitfish. Although the hard swimbait is typically described as having segmented bodies with at least two segments and joints in between, I have seen hard swimbaits with up to six segments. Essentially, they are cast far and then slowly reeled into the boat. Soft swimbaits come in different sizes and can be fully rigged lures with lead and hooks already pre-rigged in the body or just bodies that need to be rigged on weighted hooks or jigheads.
- Jerkbaits – A minnow-shaped body characterizes this lure with a horizontal presentation. A jerkbait swims with a shimmying motion when it is straight-retrieved. While this works to bring in fish, jerkbaits stand out when used with a snap-pause retrieve, giving them a wild, darting action that attracts predatory fish like northern pike.
Material
Most spoon lures are made of shaped metal that enables them to move, shimmer, and bob in the water. They are frequently equipped with one or more nickel bait hooks. Traditional-looking bait lures are usually made of metal, plastic, or wood and have at least two bait hooks. Occasionally, they combine all three materials.
Spinner baits come uniquely designed by incorporating flashing metal coins and flexible materials that resemble a bait fish’s flowing fins. A rigid metal wire frame supports them. Additionally, some swimbait lures have a natural shimmy to mimic the swimming motion of live bait and are made entirely of flexible plastic.
Regardless of your preferred lure, it is still best to purchase lures made from durable materials so you can enjoy them for many seasons.
Color
Because they are visual predators with highly developed vision, Northern Pike tend to hunt their prey when the water is clear. On the other hand, they can be extremely wary of your lures, so you should always pick lure colors that complement the live bait found naturally in the waterway you’re fishing.
This means that you should modify your lures to match the Pike’s available food sources so that they can blend in well . The most successful natural lure colors have been white, silver, green or black as they closely resemble pike prey.
Realistic design
Since the Northern Pike relies on its vision using lures with real-life construction are always a great choice. Lures that resemble swim-like action and have 3D eyes would be a wise addition to your pike fishing arsenal since these are proven to entice the fish.
Additions
Other potential additions include:
- Integrated hooks: These are essential in piercing the fish as it bites your line.
- Vibration: Some lures can produce vibration, which enhances their ability to draw the Northern Pike.
- Number of pieces: Some brands offer more than one lure, which is handy so you can try different colors and shapes.
My three recommendations broken down
So based on the information above and my own experience, I recommend the following options:
1. Bassdash SwimShad Glide Baits
My first recommendation is a paddle-tail swimbait that is perfectly colored for the Northern Pike and made from durable plastic meaning it can withstand the firm bite of the fish. See its specifications below:
- Brand: Bassdash
- Type: Swimbait
- Number of pieces: Six Northern Pike lures
- Weight: 2.2 ounces
- Dimensions: 3.19 x 3.03 x 0.35 inches
Other inclusion:
- Solid and durable hooks
- Comes in assorted colors
- Segmented body
Why have I chosen it?
This lure moves through the water in a natural and balanced manner thanks to a unique S-wave action. Because of its slow sinking ability, it won’t sink to the bottom if you slowly retrieve or fish with it in a stop-and-go fashion. Another fantastic feature of this lure is the realistic 3D design, which looks much like a live baitfish as well.
2. Klima Red & White Spoon
Second on my list are top-notch spoon baits that have long been a favorite of Pike fishermen because of their simplicity, durability and effectiveness. See its specifications below:
- Brand: Klima Health Solutions
- Type: Spoon bait
- Number of pieces: Three northern pike lures
- Weight: 2.82 ounces
- Dimensions: 4.45 x 3.35 x 1.14 inches
Other inclusions:
- Rustproof
- Sharp integrated hooks
Why have I chosen it?
This lure’s red and white pattern appeals to Pike provide contrast with the sun on sunny days, making them stand out in the water and visible to many species. This lure’s design enables it to pass unscathed through the weeds where your target fish may be hiding as well which is a big plus when fishing for Northern Pike.
3. TRUSCEND Topwater Fishing Lures with BKK Hooks
My last Pike lure option has everything you are looking for from an effective bait. The construction is ultra-realistic with a water disturbing propeller like tail to attract prey. See its specifications below:
- Brand: TRUSCEND
- Type: Swimbait
- Number of pieces: Three Northern Pike lures
- Weight: 1.76 ounces
- Dimensions: 5.83 x 4.8 x 0.91 inches
Other inclusions:
- Popping noise
- Foldable tail
- Sharp hooks
- 3D eyes
- Comes in different colors
Why have I chosen it?
These fishing lures perfectly resemble real fish and are outfitted with 3D holographic eyes, a hand-coated body and realistic fish scales. This lure’s novel construction gives it a rotating tailspin that might produce water splashes that draw Northern Pike out of the weeds. Furthermore, the body and the hooks on these lures are sturdy so you could use them for several angling seasons as well.
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4.5
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4.5
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4.5
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$12.95
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Conclusion
There you have it, my three best lures for Northern Pike. I would be pleased to know how this article helped you, and as usual, let me know of your experiences with them.
Also, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, concerns, or corrections or would like me to check anything else out for you.
Until next time.
Have fun
Paul
