This is not carved in stone but a simple thing to remember is: If you see the other side of the lake, you're in Muskie territory. If you are between something and shore, you're in Pike territory.
Lures & Flies:
Northern Pike hit just about anything that moves. The best lures to use are lures that come out of the fish's mouth easily without harming the fish like Dardevle and Spinner baits. Mind you, over the last 30 years so many people have been using Dardevles for Pike fishing that many Pike have learned to stay away from them on some lakes. They are still considered the top Pike lure by most people. Many belive the red-&-silver Dardevles works best in clear water while the yellow-five-of-diamonds Dardevles work best in murky water. Dardevles have also been called DareDevils but the proper spelling is Dardevle.
Below is a list of good Pike lures.
Pike Casting Lures:
• Johnson Silver Minnow
• Dardevle Spoons
• Williams Weedless Pike Spoon
• Tinsel Tail Spinner
• Spinner Baits
• Crank Baits
• Jerk Baits
• Suick
• Large Mepps Bucktails
• Rattle Baits
Pike Trolling Lures:
• J-ll Jointed Rapalas
• J-13 Deeper Jointed Rapalas
• Ziggy Lures
• Willy Lures
• Wiley Lures
• Believers
• Swimwizz
• Large Mepps Bucktails
• Lucky Strike Wooden Muskie Plugs
• Hedon Muskie Plugs
Top Water:
• Heddon Spook
• Jitter Bugs
Top-Water Using a Spook
Top-Water fishing for Northern Pike with a Heddon Spook is an art form that seems to have been lost and needs to be carried on to the younger generation. There is no fishing method for Pike that is more exciting then Working the surface with a Spook and getting those Monster Pike splashing at the surface. Over the years I have seen people try to fish with Spooks and they just can't get it right so we are going to show you the most exciting Pike fishing method known.
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1st) You have to cast your Spook out. The perfect spot to cast a Spook is over-top a thick weed bed that is just under the surface, in between patches of lily pads or along side Bulrushes. The whole purpose is to be able to fish in places that are not practical for other lures.
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2nd) Once your Spook hits the surface, don't start reeling in yet. Give it a couple of yanks so it makes splashes on the surface like a wounded frog or bird. Many times the Pike will hit the Spook before you start reeling in.
3rd) This the tricky part. You have to hold your rod up as high as you can and pull the line tight so your fishing line is not in the water or even touching the surface. Your line has to be out of the water or the Spook will not make the proper motion when you reel it in.
Start to reel in slowly at a constant speed. While reeling in you have to jerk your rod every second. When you jerk your rod, the Spook will slide to one side. When you jerk it again, it should slide to the other side in a crisscrossing motion. You have to get a rhythm going. As you are reeling in, your Spook splashes from side-to side and this drives the Pike crazy.
Below is an animation showing the motion that your Spook should be exhibiting.
