Spinners
A spinner's flash and vibration calls in fish and prompts them to strike. In-line spinners consist of a spinner blade that rotates around a wire shaft when retrieved. "Dressed" spinners have deer or squirrel hair, while plain spinners do not. Both work equally well for pike. For average-size northerns, use Size 2, 3 and 4. Size 4, 5 and 6 work best for trophy northerns. The spinner creates resistance in the water as it spins, causing it to run shallow, so use it in 10 feet of water or less. Examples include the Mepps Aglia, Worden's Rooster Tail and Blue Fox Vibrax.
Spinnerbaits
Spinnerbaits are bent at a 90-degree angle, unlike the inline design of spinners. A spinnerbait has a lead head for casting weight, a spinner shaft bent at a 90-degree angle, a spinner blade and a plastic skirt that undulates in the water. Use the standard spinnerbait size for large and average fish. Reel spinnerbaits quickly in water 5 feet or less. Examples include the Northland Reed-Runner, Booyah Pond Magic and Strike King Red Eye.
Spoons
Like the eating utensil, spoons are metal lures with a concave surface. They wobble and flash like wounded minnows, stimulating predatory pike to strike. Average pike will hit 4-inch models. Larger pike will also eat 4-inch spoons, as well as larger versions. Spoons run shallow, so use them in 10 feet of water or less. Examples include the Johnson Silver Minnow, Eppinger Dardevle and Mepps Syclops.
Surface Baits
series object on white: isolated fishing spoon-bait image by Aleksandr Ugorenkov from
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Fishing surface baits is an exciting way to catch northerns. Pike slash at these lures as they move across the surface. Surface baits come in several styles. Poppers imitate frogs or baitfish. They have a concave face that spits water and throws a wake. Propbaits are torpedo-shaped wooden or plastic lures equipped with spinner blades that churn the water. Plastic frogs are soft baits that closely resemble frogs when hopped across the surface. Use baits 3 inches or larger for both large and average pike. Fish in water 10 feet or less. Examples include the Arbogast Hula Popper, Lucky Craft Splash Tail and Southern Lure Co. Scum Frog.
Crankbaits
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These minnow-shaped lures have a plastic lip on the front that causes the lure to dive when retrieved. The plastic or wooden lures wobble like injured fish. Some crankbaits are designed to dive 5 feet or less, some 20 feet and most in between. Match the lure to the depth of the water. Three-inch models will catch small pike, but trophy anglers use crankbaits measuring up to about 10 inches. Examples include the Rapala Shad Rap, Cotton Cordell Wally Diver and Mann's Deep Hog.
