What time of day is best to catch pike?

general information

When going in search of pike, it is important to understand how it behaves at different times of the year. Since the toothy predator is an ambush predator and rarely swims into open spaces, the fisherman must know how to provoke it to attack from cover.

Each promising point should be fished several times, moving the bait along the thickets and snags using different techniques. If after a couple of casts there are no bites, it is better to change the water area and not waste time.

When choosing a location, you should pay attention to the following areas:

1. Reed thickets near the shore.
2. Thickets of water lilies.
3. Snag.
4. Pits.
5. Whirlpools.
6. Brovki.

Often, a pike gives itself away when chasing small fish when it jumps out of the water and makes loud splashes. In reed thickets, near snags and in other hard-to-reach spots, it is possible to catch prey weighing up to 3 kg.

And although pike remains active throughout the year, you can catch it with a spinning rod only in open water, starting from the first days of spring and ending with autumn frosts. To successfully fish at any time of the year, you should familiarize yourself with the seasonal characteristics of the choice of bait and the behavior of the fish.

Spring

The spring season is considered the most favorable time to search for toothy predators. After the water bodies are cleared of ice, the pike begins to feed heavily, trying to stock up on strength before the upcoming spawning. During this period, it needs to be attracted with small baits, because There is a lot of caviar in the belly of the fish.

The spawning period occurs in the first days of April, when the water is not yet sufficiently warmed up, and the remaining representatives of the aquatic world are just preparing for spawning. And as soon as the eggs hatch, the adults will return to their previous lifestyle and hunt again.

Moreover, during spawning and 1-2 weeks after it, the pike completely refuses to respond to the offered bait and remains passive. However, then the toothy hunter begins a post-spawning glutton, lasting up to 2 weeks, when she behaves greedily and aggressively. The chances of catching a trophy specimen are rapidly increasing, so even an inexperienced beginner can try his luck.

Since after spawning the pike tries to stick to coastal areas, there is no need to make long casts. As a technique for holding the bait, a uniform retrieve with a slow or medium pace is used. It can also be diluted with weak twitches of the rod tip.

Depending on the month, anglers choose the following lures for pike fishing:

1. March. At the beginning of spring, many reservoirs are covered with ice, so the angler cannot yet use summer gear. When the water becomes open, the use of spinning rods with deep wobblers is allowed. The best baits for this time are the Kosadaka Mascot XL 80F or Zip Baits Orbit 80 SP-DR. The main requirement for wobblers is the ability to dive to 1.5-2 m.
2. April. In mid-spring after spawning, you can catch pike with jig baits, spoons and medium spinners. Experienced fishermen also practice feeding promising water areas by scattering fresh frozen sprat or anchovy. For a 5-10 m2 reservoir you will need 1-2 kg of bait. The bait mixture remains effective for 2 days.
3. May. In May, spinning anglers have a chance to catch trophy prey, which is due to the beginning of spawning of peaceful representatives of the aquatic world, which arouse extraordinary interest in pike. During this period, you can fish with spoons and wobblers.

Where to look for pike in spring?

Where to look for pike in November?

March

In the month of March, when there may still be ice on the reservoir, but at the same time, there may be certain areas of the water area that are free of ice, pike likes to approach such areas to breathe oxygen and chase other fish, which also adore such areas. Pike are known to attack from cover, which can be snags or thickets of aquatic vegetation. In this case, such a shelter can be the edge of the ice, from where the pike attacks its prey.

Therefore, by throwing bait closer to the edge of the ice, you can count on a bite.

month of April

By this time, the reservoirs are completely free of ice, so the pike moves to other areas where it can hide and hide. These may be snagged areas of small rivers or thickets of old meadow grass, as the water level in reservoirs begins to rise, which leads to flooding of meadows and other areas. As a rule, such conditions are created every year. Therefore, pike can be found in shallow water in such places. At this time, it is better to use non-hooking ones. This is especially true for beginners. As for experienced spinning players, it also wouldn’t hurt for them to be more attentive.

month of May

The best places may be water meadows, where the water warms up quickly and is crystal clear. No less effective places are bays, as well as areas where there is a border between clear and muddy water. Many species of fish prefer such areas, as they are a source of food for them. And here, not far away, a pike can also hide, waiting for its prey.

Summer

With the arrival of the summer season, pike activity decreases, because it spreads across the pond and stops in shelters. Large individuals go into the depths, while small ones try to stick to coastal areas, reed thickets and snags.

Catching pike in the summer is more difficult than in the spring, but this does not mean that it stops biting. At the beginning of summer, the toothy predator responds well to baits with bright colors, even “screaming” colors.

When air and water temperatures become unbearably high, fish activity decreases. Now she is not interested in large products that require a lot of effort. It is better to choose small baits that imitate the behavior of wounded prey and are easily accessible to pike.

The July predator is attracted to products with natural colors that closely resemble live fish. It is no longer advisable to use bright models.

In August, the pike resumes activity and begins intensive preparation for the upcoming meal. Now she does not refuse any available food and shows a strong appetite.

When choosing bait for the summer season, you should be guided by the following principles:

1. June. At the beginning of summer, in many regions there is a spawning ban, but it ends on the 10th-15th of the month. It is problematic to predict the behavior of pike during this period, so experienced spinners recommend using several different baits. To increase your chances of productive fishing, you should use a flotation device. You can also fish from the shore, choosing the following types of spinning baits: poppers, walkers, silicone products without weight, spinners.
2. July. In July, air temperatures rise to record levels, and they may not drop even at night. Due to such climatic conditions, the level of oxygen in the water decreases, and the fish stop biting. The only chance to catch a pike appears in the morning or after sunset. Rattlin type baits work well on still waters. On rivers, surface wobblers and jig products are more in demand.
3. August. With the arrival of August, the heat begins to gradually decrease, and the pike’s natural instinct awakens, forcing it to prepare for winter. As the temperature of water and air decreases, the appetite of the toothy predator increases. In August, anglers use small and shallow baits with little diving.

When is the best time to catch pike with a spinning rod?

In order not to leave fishing without a catch, you need to choose the right time. It is necessary to take into account not only the time of year, but also the time of day, because the success of the event directly depends on this.

Season

In early spring, along with the melting of the ice, active pike biting begins. You can catch this predator using a spinning rod as soon as the first serious thawed patches appear. At this time you need to be extremely careful, as you can fall through the ice.

Using a boat is also unsafe, as it can be damaged by the sharp edges of ice floes. It's better to wait until the ice melts completely.

The peak of fishing for pike begins two to three weeks after spawning. It takes place differently in different regions of the country. After this, the fish rests and recovers, and the bite drops. It is possible to catch only small specimens less than a kilogram. This period lasts until autumn.

Let's celebrate! Sensing the approach of winter, pike accumulate fat deposits in advance. Another peak of zhora begins. At this time, the predator is caught with almost any bait.

Times of Day

Pike are usually active during daylight hours, and are especially good at catching in the early morning. By the middle of the day, the intensity of the bite decreases, especially in calm weather. If the water is rough, the bite continues.

Good to know! After the daytime decline, the fish begin to actively grab the bait in the evening, when the heat subsides. Pike can be caught well throughout the day on cloudy and cool days, as well as before a thunderstorm.

Autumn

Autumn is a favorite time for many anglers. After all, along with the colder weather, the activity of the pike resumes, which is trying to stock up on strength and fat before the upcoming winter. In autumn, you can catch fish with the largest baits, and the probability of catching a trophy specimen becomes maximum.

If the autumn is warm, the pike continues to stay in shallow water areas. When the cold weather begins, it gradually goes deeper and builds shelters in pits. At the same time, if you manage to find such a hole, you should not leave it after catching one individual - perhaps there are other representatives of the species there.

In October, spinning anglers catch pike both in the surface layers and at the very bottom. The best bait for this time is a large oscillating spoon or wobbler.

With the arrival of November, the toothy hunter goes after small fish for the winter. Now it can be caught with large jig baits using classic stepped fishing.

The choice of bait depending on the month is carried out according to the following principles:

1. September. In mid-latitudes, the beginning of autumn is quite warm, so the spinner can continue fishing with spoons, spinners, minnow wobblers and silicone vibrotails.
2. October. In October, it is better to fish with silicone products, oscillating or rotating spoons.
3. November. In November, it is allowed to use the same baits as in the previous month.

The best universal wobblers

Since the wobbler is a universal bait for catching pike, it can be used throughout the whole year, provided that the reservoir remains open. A wide variety of wobblers are offered for sale, which differ in color, shape, play and ability to create a characteristic sound. The most catchy models that work in spring, summer and autumn include:

1. Megabass Vision Oneten Jr. The bait is called a “pike killer”, but it can be used to catch other predators, including pike perch and pike perch. It is equally effective on a bright sunny day and in cloudy weather. The best results are seen when using stepwise wiring with long pauses (up to 15 seconds). If there are no bites, the pauses can be shortened. The bait is not cheap, but this is justified by its catchability.
2. Jackall Tiny Magallon. The product is a “classic of the genre” and can attract trophy specimens weighing up to 5 kg or more. To provoke the fish to attack, it is necessary to use a leisurely retrieve using the method of light twitching or moving in place. Even movements with short pauses and twitches also work well. The wobbler is effective when pike activity is low after spawning or in bad weather.

Tactics and methods: fishing, retrieving, biting, hooking

Uniform wiring

This is the simplest wiring method. Recommended for beginners in spinning fishing. With it, you can use baits such as silicone fish, rotating and oscillating spoons, and some types of wobblers. The cast is made to the desired location and the reel begins to rotate evenly. Wiring can be done both on the surface and near the bottom.

It is worth remembering that pike are still sluggish after spawning and cannot actively chase food. Therefore, it is recommended to bait the bait very slowly. The bite is most often weak and if you feel a slight “poke”, an immediate hook should follow.

Uneven wiring

In the spring, this type of fishing can be the most catchy . As we said above, the pike has little strength to actively search for food, so it rushes to the bait, which passes by it a few meters away. Uneven wiring can stir up the toothy fish and make it chase your spoon.

The principle of retrieving is that while slowly reeling in the fishing line with the tip of the rod, you make jerking movements of varying amplitudes. There are a lot of options for playing with bait, so every spinner should look for his own style.

Stepped wiring and twitching

Stepped wiring is used when fishing with jig heads equipped with silicone baits. It is performed as follows:

• The bait is thrown into the desired place and waits for it to touch the bottom.
• After this, the coil makes 3-4 quick turns and stops.
• They wait until the bait reaches the bottom and reel in the line again.
• It turns out to be a kind of step where the bait rises from the bottom and falls onto it.

The bite most often occurs during the free fall of the jig head. Twitching is used when fishing with wobblers. This method is somewhat similar to uneven wiring. The reel is rotated evenly, and sharp jerks are made with the tip of the spinning rod at regular intervals. This allows the wobblers to “scour” from side to side, luring a predator.

Read more about spinning fishing in our article.

The best spinners

There are a large number of catchy wobblers on the market, but classic spinners continue to be in demand and are actively used by many spinners. Oscillating and rotating models are effective at any time of the year, and in some conditions they have no competitors.

The best models of spinners include:

1. Kuusamo Professor. Despite the high cost, the bait is one of the most effective of all available on the market. It is equally good at any pace and any depth of the drive. If you need to explore deep points, it is better to stick to slow wiring with long stops. In the middle horizon you can move the lure faster, and in shallow water - as quickly as possible, without pauses. Due to the specific design, during intensive fishing the spinner rises upward. This allows you to use it in thick thickets without fear of losing your equipment.
2. Mepps Syclops. The spinner is produced by the French manufacturer Mepps and enjoys worldwide popularity. All versions of this spoon are universal and suitable for catching active and passive pike. The standard weight of the product is 12 grams, and the length is 6 cm. The product is made of high-quality materials and has a long service life. The well-thought-out shape provides better aerodynamics and allows for precise casting over long distances. In the group of spinners, the Syclops model is one of the best.

All-season silicone baits

Catching pike with silicone baits is not only cheap, but also effective. Based on this material, a huge variety of catchy twisters and vibrating tails are created, which are not inferior to the legendary wobblers and spinners. These include the following models:

1. Twister Rains Fat G-tail Grub. The bait belongs to the class of edible rubber and is distinguished by its unique action even when falling or weak reeling. Its tail makes graceful movements, causing the pike to become active. There are two versions - 3 and 4 inches. To catch a toothy predator, it is better to use the second option, because it's more versatile. To provide the twister to the fish, you should use a slow retrieve with long pauses. Rains Fat G-tail Grub is the best bait for beginner spinners who are just learning the basic principles of this fishing method.
2. Wooly Curltail Twister. The product is produced by the American brand YUM and is considered a legend in the edible rubber group. A specific ribbed body creates noise vibrations that attract the pike and force it to act.

The range of lures for pike fishing is very extensive. But not all of them are suitable for a specific time or fishing conditions. Therefore, in order not to miss your catch, it is important to study in advance the main nuances of choosing bait depending on seasonal characteristics.

We equip a spinning rod for fishing

The selection of gear largely depends on the characteristics of a particular body of water. You can successfully fish with a rod having a test weight of 10-30 grams. But its sensitivity will not be enough for small silicone jig baits. Therefore, we will assemble the tackle based on its versatility.

• Spinning test - from 5 to 20 grams. Action – fast or medium-fast. Professionals always have several rods for different fishing conditions, so in the future you can focus on them. The length of the spinning rod is from 2.1 to 2.5 meters.
• Power coil with high gear ratio. Spool size 1500-2000. It is recommended to use products from trusted brands (Shimano, Flagman), as their quality is high and they will not let you down in any conditions.
• The main line is braided 0.12-0.18 mm.
• Fluorocarbon or metal leader.
• Wobblers, jig heads with silicone, and spinners can be used as bait Oscillating baits work a little worse, although in some reservoirs you can successfully catch this predator with them.

Our section will tell you in detail about the selection of baits:

The fish will be caught by itself: proper equipment of jig baits