Pike is a voracious predatory fish that lives in freshwater bodies of water. The chances of catching a large specimen increase in the fall, since during this period the seasonal glutton begins and the predator goes hunting. Active and aggressive behavior of fish has a positive effect on the quality of the bite. The preferred option for spinning fishing is pike fishing in the fall.
Autumn on the river
When does pike bite in the fall?
The predator begins to hunt and eat immediately after the summer heat has subsided. The autumn feeding period of pike is long and stable. The activity of the individual remains until the first frost, and is reduced to a minimum after the onset of freeze-up.
The biting time varies depending on the month.
- September. A massive flight of leaves from a birch tree is the beginning of the hunting season for large pike. Bite time is morning and evening dawns.
- October is the high season. The predator moves to depth, and the biting time also shifts - no earlier than the 11th day.
- November. The bite doesn't start until noon. Suitable times for fishing are afternoons and evenings.
To catch a trophy specimen, you need to come to the reservoir in “pike weather” - drizzling rain, light wind, ripples on the water, fresh and cool. The chances increase significantly if such weather persists for several days.
The most catchy lures for pike
Over the years, through successes and failures, fishermen have decided on the most catchy specimens and the companies that produce them:
- Mepps Syclops . Mepps specializes in the production of fishing lures, and therefore their products are of good quality. The fisherman just needs to choose a lure based on its color, depending on the weather conditions.
- Kuusamo Rasanen . This spoon is designed for the countries of the former USSR. It can be used when fishing in aquatic vegetation, where it rarely clings to it, and the “double” is enough to prevent the pike from leaving the bait.
- Acme Kastmaster . This spoon has, perhaps, the best flight characteristics, and the spoon itself is made with pinpoint precision, which gives it the ability to play well when moving. You can catch asp with this spoon.
- Blue Fox Esox . It has bright, provocative colors and can be used for pike fishing.
- DAM EFFZET TWIN . Looks like two spoons connected together. When moving, it is capable of creating acoustic waves, and is also armed with additional hooks.
Looking for big pike
The minimum size of pike allowed for catching is 35 cm. Such individuals are called “pencils” or “shurogags”. Predators are considered large, with body size starting from 1 m and weight starting from 7 kg. To reach this size, a pike needs to live 7-10 years.
Reference! The largest specimen in our country was caught in 1930 in the waters of Lake Ilmen (Novgorod region). The pike weighed 34 kg.
Fall is the perfect time to find big fish. Such individuals are selective in their habitat and feeding habitat. Trophy specimens are solitary: they do not live or feed with “pencils” or young fish.
About
Subtleties of pike behavior in autumn
In the fall, even a beginner will be able to catch pike; this is due to several factors, among which the most important will be the behavior of the most toothy resident of the reservoir. Depending on the month, subtleties of behavior appear; they can be presented in the form of a table:
| month | behavior patterns |
| September | a drop in temperature makes the pike more active, but still a little cautious |
| October | a further drop in temperature and the anticipation of winter activates the predator even more; during this period it begins to feed even more actively, and will rush at almost anything |
| november | if the reservoirs are not yet under ice, but the temperature is low enough, the pike goes to lower layers of water closer to the bottom, and that’s where I catch it. In particular, large specimens |
In each of the autumn months, you can catch pike with a variety of baits, but it is spinners, both spinners and spoons, that are one of the best options for catching trophies. So are the specimens of moderate size.
Gear selection
Autumn fishing begins when there is still vegetation in the reservoir. Long casts in this case are ineffective. The optimal fishing rod at this time is a spinning rod, the length of which does not exceed 240 cm. The action is medium-fast with a dough of no more than 25 g. A regular spinning rod of the middle price category will do. Further cooling and the disappearance of plant elements from the surface also entail a change in suitable gear. Since October, the best option is a spinning rod with a rod length of 270-300 cm for long casts.
Pike fishing in autumn
The thickness of the fishing line varies: for monofilament - 0.22-0.35, braided - 0.15-0.3 mm. In general, the chosen fishing line should be designed for a weight of 8 to 15 kg. The sharp teeth of a predator can bite through the fishing line. For protection, the tackle is equipped with a metal leash, length – 20-50 cm.
Reels must correspond to the structure and purpose of the gear. Don't save money and buy Chinese counterfeits. The basic options are inertia-free models or multipliers. Suitable capacity is 2500-3000.
The best spinners for pike in the fall
Some anglers argue that a spinning spoon is not entirely suitable for catching pike in the fall. One can argue with this, because it is this lure for a predator that is visually most similar to a small fish, so attractive during this period.
You can select spinners for pike during this period based on the following characteristics:
- larger weight;
- larger petals, both round and elongated;
- The color is chosen depending on the transparency of the water, but as a rule, acidic ones work best.
For the rest, the selection is based on the test on a spinning rod and the depths in the fishing pond.
Blue Fox Vibrax Super Bou
A catchy spinner with several features. The two petals work in tandem, creating unusual acoustic waves that will attract the attention of a predator from afar. The plumage on the tees, of which there are also two, will visually become an irritant for the pike. She will certainly respond to this bait. Moreover, it will become most attractive specifically for captured specimens.
MEPPS H210
A large bait option for pike in the fall, specifically for the giants among the predator. Its weight is about 70 g, and its length is 22.5 cm. It has two petals that are attached to the body like all tandems. Tee one. With a bright edge, which will additionally attract the attention of a predator in a body of water.
Mepps BD3TS2-W Double Blade Aglia
Another representative of tandems among lures for pike. Bright plumage and lurex threads on the tee work perfectly even on a small amount of vegetation in the reservoir; in addition, this particular element of the bait can “disturb” even a sleepy predator.
Available in three standard colors; depending on weather conditions, gold, silver or bronze are used to catch a predator.
Mepps Aglia
Autumn trolling cannot do without this bait; for this period of time, choose models No. 4 or No. 5. A catchable spinner with a round petal works equally effectively both on ponds and lakes where there is no current, and on rivers with a small current.
Meppa Aglia Long
In the autumn, it is along the rivers that this pinwheel will be the best option for catching a predator. The elongated petal distinguishes it from its relative, the game of the bait will be slightly different. For captured specimens, options No. 3-No. 5 are used.
Blue Fox SuperVibra
The peculiarity of this version of the bait is the core, it is made in the shape of a bell and when inserted, it creates a specific sound that attracts pike so much. This model can fish at shallow depths; the spoon will work in water up to one and a half meters deep.
Mepps Comet
A spinner for catching pike with an oval blade, it works always and everywhere, and not only for pike. For autumn, it is better to give preference to options No. 4-No. 5, they will help attract the attention of trophy specimens.
Mepss Lusox
A spinner model from a French manufacturer with front loading. It is with Lusox that you can attract the attention of even a passive predator, simulating jig fishing. Used in bays, ponds and lakes with small currents.
Lucky John Shelt Blade
The spoon catches the Sami well at different depths in the autumn. The core is assembled from brass and tungsten balls, which allows the bait to give it sufficient weight despite the small size. The bright color of the petal will attract the attention of even an inactive predator.
Pontoon 21 Ball Concept
The weight in the core, shifted towards the tee, is a feature of this spoon, and this is what allows the spoon to be held in a very unusual way. High-quality materials allow the spoon to work even against a large predator without problems and with minimal damage.
Homemade turntables also get good reviews, but to create them you need to have certain skills in working with metal.
Choosing bait for pike fishing in autumn
In autumn, pike are voracious and attack everything that at least in some way resembles food. You can use any bait. The main parameters for choosing them are large sizes, bright colors and good play.
Spinner: rotating and oscillating
Used in reservoirs free of vegetation. What lures to use to catch pike in the fall: rotating models (spinners) are suitable for fishing in September. The recommended size is 2 and 3. Since October, only small individuals have been biting on the turntables. Therefore, at this time they switch to oscillators (oscillating spoons). These are large and heavy baits that attract large predators.
Silicone jig baits
Regular and edible “rubber” is in demand for its price-quality ratio. The following species are suitable for autumn fishing.
- Vibrotail. The stronger the tail plays, the more worthy the catch.
- Twisters. The tail resembles a sickle. Characterized by active play when immersed.
- Lures in the form of worms, leeches, cuttlefish.
About
Choosing a spoon for pike fishing in the fall
Autumn is the best time for pike fishing. With the right choice of bait and fishing location, a stable result is almost always guaranteed. Despite the emergence of a large number of new baits, it is the good old spoons for pike in the fall that remain the most catchy. They very naturally imitate small fish, time after time seducing the toothy beauty during the autumn feeding season.
Fishing for pike in the fall with a spinning rod, what is better to fish with?
There are no favorite baits for river predators. An effective option is to stock up on a variety of baits and alternate them periodically.
“Working” autumn baits:
- medium and large size spoon;
- wobblers;
- silicone baits.
These simulations show comparatively better results. The main condition is to select a bait that is at least 10-12 cm in length.
Catching pike in the fall with a spinning rod
Which lure to choose for pike in the fall
The pike attacks the bait especially aggressively in the autumn, when it is necessary to produce reserves of nutrients for the winter, although the pike does not stop feeding in the dead of winter, but not as actively as in the summer. In the fall, she begins to eat and at this time she can attack everything that moves and somehow resembles underwater inhabitants. It could be fish, crustaceans, bugs, worms, etc. If the pike does not have any questions during this period, then the fisherman thinks about what bait to choose during this period.
This period is the most favorable for spinning anglers: at this time the amount of underwater vegetation decreases and the likelihood of hooks decreases sharply. In autumn, it becomes active closer to noon and takes well in cloudy weather or during light drizzle.
Despite the activity of pike, the effectiveness of fishing largely depends on what bait is selected at the moment. For pike fishing in the fall, we can recommend rotating spoons, which provoke the pike with their play, which increases the number of bites.
Features of pike fishing in autumn
The nights are cold, frequent rains and northern winds cool the water. At the end of September, all layers of water become the same temperature. The oxygen concentration is also equalized throughout the depth. In sexually mature pikes, the reproductive cells begin to mature, and the period of seasonal feeding begins.
Beginning of autumn
The summer fishing season continues. The zhor has not yet begun, the activity of the individuals is mediocre. In September, pike fishing also continues with live bait gear. There is still enough animal food in the reservoirs; fishing with spinning rods is not yet effective.
Middle
Peak pike bite. The water has already cooled down, the temperature has dropped. Pike need to build up a thick layer of subcutaneous fat for wintering. The predator becomes unselective in its choice of food; it reacts to most baits. Therefore, it is advisable to start fishing with spinning rods in October.
Late fall
Trophy large pike in November
The predator has already eaten enough, now she has become more careful and attentive. You can catch a large trophy in late autumn only at depth and using deep-sea baits. After the ice crust appears, the pike goes to the bottom and the season ends. However, in reservoirs where the water does not freeze, you can hunt for pike with a spinning rod even in winter.
