When does pike start biting on a spinning rod in the spring?
The season can be opened after the main clearing of the reservoir from ice crust. Hungry fish need to build up fat, pike gradually emerge from wintering pits. When the water warms up to 3-7 degrees, spinning fishing is very successful.
Fishermen value this short period before spawning for comfortable hunting conditions:
- there are no mosquitoes or flies yet, nature pleases with sunny days;
- hungry predators attack small baits, even the simplest ones.
The downside is that fishermen rarely manage to catch early predators due to the short period and spring weather variability.
How to see weather changes.
At the beginning of March, sometimes by the middle of the month, shallow water warms up, where pikes go for prey. The depth of such areas usually does not exceed one and a half meters. Before spawning, predators are looked for:
- near a patch of algae;
- at large snags;
- in small bays and creeks.
Fishing can be carried out throughout daylight hours, from 10 o’clock until the first twilight. Early in the morning and in the evening, it is most often useless to expect a bite.
How to catch pike in spring
Early spring (March)
You can start hunting for fanged fish as soon as the rivers open up from ice. Moreover, in the southern regions, small rivers can be cleared as early as February, allowing fishermen to start hunting much earlier. In the first days after the reservoir is freed from ice, you should look for pike near winter anchorages (lower edges, wintering pits), then the fishing rules begin to change.
There are two main factors influencing catfish fishing in early spring:
- Presence of shallow water;
- Presence of vegetation;
In the spring, due to the melting of ice and snow, the water is very cold and the fish tries to move to shallow areas, which warm up faster. Very often such shallows are located near reeds. Even if there is a steep descent immediately behind it, there is still often a small shallow strip of water between the beginning of the descent and the edge of the reeds that needs to be fished.
That is why anglers primarily catch pike on:
- Micro rivers or small rivers with moderate currents and clean water;
- Mouths of streams flowing into lakes;
- Floodplain lakes and water meadows connected to a river, peat bogs, shallow ponds, and here you can find pike in the grass, even at a depth of 50-20 cm;
- Channels;
- Shallows bordering deep dumps;
- Shallows covered with grass or snags;
Not suitable for us:
- Large rivers and reservoirs, where the period of ice break-up coincides with flood;
- Ponds and quarries with great depth, where the water takes longer to warm up and become saturated with oxygen due to the lack of inflows.
Now pike can bite throughout the daylight hours, but in the evening twilight and early morning there may be no bite at all.
Active fishing for pike in the spring with a spinning rod from the shore lasts until the onset of spawning, before which it begins to eat. This period is very short, about 10 days.
Catfish spawn when the water warms up to 3-7 degrees; for the southern regions this is February - early March, for the middle - March, for the northern - late March, early April. In many places, pike spawning coincides with the beginning of high water.
For spawning, pike choose secluded bays, abundantly overgrown with reeds that protect from the wind, as well as grassy shallow waters.
It has been noticed that small individuals spawn first, and then larger ones, so the biting may not stop at all, but during this period there is a ban on catching catfish and you may face administrative punishment in the form of a fine.
Mid spring
A week after spawning, the fish’s activity increases again and it begins to eat; all spinning anglers look forward to this time. Very often, the end of spawning coincides with such natural phenomena as the flowering of dandelions, bird cherry and swimsuit, as well as the beginning of the mating song of quails.
In mid-spring, the catfish still sticks to shallow waters and is worth looking for:
- In bays with clear water, protected by reeds;
- Various shallows bordered by reeds or other aquatic vegetation, or covered with snags;
- Rivers with clean water;
- Lakes;
- Backwaters;
- Various toad-grass areas (water meadows, swamps, floodplain lakes, small ponds);
- oxbow lakes connected to the river;
catching pike in the spring using a spinning rod from the shore in warm water
As the water warms up to 14-15 degrees, the pike begins to leave the shallow waters and return to their summer camps. Now its main habitats are backwaters, oxbow lakes or sections of the river with a weak current, where you should first look for it at the edge of aquatic vegetation and clean water. Promising areas will be shallow waters bordering deep holes and dumps, or shallow waters surrounded by depths, the so-called tables.
In shallow waters, we first look for depth differences, snags or other bottom anomalies that serve as shelter for catfish. We also don’t ignore various hydraulic structures, bridge piles, etc.
You can find pike at medium depths, but it is advisable to have a snag at the bottom.
In principle, in the summer the basic rule is that where there are fry and small fish, that’s where you should look for pike.
Nowadays, fishing at dawn and during twilight hours is becoming relevant again, however, during the day, pike also bite quite actively, since the summer heat has not yet begun.
Features of spring pike fishing
The best time to hunt is before and a couple of weeks after spawning.
The predator spawns secretly. The fish is immersed in the process of procreation, and the bite stops completely. The period usually falls at the end of March - beginning of April.
It is impossible to catch pike during spawning; official bans on fishing in certain bodies of water are announced, but, as a rule, hunting from the shore is allowed. Local restrictions can be found on the website of the fishing basin (there are only 8 basins in the Russian Federation), where the fishing rules in the region are posted.
The bite resumes gradually, but activity will be lower than before spawning. The predator is still in a “sick” state, accumulates strength, behaves sluggishly, and does not react to stimuli. Occasionally one-year-old bee-eaters are caught. Anglers consider April not the most suitable month for pike hunting. Cold periods and precipitation negatively affect fishing. Capricious spring weather has an impact on the weather-dependent pike.
Spawning ban
After the completion of spawning, the next stage of feeding begins, when it is better to again catch pike on a spinning rod with a medium-sized bait. The predator has not yet gained the strength to hunt big fish. The pike is in no hurry to leave the spawning grounds; it waits in shelters for peaceful fish to appear for its hunt. It is better to look for predators in places where small roaches and bleaks accumulate:
- shallow areas with flooded reeds;
- shallow sections of rivers and lakes with a hard bottom;
- river channels;
- areas with leaves and grass.
The pike shows its grip on clear sunny days, when it gains strength after a long break for spawning. Zhor begins two weeks after spawning and lasts about a month. By summer, the activity of predators will decrease again and switch to summer mode. Experienced fishermen take into account signs according to which, following spawning, the bite becomes active during the periods:
- blossoms of bird cherry, dandelions, swimsuits;
- the appearance of oak leaves;
- the sound of mating trills of quails.
The time of active fishing changes - closer to the summer season, the division into morning and evening biting is more effective. After the end of the flood, along with the water level, the predator dives to the depth of the main reservoir.
Pike baits in spring
Despite various tops and ratings of the best lures for pike in the spring, wobblers or silicone in many articles on pseudo-fishing sites, let's go a different way. There are no spring baits - and the average fan will not stock up separately for spring, autumn or summer. You can catch pike in the spring using any wobblers, jigs or spinners. But which ones exactly - only the reservoir and experiments specifically on fishing will tell you. Everything has its place and time - depending on the tactics and characteristics of the reservoir, the activity of the predator.
There are no rules - only general trends, among which there are always exceptions:
- At the beginning of spring, it is better to fish with smaller baits - medium wobblers, small spinners and spinners, jigs up to 10 cm.
- In cold water, slow, careful retrieves work better - breaking uniforms, dying twitching for wobblers, pauses in the jig.
- The warmer the water and the more active the pike, the larger the bait and the more aggressive their fishing.
- After spawning, and sometimes before spawning, poppers, walkers, Croatian eggs, and silicone frogs begin to work in shallow waters. And the warmer it is, the more likely it is that pike will bite on surface fish. The same applies to large bodies of water when specifically fishing with a spinning rod in the battle zone between asp and perch - pike is also somewhere here.
- More attention should be paid to choosing a fishing spot, and not to searching for supposedly super-duper catchy bait, which does not exist.
Spoons
Standard pike killer spoons also work in the spring. The established myth that pike should be caught on spinners in the spring is not confirmed by practice. Regular Atom-2, Little Cleo, Storlings and Spoons work at any time of the year. In cold water, they must be carried out slowly, sometimes using the stop-and-go principle, with short-term interruptions and scratches along the bottom. Pike begins to take the bait immediately, back in March. It’s not for nothing that they catch it with summer lures in a plumb line, even from the ice - well, the predator likes the sweeping vibrations of these baits. Naturally, this is a matter of experiment. Doesn’t respond to oscillations - try other spinning baits.
Naturally, to lure pike, you will also need spinners, sizes 3-5 unloaded and loaded, for depth. Spoons for pike on the river in spring work better against active predators. However, if it doesn’t bite, it’s better to fish with wobblers. Their pike attacks even when it is not feeding - it aggressively defends its own space.
In the grass, instead of looking for some special non-hooking baits for pike, it is better to use your favorite and working spoons, equipping them with an offset jig with a twister or a tee with bumpers. Or we use a surface unloaded jig, Croats, and in the depths - spinnerbaits.
Wobblers
We have already talked about wobblers for spring spinning fishing for pike - in early spring it is better to use small shads for pike, which roll on their sides even on the slowest retrieves and light pokes. However, for active pike, large minnows with aggressive twitching will bring more catches. There is no special best wobbler for pike in the spring - we use the usual arsenal. At the beginning - small baits on dying twitching or evenly with pauses, in warm water - minnow-jerkbaits or the same shads, but with a more aggressive retrieve. Wiring for pike in the spring is always an experiment, choosing an animation, more so than in the fall, when the toothy one can take a spinning bait on any retrieve.
In the spring, we often fish with spinning rods at shallow depths, which is why we fish shads with a depth of about a meter, and small minnows. Killer pike wobblers such as rudra, ropes or balisongs go deeper - they will be needed later, closer to summer. If the ice has disappeared in deep holes very early, then you can try to catch pike there on the edges with deep-sea versions and cranks with a large shovel.
After spawning, we try to use poppers in shallow waters near reeds or in pots in deep water, as well as walkers. More about catching pike with a popper
Jig
To catch pike with a jig in the spring at the beginning of the season, we focus on conventional equipment on a jig head or offset rig with a collapsible Cheburashka. We try medium-sized silicone - small twisters and vibrating tails, experiment with colors depending on the purity of the water. However, for large pike, even during periods of passivity, small baits are not justified. A big mouth rejoices at a big piece, even in spring.
Fishing with a vibrating tail in the grass, when it gets warmer, use an unloaded rig with an offset rig, pulling and dragging on top. As with other species, there are no special spring lures for pike in jigs - we select a catchy option from the available arsenal.
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Selection of gear and fishing techniques
Spring spinning fishing involves preparing your gear. It is recommended to choose a rod 2.5 – 4 meters long with a soft tip for improved control of the bait. For anglers without much experience, a spinning rod with a jig head with a test range of 5 -25 g is suitable. Other tests are suitable for specific baits, experienced pike hunters.
It is recommended to purchase a spinning rod of at least middle class from trusted manufacturers with the appropriate level of quality. A reliable fishing rod with a safety margin will last for many years.
Spinning rods for pike fishing
You should prefer a spinning reel with a spare spool. You should not take a multiplier, as you will often have to untangle the beards from the fishing line. The optimal monofilament thickness is 0.25 mm. A thick line will scare away a predator, but a thin line will not withstand resistance. The use of braid increases reliability, but not everyone is satisfied with the price and features of the cord, which lead to cuts if handled carelessly at the wiring stage.
The fishing technique involves slow retrieval of weakened fish, its movement behind the bait. The peculiarity of spring fishing is that pike does not offer much resistance as in summer. A heavy spinning rod is not required; a delicate rod will do.
At the end of April - beginning of May, pike often stays near the bottom surface; you can use equipment for both great depths and shallow waters. Retrieving baits is done with rare, not very strong jerks.
Catching pike in the spring with a spinning rod from the shore, choosing gear
Rod
It is important to understand that the basis of coastal spinning fishing is constant movement along the reservoir and fishing in promising areas, so you will often have to fish under tree branches or among bushes and reeds. A long stick in this case will not be the best option. In addition, in the spring we mainly fish in shallow water, so a carbon blank 1.8-2.5 meters long and a fast action will be sufficient.
For fishing in shallow water, a rod with a weight of up to 20 grams is sufficient. If you fish with jig, especially in early spring, when you need to fish holes and dumps to a depth, and the current on the river is quite strong, then you may need rods with a weight of up to 30 grams.
Coil
The inertia-free rod is well balanced with a rod, a well-adjustable drag, a metal spool and a smooth ride.
Line and leash
It is desirable that the jig cord have a cross-sectional diameter of 0.16-0.22 mm; if we are talking about monofilament, then its thickness is in the range of 0.24-0.35 mm.
A metal or fluorocarbon leash, 0.35 -0.4 mm thick and 15-20 cm long, a pike will bite through regular fishing line, and fluorocarbon also does not provide a 100 percent guarantee, but during periods of weak bite, it can be much more effective at biting than steel.
Pike fishing spots in spring
The principles of searching for promising places for pike hunting differ depending on the characteristics of the reservoir. For a predator, the availability of food is important. The pike does not rush around the reservoir after prey, but waits for it to appear in ambush. Pike sites are found:
- on rivers - the predator lurks along steep banks and goes into flooded areas during high water, where there are many shelters from bushes and trees. In spring, an exhausted pike cannot fight the current in the main channel;
- on lakes - pike hide in areas along the shore, underwater hummocks. As the reservoir warms, the fish move deeper;
- on ponds - fish hide in snags, among aquatic plants, under flooded branches and trunks;
- on reservoirs - the predator chooses the coastal strip, since carp species spawn there in the spring. For prey, the pike rises to a level only 30 cm deep.
Places are fished, starting with grass thickets, from the opposite bank, if the width of the reservoir allows, diagonally, across, studying the bottom topography along the way.
Wiring and fishing methods
The peculiarities of fishing are determined by the activity of the predator, the movement of fish through the reservoir, which is affected by warming up the water, and spawning. Bites are possible immediately after the bait is immersed, but it also happens the other way around, when the predator is standing right next to the shore. It is recommended to carry out the wiring until the end, since the pike often bites at the last moment. The choice of place for fishing, from the coastline, from a boat, depends on the capabilities and preferences of the fisherman.
From the shore
Fishing from the shore
For successful fishing from the shore, it is advisable to purchase a wading suit and waders. The equipment allows you to get closer to the predator’s camp. For fishing from the coastline, choose overgrown shallows where pike will go for fry. A rich catch can be obtained by twitching, which is carried out with oscillating spoons and wobblers.
From the boat
The presence of a watercraft significantly expands the possibilities of fishing a reservoir both before and after the start of fish spawning. The boat allows you to:
- explore remote areas;
- choose a promising place for fishing;
- avoid hooking the bait.
But before you go fishing, you need to find out if there are any restrictions on fishing in the region for this period. Sometimes restrictions apply from April to May.
From a boat they fish shallow areas, a line along the steep shore. Fishing is considered promising when the boat moves 20-30 meters away and casts are made to the coastline. Pike often look for frogs and turn towards their prey. Casting towards predators gives active bites. When fishing from a boat, you can get by with light spinning rods. Top wobblers for trolling pike.
A good catch is facilitated by knowledge of the bottom topography, especially on lakes where pike in still water can be found anywhere in the reservoir where there are holes and ditches.
Fishing from a boat
You can tell if a pike is in the area within an hour. If a predator is present, you can throw more aggressive baits. In April, biting occurs more often in the daytime, in May - in the morning and evening.
Jig from shore
The essence of jig fishing is the stepwise placement of bait in the bottom layers. Vibrating tails 15-25 cm long are ideal for attachments; silicone twisters are less commonly used. Playful baits periodically touch the bottom during slow retrieve. The location is changed if 10-12 casts are unsuccessful. Choose the right spinning rod for jigging.
Common mistakes
Information about typical mistakes in catching predators helps to make your fishing successful:
- spring equipment, unlike autumn equipment, should be light, sensitive to bites, you should not take heavy spinning rods;
- long casts from the coastline are not visible to the pike, which, most likely, is in the coastal zone in the spring;
- a hungry pike reacts faster to bait, fishing areas with a tediously frequent “comb”;
- the weakening of the predator when the fisherman is playing for prey will not prevent the pike from making a “candle”, using all kinds of grooming techniques - you need to take into account the possible turn of events;
- The risk of slipping on frozen shores in spring is very high, you need to be careful not to end up in icy water.
Tips for beginners from the author
Pike fishing captivates many novice anglers. Even an inexperienced hunter can achieve a rich catch if he follows the basic rules of spring predator fishing:
- after the winter cold, the fish are not active, they move little - the search for areas where pike is found is carried out in different places in the reservoir;
- baits should be predominantly natural colors, bright ones are used only in muddy water, when there is no bite for a long time;
- fishing is carried out in shallow water areas, with an average depth of 1.5 meters;
- fishing in March-April is better during the daytime, in May - in the mornings and evenings, until dusk;
- the size of the bait should not be large until the water is completely warmed up;
- Retrieving must be done slowly and completely - a sluggish pike in the spring will not keep up with a fast bait, but may appear at the feet of an angler standing in the water;
- the spawning period is a prohibited time for fishing;
- surface baits are good in the last month of spring, with the transition of the predator to the summer habitat.
In spring, the predator is hungry, but does not lose caution. The fisherman needs to be quiet. The crunching of branches, quick steps, splashes, loud conversations significantly reduce the number of bites. The pike will refuse to attack if it feels threatened. Spinning rods for trolling pike.
This video will help you learn more about spring fishing with spinning rods.
Techniques for catching spring pike using spinning tackle
Every experienced spinning fisher has his own opinion on how to properly lure and land fish, and it quite often differs from the opinions of other fishermen. They choose the most preferable fishing technique for themselves, based on personal experience and other facts. We will only touch on the basic aspects that all novice pike hunters need to know about.
The pike bite in spring is characterized by the fact that it occurs almost all day, from sunrise to late evening. The most effective time of day is, of course, morning and evening. But if the weather is cloudy or rainy, fishing in the daytime also brings good results.
In March, the pike still behaves quite passively and therefore will have to be lured out of the depths. The same applies to April fishing. You should start looking for pike in the spring from the bottom. The first few casts you need to keep the spoon in the bottom layers of water, as deep as possible. If there are no bites, then it is necessary to gradually raise it to the upper water layers. Retrieving at the bottom should be slow and careful, and when the lure is closer to the surface of the water, you need to gradually increase the retrieving speed.
In May, pike fishing using spinning rods is most active on the surface. When fishing for pike from the shore, the fan method works well. It consists of a large number of casts, fishing the entire reachable area. It is necessary to alternate casting the spoon, from one side to the other, closer to the shore and further from it, and vice versa. If none of the casts are successful, you need to change the spoon. Then repeat this technique again. If changing spinners does not give positive results, it is worth changing the place of fishing.
As soon as the pike swallows the bait, it must be fished out immediately. If you drag out time, it may float away into a snag. When the pike that has swallowed the hook is in close proximity, make a short but sharp and strong hook. If the fish is far from you or is carried away by the current, you should also hook sharply, but more widely.
A pike predator that comes across with a light weight of about 2-3 kg will try to free itself as quickly as possible, using various techniques. But every experienced angler knows how to catch pike with a spinning rod in the spring, and therefore uses various tricky methods to prevent the fish from jumping off the hook. For example, if the toothy fish tries to jump off too intensely and pulls quite hard, you need to slightly release the line and then continue fishing. Such manipulations and techniques must be repeated until the fish loses all its strength and stops resisting.
With trophy pike it will be a little more difficult. She usually lives at depth. The retrieve should be slow and calm, and the spoon should periodically drop to the very bottom. The hook must be done on a large scale and very energetically. When fishing, you need to try to tire the pike as much as possible by releasing and pulling the fishing line.
To summarize, I would like to once again draw attention to several basic rules that must be followed when catching pike with a spinning rod in the spring:
- Most likely, catching pike is successful in shallow water areas, where the ice melts faster and the water gets warmer;
- Various noisy and attractive baits of different shapes, colors and models are the most effective;
- The equipment must be of high quality and not rough;
- Retrieving is done slowly and calmly, and fishing is done immediately.
Happy biting!
