Excellent video. Pike fishing can be a blast!

Based on your recommendations, I’ve been using Mepps #5 and Ripstops and that was about a hundred fish ago so it works! 1/2oz syclops spoons also work well for me under the right conditions, but not so much with the 1oz versions. I’ve also found single blade Mepps work better with slow retrieve conditions, whereas double blades have more lift (for shallow water) and retrieve better at speed. Mepps #4 long work great for more depth but also require a faster retrieve speed. As a bonus, the #4 long also results in more consistent hook sets as the blade sits closer to the body and probably doesn’t whack the pike in the face when they take it. If I’m getting strikes without solid hook sets, I always switch to the #4 long. Unfortunately, the #4 often requires a jaw spreader to get it out, but that’s better than lost fish IMO. I’ve found traditional wire leaders really kill the action of a lure, especially stick and swim baits. Plus the weight of the leader pulls the nose down on the pause. I’ve since switched to TufLine braided/stainless tieable leader. Much practice was required (off the water!) to get solid low profile knots, so plan to throw away nearly a spool for practice. I haven’t lost any knots, fish, or lures with this set up, and I can make it through the season on a single leader. Wire leaders were constantly getting kinked and further killing lure action, requiring frequent replacement. I went with TufLine because that’s what Fleet Farm had in stock and I haven’t had reason to try others. Lastly, the Korean made baitcasters have outlasted any of my made in China models. Most of the decent Daiwa stuff I believe comes with made in Korea tags too. My Korean Lews stuff has been good, but many now say made in China. Same with the Bass Pro/Cabelas house brand baitcasters. If I get a summer out of a made in China baitcaster, that’s about it. No more.

Awesome!

These are a few of my favorite things!

Great info ! Gosh I hope we can make the 12 hour drive this spring for the opener. We missed 2023 & it hurt bad keep the content coming love it ....

love the mepps lures they all seem to work rapala jerkbaits are also good thanks for sharing.

Thank you for the info I will have to try this out. I appreciate it 🎉😊

All very true. I also like the top water rat 😊

Great video, definitely going to check out those pike a thon videos.

Good video, thanks!

Novice fisher here fishing primarily off the west coast of Finland. By far the easiest and most reliable lure i keep coming back to is an Atom 35(?)g spoon, specifically lightblue/red. Copper colored can work too in some weather, but the blue really gets the most use. Casting aggressively towards the shore, aiming for the deepest crevices, wether it be rocks or weeds. Reeling at a moderate speed, but initially faster, to avoid snagging any rocks or weeds. The spoons action is so erratic at high speed they really chase it out from the shore, after hopefully splashing pretty close to them. Can cover a lot of water fast like this and to me it's a simple equation ( time with lure spent in water * area covered * lure effectiveness). Just yesterday i bought some single hooks to see if that could allow me to cast even more aggressively with less worry for getting the lure stuck.

I agree with the jerkbaits.On my shallow lake shallow runner's ripped over the cabbage result in savage strikes.

Good video thanks

My favorite is the plain nickel version of the Eppinger Daredevil series. Maybe not the fish catchingest (I know it's not a real word!) but the most versatile. I've caught everything on it.

Great tips. Gonna relook at what I got and gear up for pike season. Thanks. Subbed you! Cheers!

Your Welcome, and what do I mean ? I am a huge Fan of Mepp’s #5 and when I came back from a Canada Trip I contact Mepp’s to buy more and I requested a Double bladed #5 In my favorite colors and they said they could make them for Me. The next year they were added to there catalog as a standard product. My largest Pike 47inch came on a Mepp’s I also like Rip Stop and Daredevel Red and White with a Hook changed to one with a feather of Red and White. Plastic Paddle tails are awesome as well . Can’t wait to try my Core Tackle TUSH hooks on Pike with paddle baits. I have used a St Croix Legend Bass MHF with Shamino Reel and Berkley 17lb mono XL as the stretch by the boat is a good thing as it helps when a large pike 40plus surges by the boat the hooks don’t pull out. I have never had a pike break off even in the Cabbage Weeds. Next Trip I want to try Sufix Advance Mono 14lb test as it over test in lb test. I do like braid on my spinning rods but when Jigging for walleye’s have caught a 44inch Pike on 8lb Braid.

I use all the lures you mentioned here. I also use the Williams Whitefish in gold color. I troll with them later in the summer.

Love me an esox slamming my RipStop. Also had great success w/ back to back pike catches on the KVD jerkbait in perch pattern too. Something about how the KVD jerkbaits action got me more follows and hits than the rapalas that day but hey there’s always something to be said about tying on another lure brand

Ive ALWAYS had good luck with jigs with twisters and curly tail grubs as well. Ive had the most luck with white, red, green, and orange, even pink sometimes

There is a new lure that Pike and bass just love! It is the 7.5 inch Squid swim bait. Soft rubber and so life like they grab it fast! Just rig it weed-less and that`s it. No added weight, just a natural slow sinking slow retrieve and BAM!! I have caught huge pike and bass on pressured lakes fishing from shore when others catch nothing. It is the killer of killers of soft plastic baits!

The other day I caught a 15 lb 3 foot pike using a mepps #5

I’m not kidding I bought a ton of mag drafts trying to go for some fat bass… the amount of pike I’ve been finding with it is ridiculous.. absolutely crushed them. The draft it has pisses them off and the bite is aggressive be prepared to hold the rod tight, I’ve almost dropped it a couple times from how hard the strike was

I recommend the late great TIGER MOUSE period.

Every time I’ve caught I pike I’ve just been using Berkeley jerk baits. But great info

I've been having tons of luck with the Berkley choppo 90 and the choppo 105

I lost 3 pike 40 inch plus that bite thru 15# fluorocarbon leader, when I use heavier leaders, no bites.

Nichols 1/2 -3/4oz spinner baits double willow.

Another great jerkbait is the Husky jerk from rapala.

Great video! I couldn't agree more with the mepps and cyclops!, spoons are absolute killers for pike! This video makes me want to hit the waters right now!! Keep the videos coming my guy!

I got my first Pike ever couple days ago. He was huge and fat! I wish I had brought my weight scale and measuring tape. I got it using a ML 7’ Daiwa spinning rod with 8lb braid on a crappie fluoro rig 😂

Do you use Leaders? If so, how heavy do you recommend going?

Not a difficult fish to catch.they rule in any body of water they are present..they fear nothing..lots of fun.if they're in a feeding mood they'll hit anything that swims by.. good luck to all

what brand of reels do you not use any more?

Does this apply for pickerel also?