Pike fishing lures for use in Scottish lochs and rivers – a complete guide
When do pike lures work better than dead bait?
To start off with, pike can be reluctant to chase lures in colder temperatures. On the other hand, they can work if fished slower and deeper in the water column. Also, Spring, summer and Autumn are the best time to fish lures for pike. Moreover in warmer moths, pike will take lures from the surface. This can result in spectacular sport.
Pike fishing lures – Sub surface
Most lure fishing for pike is sub surface. Also, the speed and depth of retrieve is as critical as lure choice. Therefore it pays to experiment with depths, by counting the lure down and fishing it as close to the bottom as you can. Furthermore, if a lure fails to trigger an attack, it’s worth changing up for a different colour combination.
Secondly, it really pays to linger at the end of a retrieve before lifting out to recast. More often than not, a pike will follow the lure and take it right beside the boat. Keep this in mind when you at the end of a retrieve….linger!
Finally when boat fishing, cast towards the shoreline and land the lure as close to the shore as you can. Pike often bask in the shallows, and will spring into action if a lure is near their attack zone.
Sub surface pike lures that work
- Jig head and soft plastic – Gives you the advantage of changing colours quickly and adding scent to the lure
- Zalt – sinking pike pures. Superb and expensive lures from Sweden.
- Rapala – various colours. Matching the resident bait fish is the key
- Metal spoons – an old fashioned method and equally effective
- Salmo Toby
- Mepps spinning lures variety of colours
- Articulated lures
- Falkfisk Spoket– I started using these lures 15 years ago, they are brilliant. You can impart various actions on the lure adding tremendous variety.
Pike fishing lure surface lures
To start with, pike can be fished for with lures closer to the surface during summer season. As a result, this can make for spectacular sport.
Furthermore, focus on weed-beds, and in and around Lillies. Meanwhile if you are fishing weedless lures like the Bronzeye, cast on to the Lillies and drag the lure off and into the water.
Best surface lures for pike
- Argobast Jitterbug – a firm favourite. Articulated body
- Spro Brozeye from 65 – also ideal when fishing near weeds or Lilly pads
- Westin Spot on Top Walker – superb action on the surface
- Zalt floating lures – the best pike lures in Sweden. They work in Scotland too
How to fish pike lures
To begin with, cover as much water as possible, each cast should explore a new area. In addition, consider the depth you are fishing at. For example you can explore depths, by counting down the lure. If letting the lure sink for 10 seconds hits the bottom, consider 7 seconds instead, so you are fishing just above the bottom, and so on.
Furthermore, if fishing from a boat, keep the noise to a minimum and stay seated and out of the skyline if possible. This is especially important as pike often take the lure right next to the boat (unless they see you standing up)
It’s also worth using a fish finder when boat fishing. This will help you locate where the fish are and at what depth.
When fishing with surface lures like the Jitterbug, experiment with retrieval speed. There’s a sweet spot with speed of retrieve with most lures that gives them the most attractive action.
Do big pike take lures?
Yes they do. You can catch them or normal sized lures, there’s no need to go big with lure size for big fish. Make sure your terminal tackle is tong enough to handle big fish and sharp teeth. Avoid wire traces where possible, as the wire cuts into the flesh if the fish rolls. We use 110 pound test nylon which uses no damage to the fish.
What colour pike fishing lures do pike take?
When considering what colour to choose, consider what fish the pike is predating on in its habitat. For example, if there are a lot of perch in the loch, choose a lure that represents a small perch. Equally, if you are fishing in a loch, that is also stocked with rainbow trout, a lure representing a small wounded or crippled trout is a good bet. Despite this theory, sometimes a pike with take lures that look nothing like the resident food source, i.e. bright red, yellow and green etc.
Fishing and touring vacation in Scotland
