Soft bait for pike?

[Crappie85]

Any of you guys use soft bait for pike? What style do the pike seem to like? Ive always had luck with spoons but figured i might try soft bait too. I catch a lot of little pike but i know there are some big ones lurking among them they are just much more difficult to hook into and not have the line break. 

[Roger Linnell]

Flukes work great, but anything you can work in an erratic fashion can work too

[mark poulson]

Since I keep reading about pike biting off already hooked bass, I would think larger soft plastic swimbaits would work, but, since pike have sooooo many teeth, it could get expensive.

[Roger Linnell]

leaders are a must, I make my own with 30# mono

[Good Fishing]

Caught quite a few big pike on 9" sluggos and similar big jerk baits. Haven't had much luck with any other soft baits (unless you count when they steal grubs meant for smallmouth).

[curt k]

Soft plastics will stand up to pike pretty much the same as most other fish . I grew up fishing the big northerns . Jig heads with curly grubs and  live bait was common practice for fishing the pike and walleye . We'd use nothing less than a 10" stainless leader , they may be ugly but they never affected the bite .  it beats losing a nice fish and the gear with it

 

[Anglinarcher]

I agree, the right soft plastic works very well on Pike, Muskie, Tiger Muskie, etc.  Larry Dahlberg created his Mr. Wiggley, sold by River2Sea until recently when it was put into a redesign.

You can make your own as well, and they do catch big fish.  The teeth do take their toll on them, but it is worth it.  On Larry's TV Show, Hunt for Big Fish, he has caught almost anything that swims with them, but big Pike and Muskies were frequent targets.

Yes, leaders are a necessity, Steel, Hard Mono (100# for the big ones), Fluorocarbon (100#+ for the big ones) are a necessity,  but that is just as true for hard baits.

I have included some tutorials that can get you headed in the right direction.

http://www.makelure.com/store/pg/54-How-To-Videos.aspx#prettyPhoto/37/

http://www.makelure.com/store/pg/54-How-To-Videos.aspx#prettyPhoto/41/

http://www.makelure.com/store/pg/54-How-To-Videos.aspx#prettyPhoto/55/

http://www.makelure.com/store/pg/54-How-To-Videos.aspx#prettyPhoto/99/

http://www.makelure.com/store/pg/54-How-To-Videos.aspx#prettyPhoto/103/

 

[aulrich]

I don’t use plastics for pike much, mostly due to a baits getting destroyed in as little as one fish (little pike, sub 24” are the worst). But they do work and work well, a commercial lure I like are the storm wildeye pike or perch.  But I will probably be expanding my use over the next year, specifically to get some pike sized weedless presentations, I am starting to fish lakes that have more junk in them than I am use too.

 

I bought a couple of premade molds from LPO IIRC the 5” swimbait and a 4” paddle tail but that was a few years ago but anything with a decently thick profile should work. I might add a saltwater sized fluke for that weedless idea.

 

In most of the water I fish in, wire leaders are best, I have come to really like titanium I have gotten a full season out of one and it will likely go another, where as steel I can hardly go a day without having one get kinked. In clearer water or under the ice 60# fluorocarbon is normal .

Edited September 11, 2017 by aulrich

[aulrich]

Something that just hit my radar is a chatter bait  (bladed jig).  the flash/thump from the blade and a big soft plastic trailer should be a winner

I will give them a try this ice season I think I would use a smelt trailer vs soft plastic.

Typically as a pike guy you get use to ignoring bass gear so that is my excuse for coming late to this party.

 

[walleyeking]

In the Midwest where I fish i think the question would be what soft plastics do pike not eat!  I get bit off by pike all the time walleye fishing with jig and plastic.

[DaBehr]

A chatter bait with a swim bait as a trailer is Pike candy here in Minnesota.

It is definitely my "go to" bait if I am taking someone fishing that wants to catch a Northern.

The catch big bass too!

 

[mark poulson]

5 hours ago, DaBehr said:

A chatter bait with a swim bait as a trailer is Pike candy here in Minnesota.

It is definitely my "go to" bait if I am taking someone fishing that wants to catch a Northern.

The catch big bass too!

 

 

Do you upgrade your snap?  The stock ones I've used are not strong enough for big fish.

I use the 40 lb snaps from LurePartsOnline.

[mjs]

I use plastics if I'm on a spot with potential for big pike. Big pike are smarter and fussier than little ones. I read that once they've gotten to 36" they have been caught 5 or 6 times in lakes where they get fished.  Mid-size bulldawg baits and swimbaits are good. I don't think you need muskie sized stuff to get big pike .