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Lure fishing for pike – the UK’s apex predator – is the most exciting freshwater fishing available in the British Isles. Trawling rivers, canals and stillwaters for these sharp-toothed dinosaurs is one of our favourite ways to fish with lures. But it’s not easy.
When targeting pike on lures you need to make sure your lure box has excellent variety:
- Metal lures to cover a greater distance
- Curly tails to encourage larger pike
- Jointed lures for a churning surface action
- Replica ducks, frogs and/or rats for multi-species fishing
Once you’ve located the pike (pools of slack water, deeper, warmer pools in winter, surface feeding in the autumn) then you need to make sure you’re using the best lures. And that means a variety of sizes, colours, actions and materials is key to your success. Find our pick of the best pike fishing lures below.
Pike Fishing Tackle
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What does our pike fishing lure setup look like?
Pike can be intriguing, highly territorial fish to target with lures and having the right set-up is key to a good session. For us, that means a real variety of sizes, colours and actions, with lures up to 150g with huge paddle tails not uncommon. Make sure you pair your lures with a quality reel (we use the Penn Spinfisher VI for pike fishing) and some high-quality braided line and a metal leader or at least some particularly stiff, highly abrasion-resistant fluorocarbon..
The prevailing weather conditions (particularly the temperature), have a huge impact on pike’s aggression and feeding patterns. Typically pike are more aggressive when the water temperature is warmer and are more likely to take lures from or near the surface.
When the water temperature is colder they will conserve energy, seek out deeper, warmer pockets of water and are less likely to take lures.
What is the best pike fishing lure?
The Savage Gear Pulse Tail Roach is the best overall pike fishing lure. Its action, multi-season reliability and dual treble hook make this lure a must-have in any condition. Attractive to smaller Jack Pikes and double-figure females alike, the built-in rattle chamber is absolutely superb at encouraging both aggressive and food-focused hook-ups.
What makes a good pike fishing lure?
A good pike fishing lure needs to be enticing enough for the pike to strike either out of hunger or aggression. Larger, brightly coloured lures with a more aggressive action tend to be more effective at encouraging territorial strikes. Whereas smaller paddle tails with a gentler action are designed to be eaten.
Just make sure you have a variety of coloured lures with surface, sub-surface and sinking actions so you can cater to any eventuality. Throw a duck or frog lure in there for the ultimate surface strike.
The 7 Best Lure Fishing Bags in 2023 Editor’s choice
At a glance
The 10 best pike fishing lures
Savage Gear Surf SeekersBest for distance casting
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Fishing, Tackle & Bait
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- Typically a 28g+ is the perfect weight for pike fishing
- Change the treble hook for a single hook when targeting larger fish
- These are typically better suited to fishing larger bodies of freshwater
- Fantastic casting distance
Savage Gear’s Surf Seeker is an excellent all-around lure. No matter the conditions, casting distance, or visibility, this lure just never seems to let you down. When fishing for pollock, you want to purchase the sinking version of this lure. When pike fishing you want to make sure you buy the surface / slightly sub-surface version.
Whilst these metal lures are not useful for smaller rivers and streams, they are essential when fishing larger bodies of stillwater. With a casting distance of upwards of 60m when using a nine-foot rod and with enough density to manage rough conditions, these lures are fail-safe options for almost any predator.
Savage Gear MinnowBest paddle tail for pike
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- 10 (28g) – 12.5cm (35g) is the perfect starter size pike fishing lure
- Excellent range of natural and brighter colours
- Glass rattle combined with lively action makes for an excellent autumnal pike lure
- Ultra-realistic retrieve and a spare tail included
Another firm favourite from Savage Gear, this Minnow Lure is a superb multi-species lure. With an ultra-realistic action and an excellent range of colours – pinks, whites and blues are always in our lure fishing boxes – this is a lure for all seasons and conditions.
As a sinking lure these tend to be better when lure fishing for pike in Stillwater or in deeper pools of slack water generally consistent with larger rivers. The lure has a powerful retrieval action and – from personal experience – the glass rattle can be irresistible to an aggressive pike.
Savage Gear 3D Pulse Tail RoachBest overall pike fishing lure
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- 3D Pulse Tail has a superb action
- 38.5g makes for a dense, castable lure
- Built-in steel rattle and a scent that increases pike strikes
- The double hook is an excellent addition to these softer lures
The Savage Gear 3D Pulse Tail has one of the best actions on the market and is one of our favourite freshwater lures for targeting predators. Like all the other 3D Savage Gear models it is based on a real scan of a roach. Which contributes to the ultra-realistic action.
The lure has an in-built rattle chamber which, when twitched, emits a loud clicking sound. Aggressive pike kryptonite. If the rattle isn’t working a steady retrieval mitigates the noise, so you can fish in multiple dimensions. When fishing deeper pools, this lure sinks and swims on the drop, increasing the amount of water you can cover effectively.
Rapala X-Rap Otus LureThe best lure for larger aggressive pike
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- An incredibly powerful large lure with an excellent hook-up rate
- 17cm (40g) and 25cm (long thanks to a huge curly paddle tail
- A bright colour range perfect for targeting ultra-aggressive pike
- A sub-surface lure that’s perfect for fishing around 1m deep
The Rapala X Rap Otus Lure is an all-time favourite pike lure. Coming in both 17cm and 25cm options, these chunky lures are perfect for targeting larger, aggressive predators. With pike-like markings, these lures can elicit territorial behaviour in larger pike, even in colder, wintery conditions.
These two-piece lures come complete with a spare tail – the lure’s piece de la resistance – which is a nice touch given the price point. The slower sinking rate and wafting tail are superb in colder conditions, coaxing larger pike into a strike due to the lure’s size, colour and tail action.
Fox Rage Replicant Super Realistic Pike LureBest for targeting cannibalistic pike
- At 20cm long and 100g this lure is aimed at big pike
- Pike can be highly territorial and will both attack and eat another pike, making this a great option to have
- An excellent, lifelike colour range perfect for targeting ultra-aggressive pike
The Fox Rage Replicant Pike Lure might be the most realistic pike lure on the market. With four size options – 20cm (100g) up to 40cm (455g) – these lures are not for the faint-hearted. You really need to be targeting large, territorial pike with these chunks. If you’ve ever seen deadbaiting videos of anglers targeting big pike with another pike, you’ll understand how unfussy pike are. Rats, birds, frogs, another pike, the list goes on.
With a treble hook underneath and a single, super-sharp J-hook on top, this ultra-realistic pike lure comes in three colourways – hot, natural and wounded. Whilst it’s unlikely to elicit strikes from any other predators, having a pike-specific lure on hand is handy if the pike aren’t biting.
Savage Gear Fat Tail Spin Fishing LureBest lure and spinner combo
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- At 5.5cm it’s perfect for targeting jack pike, with an action that means it is regularly targeted on both the fall and retrieve
- The spinner-micro lure option is superb in the brighter conditions
- The size range goes from 5.5cm (9g) to 8cm (24g)
- Despite its lightweight nature, the lure has an excellent casting distance
Savage Gear’s Fat Tail Sinking Fishing Lure is arguably the most unique lure on the list and a truly excellent option for targeting jack pike. This is a go-to for when the fish just aren’t biting. In situations when traditional minnows, spinners and other hard lures just aren’t quite cutting it, this little hard lure-spinner combo may be exactly what you need.
At just 5.5cm (9g) – 8cm (24g) it’s a relatively small and lightweight lure that has a flashing, rotating tail blade that vibrates, flashes and sparkles throughout the retrieve. Sometimes you need a standout lure in your bag and for us this is it.
Abu Garcia Droppen Fishing LureBest pike spinning lure
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- Starting from just 4cm it’s perfect for targeting jack pike (and both trout and perch)
- The size range goes from 4cm (4g) to 5.3cm (12g)
- Comes in packs of three
- The shine of the metal and coloured dots are pretty durable
Abu Garcia’s Droppen Fishing Lure three-pack are superb for targeting jack pike, perch and trout on lighter tackle. These lightweight spinners are really excellent when it comes to metal quality, durability and hookups.
As a beginner, taking a lighter rod and reel combination and some 6 – 8lb line is a great way to target predators in smaller streams. The lighter setup makes for exceptional predator fishing and – for beginners – is a great way to cut your teeth. Although this type of fishing is arguably just as exciting for experienced anglers.
Savage Gear 3D Suicide DuckBest topwater lure for pike
- The size range goes from 10.5cm (28g) to 15cm (70g)
- Ideal for fishing in areas rich in birdlife in the springtime
- 3D scanned details make for an ultra-realistic bait
- Two hooking points – remove the belly treble hook for fishing in snaggy conditions
Savage Gear’s Suicide Duck is a thing of beauty. Topwater strikes from powerful predators are almost unparalleled when it comes to lure fishing. For some reason, this is even more enhanced when using a duck – particularly such a realistic one. Really this is a lure for the autumnal months when the water temperature is warmer and the pike are staying closer to the surface.
Whilst it is an expensive lure, the build quality is excellent and the wide feet and hard-shell body create a fairly sizable wake. The double hook setup makes for a pretty solid hookup rate, even with pike. When you consider the lure has two hookup points that allow you to vary the action – one for a steady retrieve and another mimicking escaping prey.
As a top tip, using these surface lures (ducks or frogs for example) tend to work best around lilypads or other areas of surface cover. Fishing the edges of these regions is most effective with above-surface lures.
Korum Snapper Buoyant SquirlyZ Fishing Jig HeadBest small curly tail for pike
- 8cm long and 5g in weight
- Excellent jerkbait action – you can work the lure with a traditional cast and retrieve whilst also pausing for ‘effect’
- More durable than traditional soft plastics
Korum Snapper SquirlyZ Jig Head is a brilliant triple-pack curly tail grub. Curly tails like this should be essential in both your pike and perch fishing bag and they’re ideally suited to targeting jack pike in smaller streams and rivers. We love the slightly muted colour selection. The darker oranges, reds and mottled greens are ultra-realistic and the tail action is irresistible. To fish at least.
Coming in packs of three it’s a good value option and whilst the lure only comes with a single hook, the actual hookup rate is – from personal experience – reasonable. Of course, the issue with any curly tail is that the pièce de résistance (the tail) is easily bitten off. But, to coin another French term, c’est la vie.
Rapala Jointed LuresBest lure action for pike
- Ideal for fishing in lower visibility or rainy conditions
- Superb wiggle, leading to exceptional topwater strikes and designed to mimic an injured fish
- 13cm weighing in at 18g
- Ultra-lightweight construction, made from balsa wood
Jointed lures are like catnip* to pike and this Rapala Jointed Lure has an outstanding wiggle. The balsa wood construction and jointed nature of the lure are designed to mimic a baitfish in distress. Lightweight at just 18g for a 13cm lure, making it incredibly fun on a light setup. A really excellent lure that – thanks to its broken back – can provide results in lower visibility conditions. A must-have.
Balsa wood is an excellent option for surface lures as it’s made up of more than 90% air and is entirely impermeable. It is both buoyant and water-resistant. The only downside is how soft the wood is.
*We would’ve said pikenip but risked sounding nonsensical
FAQs
What lures are best for pike?
Typically 30 – 50g lures are a great starting point for lure fishing for pike. Soft plastics, metals, curly tails and jointed lures can all be incredibly effective in the right conditions.
In the summer months, pike are ultra-aggressive predators who can be caught on almost any lure. Whereas in the winter months, pike are more lethargic, conserving their energy, so trialling larger lures that represent a bigger meal in the winter is a tried and tested method.
What colour lures do pike like best?
We’d recommend starting with natural silvers, greens and blues before moving on to brighter pinks, oranges and reds to feed off their aggression. Ultimately pike can be caught on any colour lure and it entirely depends on the conditions, time of year, prevailing bait fish and water clarity.
Which leader is best for lure fishing for pike?
When lure fishing for pike you need to use a leader material that the pike’s razor sharp teeth cannot cut through. Fluorocarbon and monofilament are too soft so you need to use a wire trace. You can purchase wire traces with lure clips and swivels pre-attached, or buy wire leader as a length of line.
What are the best pike lures in the summer?
Ultimately the same lures work well for pike year-round. We’d recommend using soft plastics and spinners that float on the surface as pike will be seeking pockets of more oxygenated water.
In the summer months when the water is much warmer and the dissolved oxygen levels lower pike can become a little sluggish. Hence why the autumnal months are the best time to lure fish for pike.
Hi, I'm Harry. A keen, albeit exceedingly average fisherman. I've spent the last few years trawling London's waterways with - if I'm being kind - varied success and would love to help you avoid the mistakes I have made.
The longer I fish for pike, the smaller my tacklebox gets. As long as I’ve got a handful of spoons, a few spinnerbaits, and a couple minnow plugs I’m pretty confident fishing just about anywhere.
Been using some surf fishing plugs from shore this year with good success though, in particular the Yo Zuri Hydro Minnow is working particularly well over the shallow rocky flats that I’m fishing right now.