Species guide
A toothy ambush predator. Every recommendation here is shaped by one thing: pike teeth go through ordinary line and leader, so bite protection is part of the setup rather than an accessory.
Starting setups for the common ways to fish for pike, before you pick a bait. Adjust for your water, cover and presentation in the Setup Builder.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Technique | Rod | Reel | Main line | Leader | Hook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spinning | 6'6"–7'6" Medium Heavy power · Fast action |
3000–4000 Spinning reel |
30–50 lb Braided line |
20–40 lb Wire, or heavier fluorocarbon |
2/0–5/0 J hook |
| Baitcasting | 7'–7'6" Heavy power · Fast action |
300–400 Baitcasting reel |
25–30 lb Fluorocarbon |
20–40 lb Wire, or heavier fluorocarbon |
3/0–6/0 J hook |
| Trolling | 8'–9' Heavy power · Moderate action |
30–40 Conventional reel |
25–40 lb Monofilament |
20–40 lb Wire, or heavier fluorocarbon |
3/0–6/0 J hook |
Every pike rig starts with a bite leader of wire, steel, titanium or heavy fluorocarbon, because pike teeth cut through most fishing line.
Cast along weed edges and rocky points. Pike readily hit flashy spoons and spinners, and bright red, white or silver lures are recommended.
Lures that copy the perch and suckers adult pike favor. Pike often stalk prey from below, so a jerkbait made to look injured or dying is a good choice.
Live bait under a tip-up through the ice, for winter pike.
Weedy bays, cabbage beds and drop-off edges in northern lakes and rivers, from the upper Midwest and Northeast through the northern Rockies.
Sit motionless against weed edges and strike from short range at high speed. They will follow a bait to the boat, which is why a figure-eight at boatside is worth doing.
Most pike run 20 to 30 inches. Fish over 40 inches are trophies across their US range.
Shallow and aggressive right after ice-out, in and on weed edges through summer, and shallow again in fall as they feed heavily before winter.
A northern pike.
Pick a bait or lure to get its hook size.
Use a big one for pike, big enough that perch leave it alone. Sucker minnows and larger shiners are the soft-rayed prey pike prefer.
Hook size for thisKeep it under 12 inches, and fish it behind a wire or fluorocarbon leader.
Hook size for thisA dead baitfish such as a smelt, with one barb of a large treble hooked into it, the other points left exposed, and a bite leader ahead of it.
Hook size for thisPerch and sucker shapes and colors match what pike eat.
Hook size for thisA weedguard jig with a rubber skirt and a plastic trailer, for wood and grass.
Hook size for thisBright red, white or silver lures are recommended for pike.
Hook size for thisPut a wire, steel or titanium leader ahead of it: pike teeth cut through most fishing line.
Hook size for thisPoppers and walking baits worked on the surface.
Hook size for thisStandard leader gets cut. Wire handles it at 20 to 40 lb; if you prefer fluorocarbon for the lower visibility, published guidance starts around 40 lb and many anglers fish heavier still. Either way, run something in front of the lure in pike water, including when you are fishing for something else.
Unhooking a pike by hand is how people get cut. Bring long-nose pliers and a cutter.
A pike thrashing at boatside in a small net is a lost fish and a hook in someone's hand.
Regulations
Several states manage pike with protected slots or encourage harvest of small fish to control density, and rules differ sharply between neighboring waters. Check your state agency.
Build a complete northern pike setup
Answer five short questions and get a complete setup: rod length, power and action, reel size, main line, leader and hook, each with the reasoning behind it.