Fishing is a national activity of every representative of the countries former USSR. Pike is considered one of the most common inhabitants of reservoirs. Catching her is a real art. You will learn how to catch pike in our article.

Basics

For successful fishing, you need to know the characteristics and “character” of this fish. Pike lives in fresh water bodies. Its usual location is a river. This is not a schooling fish; usually its individuals swim alone.

Remember that representatives of this type of fish prefer the following habitats:

• Rivers.
• Lakes.
• Old river beds.

Pike do not like strong currents, so they most often settle in calm areas. Shady places, thickets, piles of stones and tree trunks at the surface of the water - all this is a favorite habitat for fish.

Pike is a predator. Therefore, catching her is not as easy as it seems at first glance. When fishing, you should take into account the peculiarities of its feeding method.

Where can you find pike

Inexperienced fishermen believe that the predator is found in absolutely any body of water. In fact, she is very selective about where she lives.

How to catch pike with a spinning rod

Beginning fishermen are often tormented by the question of what gear to use to fish. The most experienced of them recommend spinning.

To catch fish, you should choose and assemble the main fishing tool correctly.

The pike rig consists of the following parts:

• fishing rods;
• coils;
• fishing lines;
• bait (you can use live bait or special devices - a wobbler, a spinner, a spinner, etc.).

Should be strong enough. Its thickness is no more than half a millimeter.

Pike rise for food closer to the surface of the water, so you should not cast the spinning rod deeper than 1.5 meters.

For proper fishing, the length of the gear is also important. It should not be too small or too large. The size of the spinning rod is average, about two meters.

Since the fish prefers to live in various thickets, there is a high probability of the spinning rod getting caught on snags and algae. In most cases this leads to the loss of the bait. Therefore, you should stock up in advance sufficient quantity nozzles

Optimal time for fishing

When wondering how to catch a pike, many novice fishermen do not understand what time is best to fish.

• IN autumn period, especially in the month of October, you can hunt for fish from early morning until late evening.
• At other times of the year, the optimal period is the very beginning of the day.
• Pike do not like clear weather. Cold air temperatures, wind, and precipitation are considered the most successful for biting.

Types of bait

For successful fishing results, you should be able to choose the right bait. The main one is the spinner and its derivatives.

It is good to fish with live bait. The following types of fish are ideal for it:

• Small perch.
• Crucian carp.
• Gudgeon.
• Rotan.
• Frog.

Young pike of medium size can also bite on a worm.

Description of the fishing process

Since small fish are the main food for pike, the most suitable bait is a live bait.

For fishing, you need to choose the optimal place. Preference should be given to thickets and depressions.

How to catch pike with live bait? First of all, you need to prepare the bait. Live bait requires careful treatment. Remember that the best bait is live fish. Thus, small crucian carp are the hardiest. It is able to last several casts of a spinning rod.

Fishing process:

• In order for live bait to live as long as possible, you should not make sudden movements. Try not to hit the surface of the water with the spinning rod too much.
• Choose places with a large number thickets and depressions. However, here the fisherman requires great concentration and accuracy. It is necessary to monitor the spinning rod and prevent live bait from getting into deep thickets. It is almost impossible to get gear out of there.
• Cast the rod. After it reaches the end point, it is necessary to wait for some time. Optimally - half a minute.
• Begin to smoothly twist the reel towards you. The speed doesn't have to be high. Stop for a while every 10 seconds.
• If a pike bites on a spinning rod, do not rush to pull it out of the water as soon as possible. By doing this, you will most likely help the fish escape.
• Release the coil. Let the pike swallow the bait well and swim away a little. And only after that you can continue to pull the line.

Types of postings

More confident fishermen can try fishing in various ways. There are several types of spinning rods. The most common ones are: twitching, step and slow.

Twitching is usually used when fishing. While fishing, the spinning rod should be twitched all the time. These actions give jerks and an imitation of independent movement to the wobbler, which is very attractive to fish.

The “step” type wiring is performed as follows: the bait slowly reaches the bottom surface; you need to wait a few seconds and then raise the bait a short distance. Release it again until it reaches the bottom.

It is recommended to perform all actions slowly and smoothly, since it is in the bait near the bottom that the pike bites. Slow retrieve is characterized by low casting speed. The fisherman’s actions are precise and unhurried. You should also tighten the fishing line slowly and with periodic breaks. The pike will be interested in sudden movements followed by slow ones. The wiring speed should also be adjusted.

This method is most suitable for inexperienced fishermen as the simplest and one of the most effective. This is where you should begin to master the difficult art of pike fishing.

How to catch pike for a novice fisherman? Remember that experience is chief assistant in fishing. To gain it, we recommend listening to the basic advice of experienced fishermen.

• If the nozzle gets tangled in the bushes, do not pull it with all your might. This creates a risk of damaging the spinning rod. It is best to let go of the line and get rid of the bait. Therefore, every fisherman should always have the necessary set of spinners in stock.
• Select only large and tenacious fish for live bait. To make it last longer, attach it to the spinning rod by the nostrils or mouth.
• If the caught pike has swallowed the hook too far, do not try to get it out. It’s better to untie the fishing line from the spinning rod and reel in a new one. You can take the fish off the hook at home.
• Pike has a very powerful sense of smell. She reacts sharply to the smell of blood. Therefore, it is possible to slightly damage or cut the live bait. The fish will immediately smell the prey and get hooked pretty quickly.

So, you have learned the peculiarities of national methods of fishing for the most popular predator of reservoirs - pike. It is difficult to catch, but by following the tips presented in the article, you can boast of a good catch.

Using a spinning rod, you can catch pike with rotating or oscillating spoons, wobblers, edible silicone, spinner baits or.

As for fishing techniques, Beginner pike hunters are advised to reel in the line slowly and evenly, making small pauses, slightly twitching the tip of the spinning rod.

Stepped wiring- another option to attract the attention of pike. Often bites are observed when the bait falls or moves horizontally. You need to make several rotations of the reel, wait until the bait sinks to the bottom, and start rotating the reel again.

Also effective way for catching river predators. The bait is applied evenly, twitching the spinning rod. If the cast is a short distance, the tip of the tackle may be near the water surface. If the cast is long, it rises in the vertical direction. So the wobbler makes yaw movements, and the fishing area increases.

How to fish?

First of all, let’s pay attention to the fact that to fish for pike you need a strong leash. Without it, most likely, the bait will be lost and the prey will be lost. The reason for this is the sharp teeth of the pike, which easily cut the fishing line.

So, the pike is on the hook... We act calmly (perhaps this is the most difficult thing: the emotions from feeling the weight of the fish that pecked are overwhelming), but clearly. You need to feel how the fish moves underwater.

1. We must not allow it to turn around and go to the bottom. Feeling such a desire of the pike, stretch the fishing line- this will prevent the fish from changing position.
2. Careful and slow raise the spinning rod.
3. When it is close to vertical, lower the rod down with a quick movement, and reel in the fishing line.
4. Raising and lowering the tackle in this manner several times until the pike is nearby. Keep in mind that you can only reel in the line when the pike is not pulling it in the opposite direction, trying to escape: the line may not withstand the tension.

Even if the pike strongly resists, after a while the struggle will tire it, and it can be taken out of the water using a landing net (by pulling out a large fish without a landing net, you risk breaking the spinning rod or breaking the fishing line - in any of these cases, the prey will be lost).

How to hook correctly?

Hooking is done after each bite. The spinning rod is hard, the action is fast - the hook is short. The build is slow - the cutting is sweeping. After the reflex main hook, if the weight of the fish is large, 1 - 2 control hooks are needed. There is no need to give the predator any slack, you need to tire him out. The pike's mouth is bony and strong. It’s difficult to break her mouth, so you don’t have to stand on ceremony when hooking. The failure of the fish during the fishing process means that it was not hooked sufficiently.

Catching pike with a wobbler using twitching

Complete and detailed information

For twitching you need a spinning rod 2.1 meters long, 3 - 14 g (test). It should have a strong but lightweight spinning reel, a metal or fluorocarbon leader. The diameter of the leash depends on the size of the wobbler.

When fishing for pike with a wobbler best technology wiring is twitching - wiring in jerks. The fisherman sharply pulls the line and immediately loosens it for 2 - 3 seconds. Then again a short and hard jerk. The fish moves in the same way.

Types of wobblers:

• cranks (another name is potbellies, active game);
• minnow (long fish, sluggish play, reminiscent of the movements of a wounded fish);
• shads (active game);
• walkers (for surface wiring in jerks with the same amplitude).

Models of wobblers for twitching:

• O-zuri L-minnow 66(works at a wiring depth of 1.5 meters),
• Owner Cultiva RM 90(not intended for long-distance casting, but ideal for twitching),
• DUEL Dino Crank SD(you need slow retrieving with short pauses at a depth of 2 meters, during the pause the wobbler floats up),
• Rapala X-Rap 10(throws far, has its own game, but is also suitable for twitching),
• Current M Sakura Special SP93F(Daiwa, fishing at a depth of 1 meter in the current, prowls, nods its head, good animation),
• ZipB aits Orbit 110 SP-SR(performed perfectly horizontally by twitching method as in calm water, and on the current).

Retrieving technique for catching pike with a popper

A popper is a wobbler that has holes in it. This type of bait makes noise during retrieval (gurgles, croaks and raises splashes). Whether the pike likes this gurgling sound or not is unknown, but sometimes it can be caught on a popper. If the front of the popper is sharp, it makes more noise; if it is smooth, it is less noisy, but makes a lot of splashes.

To catch pike, use the classic popper setup. The angler casts the bait, waits for the water to become calm again, and begins to rhythmically move the popper in small jerks so that the bait makes a sound similar to a “click.” The pike from its ambush hears gurgling and splashing on the surface (a wounded fish or a frog that has fallen into the water behaves in the same way) and attacks. Important, especially at dusk so that the wiring is rhythmic, this will prevent the predator from missing.

Another way to bait- planing wiring. It is effective in summer. It is necessary that the nozzle moves quickly, without jerking.

Pike do not react to a noisy popper - the noise can be reduced by making the rear tee heavier and increasing the angle of inclination of the bait when retrieving.

Short and thick baits attract the pike's attention with sound, and not by scouring the water. Long ones splash more strongly and can move away from the fishing line when the angler makes jerks.

Conditions for successful fishing

: the main points of choosing a place and time

Observations show that pike become most active in searching for food when atmospheric pressure begins to drop sharply after several days of stable pressure. However, if a decrease is observed more than 2 times over a short period of time, most likely there will be no bite: the predator is full. It bites well on clear sunny days, hot days and moonlit nights. Therefore, if you are interested in catching pike at night with a spinning rod, then this is not such a bad idea.

What time of day is best to catch pike with a spinning rod? In summer, when the water temperature rises, it is better to catch pike in the morning or evening, when the atmospheric pressure drops by a couple of millimeters of mercury.

How to catch a big pike?

Pike weighing more than 3 kilograms should be looked for at depth. Bottom pike bites on bait that is held near the bottom. Large fish stubbornly resist during fishing, not wanting to rise from the depths. To do this you will have to fight. However, you shouldn’t overdo it.

If you pull too hard, the predator may get off the hook. When the pike opens its mouth, trying to spit out the bait, you need to immediately loosen the fishing line. The fish is trying to go deeper again - carefully let it do this, the main thing is that there are no snags there.

Trophy pike are found in big rivers and lakes. Conditions for the presence of large pike in a reservoir:

• great depth;
• snag;
• river bed.

To catch a 20-kilogram pike, you should take all these conditions into account and go fishing on a boat, taking an echo sounder with you.

Rules and secrets of catching pike with a spinning rod

By the way, most often perch is found in a pond together with pike; we advise you to read so that you can be prepared for any surprises.

The hope of any angler is a trophy pike! This dream may be different for each fisherman. For some, this figure is equal to the span of the arms, for some it is a considerable weight, and for others a pike weighing a couple of kilograms still remains a dream of a trophy.
I won’t write about my own vision of the size of the trophy, since it turns out that landing a pike weighing 5 kg will leave more emotions, than to raise the “mother” by 10 kg. In my story, I will simply say what gear and bait I successfully fished with in lately, very decent opponents.

And although I often came across large pikes, the bait small sizes, what spinners from number 2, oscillating spoons, not very large wobblers and various silicone baits could be, I will tell you about my own experience of working with large baits. In my opinion, by purposefully applying large size various deceptions, we are already consciously setting ourselves up to search for and catch a trophy, and we approach this by equipping our arsenal in a suitable way. As they say: " Big piece and the mouth is glad.”

By and large, despite my own solid fishing experience, I still feel like a beginner fisherman before every fishing trip. Every trip to a body of water, I try something new, I’m not afraid to conduct an experiment, and even after catching some kind of bait, I can easily put it in a box and try to understand and choose a game for a new product, or bait from old stocks that They haven’t “shot” yet. Therefore, I advise you not to get stuck on the examples I gave, but to personally look for “your own tackle.” Just a couple of seasons ago, jerkbaits became such a tackle for me.

One of our most experienced and experienced jerkman recommended buying jerk rods in order to reduce shipping costs. So I became the owner of a jerk spinning rod, one and a half Aiko Baltasar 160H

Simple and rigid, 165 cm long and weighing 138 grams. Extrafast action (stiff stake), with a neoprene handle equipped with a reel seat for a multiplier reel. This spinning rod is a budget option, and served me faithfully until recently. I must say that when fishing with such a form, you are unlikely to ever see it bend into an arc, because... even pulling out pike over 12 kg, he only bent a little under the weight of the fish. But one could be sure of its power. Even after breaking off the tip by 15 cm, carelessly stepping on it in the boat, and rearranging the ring, I resumed fishing with it in the future without experiencing any inconvenience.

Having acquired such a kit, the problem arose about purchasing a multiplier reel. Unfortunately, at that time, their choice in Krasnoyarsk was very modest. However, I saw a reel on sale Abu Garcia Ambassador.
I read about it on the Internet and realized that for a beginner it is unlikely that you can find something better at a fairly reasonable price. The provided reel is a classic one for jerk fishing. First of all, because the essence of jerk wiring is powerful constant jerks, often of a heavy bait, that can quickly bring an inertia-free reel, and first of all its bearings, into a state of trash.

Due to the heavy weights of jerkbaits, I use braid with a diameter of 0.32 mm, which has practically never let me down. Monofilament fishing line is not suitable for such fishing, because... it is very stretchable. You also need special titanium or steel hard leashes that prevent the jerk from intersecting with the fishing line.

The first serious check, my set worked on a trip to the river. Angara, where Andrey and I went. On the first evening, on the Hangar, testing one good hole, at the exit of which there was a strong bite, on a Salmo Slider jerk. A not very long struggle with an invisible monster ended with the fish disappearing. When examining the bait, I discovered that one hook on the tee had broken, and the other two had become bent, which I straightened with pliers. The next morning, in the same area, there was a bite again.

Perhaps it was yesterday's predator, or maybe another one approached. Here the toothy fortune no longer smiled. The battle was intense, but ended in my victory.

The tackle worked like a charm, and the merit was a pike weighing 12.5 kg. In subsequent fishing, I caught a number of more predators using similar baits.

Since then, jerky Salmo Slider are some of my favorites.

The only thing is that when purchasing a fresh jerk, I replace the tees with well-proven ones from the Japanese company Owner, since the factory ones are somewhat weak.

This type of jerk refers to gliders. This type of bait is characterized by a reaction by throwing to the side, with each jerk of the rod, up to a 180-degree turn. I have a set of floating (they have the letter F on them) and sinking (with the letter S) jerks. Accordingly, I use sinking jerks at depths of 3 meters, giving a pause during the fall, depending on the depth. At the same time, in case of significant depth, you need to slightly throw off the braid from the spool so that the bait sinks in the casting zone. Thus, it is possible to force pike to attack at different diving horizons.

The good thing about the sinking jerk is that it can be made to work at almost any depth. As soon as we initiate winding of the cord, with jerking wiring, the glider immediately energetically comes into operation. As a rule, I use this type of jerk in places where the pike sticks deep. But, with floating jerks, you can fish places with very shallow depths. Often, a pike attack can be seen with your own eyes. We can see a torpedo-shaped trail from the predator, followed by a splash, accompanied by a blow to the bait. Here it is important not to immediately jerk the rod, possibly tearing it out of the mouth, or not allowing the pike to grab a hold, but to make a micro-pause, which still should not be very long, before a sharp hook. And now the powerful jerks, candles of the fish and the fight of the catfish for life will make your blood boil, and with it a powerful surge of adrenaline will be guaranteed.

And after some time, having won or lost in this fight, lighting a cigarette with shaking fingers, you will begin to replay everything that happened in your head again and again. And on long winter evenings, you will remember these moments, dreaming of experiencing them again.

Jerky Salmo is very easy to animate. I think that even a beginner will be able to quickly figure out what’s what. The art of placing a bait is quite simple. Having lowered the tip of the rod to the water, you make short jerks or pulls, as if “hitting” from top to bottom. This involves the hand and elbow joint. Your jerk should make sharp turns during each phase of the jerk. It is possible to constantly rewind the cord when wiring, in this case the bait is constantly in horizontal movement. It is often useful, after making a certain number of jerks, to make pauses during which the bait hangs, sinks, or floats, while not forgetting to take up the slack in the cord. These pauses can provoke an inactive predator to attack.

You can do the wiring and stretch it obliquely. Depending on the energy of the fish, the pace of the retrieve should be varied. The main thing is to try to control all phases of the wiring. What other bait can be made to work in different rhythms and retrieve speeds? Salmo's glider is just such a bait. Therefore, you need to try different techniques and ways of playing. Starting from aggressive jerking and ending with light stretches and long pauses. Jerky Salmo is released in different sizes and a variety of colors.

Therefore, often changing color scheme, you can achieve success from a seemingly empty point. These jerks are attractive not only to monster fish, but also to smaller pike.

They often attack so greedily that they are ready to drive them down the throat. The sound of the bait rushing into the water, creating a loud splash and the sweeping play of the jerks, creates such acoustics that the pike can approach the bait even from a great distance.

Often, even perches rush at prey that is so large for them. The versatility of these jerks also lies in the fact that they are produced in not very large sizes, and weight, which means they can fish with just a fairly stiff rod. And if I consider gliders to be baits for active summer pike, then another type of bait, divers, are more capable of exciting inactive pike. Remembering the pike I caught on the Angara, I must say that in its stomach, and one might say in its mouth (since the tail stuck out in the throat), a burbot weighing more than a kilogram was found. Even then I thought: “this is what size you need to fish for, and what color”

And so, last year I saw a jerk, similar in color to burbot, or dead perch, with white, dull eyes and in a very good size. It was a Savagear Deviator diver jerkbait. 16cm, 68g, slow sinking. It is already equipped with Owner tees; inside the jerk there are attractive tinkling balls that create some kind of effect that attracts a predator under water.

With a uniform retrieve, with smooth jerks, it moves perfectly left and right, and when struck downwards with the rod, it is able to dive into the depths. But its most remarkable quality is the vibration when falling, during pauses. It seems to show a trembling, sick fish, convulsing and slowly going to the bottom. In fairness, I must say that in the summer I did not catch a single fish with this jerkbait, but my autumn acquaintance with it became extremely unforgettable. After the first retrieve, I lifted the jerk to the surface and dropped the line to admire how it sank, its whole body trembling. Suddenly, before my eyes, a large shadow flashed, a pike flew out from under the boat, grabbed the jerk and pulled hard, dragging it back under the boat. Out of surprise, I did not have time to hook, and the predator, apparently realizing that she had been tricked, managed to spit out the bait. After some time, drifting past the rocks, with access to a small bay, at the moment of winding up the weakened braid, after a short pause, I felt a heaviness at the other end of the cord. Intuitively I hooked it, but didn’t feel any resistance from that side. The impression was formed that the jerk got caught on some obstacle. This happens sometimes when you use a sinking bait. Convinced of the rigging, I began to pull the boat toward the “hook.” Suddenly the cord became loose. “Did he really tear it off, cutting it off on the rocks?” - a thought flashed. I began to wind it onto the reel, when suddenly it tightened again, forcing the reel clutch to work. It was clear that it was not a bad fish that had landed on the hook. Unlike smaller pikes, a real trophy rarely fights on a leash, does candles and other tricks. A hefty pike stupidly presses down with its weight, forcing it to be lifted to the surface of the water using the “pumping” method, when, having lifted a slightly heavy load up, you sharply lower the tip of the spin to the water and reel in the weakened fishing line, repeating this technique again and again.

Having raised the pike to the surface, I always pay attention to how it sits on the hook. If the bait is deep in the mouth, then I, without forcing the fishing, enjoy the moments of struggle, forcing the trophy to give up its last strength in the fight for its life. Such a struggle does not always end in favor of the fisherman, but it brings those very sensations for which we go fishing.

In this case, it was clear that the pike took the bait from the side, slightly turning red with the second tee.

Since there was a risk that she would shake her head and free herself from the hooks, she had to significantly speed up the process. But the pike worked hard to do everything to win this fight.

She tried to go under the boat, which could result in the cord getting caught in the motor propeller; she had to hold the braid with her hand so that the clutch would not work backwards, and hold it at the required distance.

It is not so easy to hold such a mother on a leash with one hand. Here you often need the help of friends to help you get the monster into the landing net.

And here is the pike in the boat! A nice and weighty trophy, weighing almost 10 kg.

catching trophy pike video

Soon, while fishing for nearby rolling pins, I saw a splash not far from the boat, literally half a meter from the steep rock. I cast a jerk into this place and, barely having time to pick up the slack, I feel a decisive bite. Hooking, and soon a good specimen, pleased with the candles and breakers, ended up in the boat.

The next day, this jerk brought another exciting episode. Half an hour earlier, from our comrade Gerych, a pike tore off a DAM spinner along with the leash. And it must happen that in this same place, this pike attacked my jerkbait.

And already being in the landing net, I managed to do a somersault, hooking the Gerych spoon sticking out of the mouth onto the landing net and thereby freeing myself, not only from it, but also from the tees of my bait.

Not believing his own luck, the pike stood near the boat for a few seconds and went into the depths! And Gerych’s spinner remained in my landing net, causing real surprise to the owner when we returned it to him!

Unfortunately, during this fishing trip, the dead catch of the spinner on an underwater obstacle forced the tackle to break, leaving the bait on the bottom.

Summarizing the work of this jerk, it should be noted that for successful fishing with it, you must have certain experience tackle management. It’s better to first make several runs near the boat, without deepening the jerk, in order to understand how it reacts to different jerks and pulls. Well, be sure to try to pause, imitating a dying fish. This bait may not be the most obedient to control, but having mastered the methods of its play, you can undoubtedly count on catching a trophy.

The next baits that delight me with their effects are large wobblers. I’ll tell you about the favorites of this season, who brought more than a dozen real trophies.

I fished with them on a spinning rod Major Craft Rizer, RZS-792 M with dough 7-28 g, which has a fast structure. This is a powerful spinning rod that allows you to successfully make retrieves with both persistent wobblers and jig baits.

So, the wobbler demonstrated itself successfully this season Pontoon 21, Moby Dick series.
In my set, they are available in 100 and 120 mm versions, differing only in the size of the blade, which allows you to make wiring at different depths.

The wobblers are floating and have a magnetic balancing system that allows you to make accurate and long casts. The wobbler has large and sharp hooks, which have one drawback. During operation, they leave a deep mark on the body of the wobbler, removing the paint. The wobbler can be carried out either with uniform wiring or with a twitch. They work stably with any wiring and any beginner can operate them. Pike in particular pecked well on it. evening time. Both on the Angara and on the Krasnoyarsk reservoir, this wobbler did not leave predators impassive both in shallow and deep water. They did not ignore this deception, peeling off the paint from the wobbler considerably. So, the coating is probably its only weak point.

I was very impressed last year by a wobbler Strike pro CHALLENGER X
Being a bait from the budget series, it caught many famous and expensive brands from my assortment. A wobbler with a large blade, allowing it to be buried to a depth of up to 5 meters, consistently brought worthy rivals to the angler’s sacrifices.

The wobbler is stubborn, dangles a lot when retrieving, making twisting movements, shudders slightly, emerging from the depths during a pause. It has gill openings which, apparently, creating turbulent currents, force predators to greedily attack the bait. The wobbler has balancing balls, which make it possible to make accurate and long-distance casts, and also help to create a wave-like wiring, moving inside the wobbler’s body from one side to the other. The wiring itself is quite simple. When casting, by sharply winding the cord, we deepen the wobbler to a given depth, and then guide it with uniform wiring. He wiggles his butt underwater in such a way that it will not leave anyone indifferent. It can be useful, sometimes, to tweet and make short stops.

Well, my main favorite among the wobblers of this year were the baits of the Japanese company "Maria" MJ-1, 130 mm, 22 gr., floating, with a depth of 3.5 meters.

Very well executed, with excellent “volatility”, tapping balls - last fall they brought me several very worthy trophies at the Krasnoyarsk VDH.

When retrieved, these wobblers stand at an angle of 45 degrees, quickly gain a given depth, and are able to turn on the spot when stopping. The sharpened hooks helped me win an eight-kilogram pike, which they stuck into the bony upper part of the nose and held tightly to the predator, despite several determined attempts to escape.

I don’t know if the fact that a large pike, with its sharp teeth, bit through the plastic body of the wobbler can be attributed to the shortcomings, which is why it began to accumulate water and lost its game. At home, I filled the hole with resin and the wobbler began to work perfectly again. Next season, I intend to give these wobblers more careful attention.

At the end of my monologue, I want to state that in the future no one will have any illusions. Having bought everything for jerk fishing, including a wide variety of baits (and jerks are by no means cheap), purchasing various wobblers, including those listed above, your trophy fishing will still depend only on you. From your experience, from the ability to animate tackle and “read” a body of water.

And you can be sure that with these baits you will someday be rewarded with a full-fledged trophy, believe me! Good luck everyone, see you fishing!

Articles about Hunting

07/12/2013 | Pike fishing: What you need to know to catch a pike - tips for pike fishermen

Pike fishing: How to catch a pike

1. To catch pike, watch before fishing

Many fishermen, running to a pond, immediately throw in bait. This is exactly what you shouldn’t do. When fishing for pike, you need time to look around properly. So, keep your eyes open!

Where can pike stand, where can you catch pike? Please note:

• tree trunks lying in the water;
• reeds and edges of wilted water lilies;
• on the edges and holes at the bottom.

These are usually the hot spots for pike fishing. If you are lucky, you will be able to spot a pike while hunting (small fish jump out of the water). And this is already half the luck, since you know for sure: pike have zhors.

2. To catch a pike, study the habits of pikes

Fish have specific feeding times that you need to know. True, pike spend only a small part of their time searching for food. If their stomach is full, they can go a whole day without touching the most beautiful bait. But anyone who fishes a lot knows their lunch time. If you regularly watch large pikes, mark the periods of feeding and come fishing at this time of day. This technique increases the chance of catching them on the hook.

3. To catch pike, go your own way.

When choosing a method for catching pike in a particular body of water, most anglers, as a rule, rely on their colleagues. If many people catch pike with spinners, then almost everyone strives to comb the entire lake with the same baits. Well, of course, you can catch a fair amount of pike with spinning lures, but then you're left with open question: Are they really the best pike bait? In such cases, you should experiment and fish in other ways. For example, try your luck with wobblers, silicone fish or other artificial baits. On lakes where pike are excellently caught with bait fish, it is worth trying saltwater fish. To do this, feed the area for several days and then fish there. After all, more than one seasoned pike was tempted by a sardine or half a mackerel.

4. To catch pike, come up with something new

Experimentation and patience almost always lead to fishing success. For example, you are fishing for pike in an area with a three-meter depth in front of a reed bank. Start fishing for it with a wobbler with a diving depth of about one meter, since pikes often attack their prey from below. When you have thoroughly fished this area with it, replace the bait with a wobbler with a greater diving depth (about three meters) or with a large silicone fish with a lead head. Having examined the entire thickness of the water, we can say with confidence whether there is a bite or not. It’s worth staying for half an hour in promising places, as cautious large pikes often begin to attack the bait only after several casts.

5. To catch pike, move the bait slowly

Many anglers use too fast retrieval of bait for pike. I advise you to watch bleak in shallow water sometime. So she swims some distance, stands in the water almost without moving, and then swims again. Thus, in comparison with natural prey, our bait with its rapid movement may seem very suspicious to the pike. Perhaps it is precisely because of incorrect wiring that sometimes predators, chasing the bait at a safe distance almost to the very shore, suddenly turn back. With the advent of a new generation of wobblers such as suspenders (suspended wobbler), it is possible (unlike metal baits) to pause in the retrieve without fear of their instant sinking to the bottom. By the way, the pike often grabs the wobbler exactly at the moment when, after a pause, it begins to move again.

6. To catch pike, expand your horizons

On water bodies where fishing from a boat is prohibited, most anglers fish at a distance of approximately 20 m from the shore. Therefore, after a while you will hardly catch a pike on this narrow coastal strip. True, more cunning anglers, with the help of a float-sail, have learned to direct their bait far across the lake under the influence of the wind, in order to ultimately catch the coveted trophy. But this whole scheme can function exactly the other way around. On small lakes, many anglers cast their bait right in the middle of the lake because they think there are pike there. But in free water, fish are unlikely to find shelter. Therefore, in such reservoirs, it makes sense to walk directly from the shore with a silicone fish along the coastal zones, since there are thickets of water lilies, bushes and areas of reeds where the pike sits in ambush. True, these places have to be fished by quietly creeping up and silently walking along the shore. In such situations, even the shadow of a fisherman falling on the surface of the water in the coastal zone serves as a warning signal for fish.

7. How to catch pike - imitate pike's natural food

Don’t ask how to catch a pike, it’s better to think for yourself. For example, in small ditches, in which even large pike feed mainly on fry, a large bright red silicone fish will arouse suspicion in the predator rather than prompt it to bite. The same applies to other reservoirs in which pike feed on fish of the same species.

8. How to catch pike - choose sensitive equipment for pike

There is still an opinion that pikes need to be caught with hard rods and on a fishing line with a diameter of 0.40 mm. But in practice, we usually make do with much finer equipment. On small lakes, where 5-kilogram pike are rarely found, it is enough to have a strong fishing line with a diameter of 0.25 mm and a thin steel leash with a carrying capacity of 5 kg. Even on large bodies of water, a fishing line with a diameter of 0.30 mm will do just fine. True, such thin lines will require soft rods with a parabolic action, which will absorb the jerks of the pike when trying to escape and quickly exhaust it. Now it’s clear how to catch a pike.

9. How to catch a pike - choose the right hooks and bait fish for pike

When we catch pike with large single hooks (No. 2/0 or larger), it is necessary to let the pike swallow the bait properly. If the bait is located near any obstacle, there is a danger that the pike will hide in it before we make the hook. In this regard, in front of sunken trees, edges of algae, etc., a system of two tees is used, which I stick on each side of the bait fish. I know how to catch a pike - when the float sinks, quickly count to ten and hook. Most pike are hooked from the front.

10. To catch a pike, be confident in yourself

Pike fishing is not an easy task. And everyone is interested in how to catch a pike, what to do to catch a pike... The first thing you need to start catching pike with is self-confidence. This the most important condition in fishing. Do you have a bait that has already given you several beautiful pike? Then stay true to this pike bait in the future. To master new methods, you still have to overcome the psychological barrier. Only when catches increase will self-confidence increase.

In his practice, every angler at least once wondered about how to catch pike with a spinning rod. As the popular proverb says: “It’s not the pike that fell off the hook, but the one that remained in the bucket.” And it's hard to argue with that. The spotted predator is a coveted trophy for many (if not all) fishing enthusiasts. But everything is not so simple, and obvious success is guaranteed only to those who know the secrets of catching pike with a spinning rod.

The toothy predator lives in many reservoirs of the European part of Russia, preferring the coastal zone. There is enough information in the baggage of fishing knowledge about what conditions are most favorable for pike fishing.

1. Choice of place, time and weather.
2. Choice of gear.
3. Choosing a fishing method.

The emphasis on suitable conditions for pike fishing is not accidental. The fact is that although this toothy predator is all-season, its activity varies greatly at different times of the year, as well as the time of day.

• a sharp decrease in atmospheric pressure, after a long stable period, increases the activity of the predator;
• in cool water, fish are more active than in well-heated reservoirs;
• morning and evening, especially in the summer, are more optimal for catching toothy “mothers” and “pencils”;
• The phases of the moon also have their influence; its first and last quarters are considered the most successful.

It has been noticed that at the end of winter and beginning of spring (before spawning), the predator behaves more aggressively than in the summer. Autumn is also considered the most successful season for catching pike with a spinning rod.

As for the habitats of toothy predators, this also has its own secrets.

Most often, their favorite habitats are:

• snag;
• areas with sharp changes in depth;
• deep coastal areas with remnants of vegetation on the bottom;
• trees overhanging the water;
• thickets of reeds;
• the beds of river branches or the confluence of streams;
• shallow water and coastal zone.

Depending on the time of year and the temperature of the water in the river, the habitats of “crocodiles” change. Thus, in winter and summer, predators are most often found in shallow water and coastal areas. Therefore, you can catch pike in the grass with a high probability of catch. In spring and autumn, their favorite habitats are pools, snags and locations with sharp changes in depth.

The choice of gear for spinning fishing is determined based on the conditions in which the fishing will take place, and also depends on the chosen method of fishing.

• spinning;
• coil;
• fishing line;
• leashes;
• baits (oscillating and rotating spoons, minnow wobblers, twisters, vibrotails, poppers, walkers and various silicone baits).

Now, having familiarized yourself with necessary conditions and the obligatory list of gear, you can move on to mastering fishing techniques and studying the types of postings.

Pike can be caught using a spinning rod from a boat or from the shore. Depending on the chosen method, both the set of gear and the fishing techniques and tactics used will differ. Since this is still an ambush predator that watches for prey swimming past, correctly carried out spinning wiring will be of decisive importance. Almost always, the catch tactic is one in which gradual and prolonged fishing of a potential “fishing spot” occurs. A toothy predator can attack the bait almost immediately, and sometimes it may take several dozen retrieves. Experienced spinning anglers know how to catch pike correctly, so they most often use various combinations of them.

• slow uniform retrieving, which consists of gradually reeling in the fishing line at the same speed. It is optimal when using all types of spinners, vibrating tails and twisters;
• twitching, or, as it is also called, jerk animation, is a wiring consisting of jerks, which forces the bait to make yaw movements, turns and swaying. Suitable for using wobblers, including minnows and poppers;
• jig fishing or step fishing, which consists of an uneven, spasmodic movement of the bait from the bottom into the water column and back. It is used when fishing with jig baits mainly in deep-water areas of reservoirs.

Since any technique for catching pike with a spinning rod has its own nuances, let’s consider each of them in more detail.

1. It is necessary to cast the bait and wait until it sinks to the desired depth.
2. After waiting for this, you need to start rotating the coil slowly and evenly. Usually make from 3 to 5 turns.
3. Alternate rotation of the coil with periods of short pauses. As a rule, pike bites are observed precisely at these moments.

Such wiring will attract the attention of predators reacting to bait active in the bottom zone and can sometimes be very effective.

The type of wiring called twitching is as follows:

1. After casting the bait, start making jerks of different durations(short, medium and long), while making movements of the rod with your hand.
2. While the rod is returning to its original position, the line is synchronously reeled in to eliminate slack in the braid.
3. Pauses between jerks can last from a fraction of a second to 30 seconds and are determined individually, taking into account the characteristics of the reservoir, conditions, as well as the model of the bait and the degree of activity of the pike.
4. In the case when the pike is more active, the retrieve should be made in long jerks and almost without pauses, and when the predator behaves passively, the jerks are long, alternating with pauses from one to five seconds.

By alternating jerks and pauses in turn, with a certain frequency or in a chaotic manner, you can achieve good results when twitching.

1. Cast the bait and wait until it sinks to the bottom.
2. Holding the spinning rod under acute angle, make up to 4 turns of the coil.
3. During the pause, wait until the bait sinks to the bottom and repeat reeling in the fishing line.
4. Control the bites by observing the tip of the spinning rod and the tension of the fishing line (since the pike attacks the bait from below, most bites occur precisely at the moment of the pause).

In case of weak bites on one or another type of wiring, you can try to “play” with sinkers, baits - change the vibrating tails to a twister, replace the colored and bright bait with an analogue in neutral shades. Sometimes the most unexpected options can bring a good catch!

Once the toothy predator is on the hook, you need to remove it correctly.

1. Pull the line, preventing the pike from turning around and sinking to the bottom.
2. Slowly and carefully raise the rod.
3. Having reached an almost vertical position of the rod, sharply and quickly lower it down and reel in the fishing line, being sure to ensure that the pike does not pull it in the opposite direction.
4. Continue the previous steps until the tired fish is nearby and retrieve it using a landing net.

Each fisherman has his own “set” of fishing rods in his arsenal, the alternation and individual characteristics of each of which will be the key to good result.

When going with a spinning rod after a predatory “mother”, there is always a chance to catch a real trophy specimen. Even though they are becoming less and less common. In this regard, catching large pike with a spinning rod has a number of its own characteristics.

So, to begin with, let’s define that large specimens include predators ranging from 5 kg or more (but up to 10 kg). They live, as a rule, in the same bodies of water as young grasshoppers, but they prefer deeper places, where they can hide in ambush. Trophy “crocodiles” can wait for prey to pass by in thickets of snags and grass, places with reverse flows, holes, whirlpools, and the beds of flowing streams. The large predator is distinguished by caution in hunting and the ability to attack prey from a very reliable shelter. Therefore, wiring that imitates a tired or wounded bait will be very effective.

Gear that is suitable for catching pike (up to 10 kg) must be strong enough and suitable for large catches. So, a spinning rod for pike with a test of 15–60 g and a reel with a size of 4000 will be more reliable. Braided fishing line, reliable steel (tungsten or titanium) leashes, hooks, baits, landing nets - all this must certainly be available when catching a large "mother" In the case when spinning fishing occurs from a boat, an echo sounder can be an excellent assistant.

1. The predator should be fished out smoothly, without jerking.
2. Slowly and carefully reeling in the line, you need to pull the fish towards you.
3. A sign of fatigue of a fish caught on a hook is a characteristic fall on its side.
4. Using the landing net, get the catch.

You shouldn’t constantly think about how to catch a big pike, much less make this the goal of fishing. Much more interesting is the factor of surprise when you expect to catch a young fish, but a spinning rod catches a large and trophy pike.

Night spinning fishing for toothy predators is especially interesting and unique. At the right approach and compliance with a number of requirements, it can become no less catchy than during the day. So, what should you pay attention to if you are going to catch pike at night using a spinning rod?

• time of year - it is noted that at night the toothy fish can be caught in spring and summer (when it is hot during the day and the water temperature drops at night), and in the fall there is a decline in the night activity of predators;
• good weather, since in bad weather at night pikes are not active;
• place on a body of water - as a rule, at night, predators choose shallow water with a small amount of vegetation (shoals, coastal areas along the shore).

Since visibility at night is significantly lower than in daylight hours days, you should make sure that all the necessary things and gear are at hand, and the fisherman knows exactly where everything is.

• the length of the spinning rod (a rod up to 2.4 m would be optimal), because fishing is carried out within the coastline at a short distance;
• quality of the coil (power version is suitable spinning reel);
• quality of fishing line (this may be a suitable monofilament);
• leash quality;
• type of bait (wobblers with neutral buoyancy and sound effects are best suited for night fishing).

Unlike fishing techniques used during the day, night fishing has a number of subtleties that must be taken into account.

1. The bait is moved slowly, which increases the chance of a bite.
2. After casting, you need to take a pause.
3. Lead the bait in the water column and bring it to the shore.

Before night fishing, you should study the features of the fished reservoir and the bottom topography during daylight hours. This will help to avoid surprises on the river at night (for example, in the form of snags on snags or strong vegetation).

The rules for catching pike from a boat are similar to the above technique of fishing with a spinning rod from the shore, but in this case the likelihood of good bites and catches increases significantly.

To summarize, we note that spinning fishing for toothy predators, with proper preparation, can be enjoyed by any angler. And the above materials will help you understand how to catch pike in various conditions: fishing for pike in the grass or night fishing will not bring disappointment. A wide range of baits used, various fishing techniques and methods, dynamism, and most importantly - unforgettable emotions make this fishing exciting, interesting and exciting.