Pike fishing guide · USA

Pike fishing

Northern pike and muskie: when they bite, which lures work through the seasons, why you need a wire leader and where pike hold in lakes and rivers.

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Guide sections: Fish: Pike fishing

Species Identify Trout fishing Pike fishing Bass fishing Striped bass Crappie fishing Fishing calendar Fish kitchen

Pike and muskie in the USA

Northern pikeNorthern pike: a fast ambush predator of weedy lakes, bays and slow rivers, at home in the northern states, the Great Lakes region and Alaska.

MuskellungeThe muskellunge, or muskie, is the largest member of the pike family: a solitary ambush predator of eastern North America that anglers in the US and Canada chase as a trophy (English and German Wikipedia).

When pike bite

Spring. After spawning, pike move into shallow bays that warm up first. Check your state season before you go.
Fall. Prime time: pike feed up before winter and hunt along weed edges and drop-offs.
Low light and wind. Pike feed during the day and at dusk; clouds and a ripple on the water often beat bright, calm days.

Best time by species

Northern pike: During the day and at dusk, especially in spring after spawning and in autumn.
Muskellunge: Feeding activity rises around the full and new moon (Wikipedia). Late summer and fall are traditionally seen as big-fish time (rule of thumb); check season openers and closures for your state or province.

From the species profiles, with sources there.

Methods and rigs

Casting lures is the classic: soft swimbaits, crankbaits, spoons and spinners. In cold water a dead bait on the bottom or under a float often works when lures fail. Always use a wire or heavy leader: pike teeth cut normal line.

Lures by season

Spring: Shallow, sunny bays. Small lures, worked slowly.
Summer: Early and late over and beside the weeds with shallow crankbaits and topwater, deeper on the weed edge at midday.
Fall: Big swimbaits, jerkbaits and dead baits on edges and weed lines.
Winter: Slow and deep: dead bait or a big soft plastic with long pauses, through the ice only where it is safe and allowed.

Where to fish

Weed beds and reeds: Pike ambush prey from cover close to the bank.
Weed edges and drop-offs: Where the weeds end and the bottom falls away, above all in fall.
Slow rivers and backwaters: Calm stretches, bays and inflows out of the main current.
Big lakes: Some pike roam open water, often near schools of baitfish.

Check the rules

Each state sells its own fishing license, and seasons, size and bag limits for pike and muskie differ by state and water. Fishing license by state

Quick answers

When is the best time for pike fishing?

In spring after spawning, when pike move into warm, shallow bays, and above all in fall, when they feed up before winter. During the day and at dusk; the fishing forecast shows the best windows for your spot.

What is the best lure for pike?

A soft swimbait on a jig head is the all-rounder, crankbaits work over weeds and spoons cover water fast. In cold water a dead bait often catches when lures fail.

Do I need a wire leader for pike?

Yes. Pike teeth cut normal line, and a lure left in the mouth harms the fish. A wire or heavy leader of the right length prevents bite-offs.

How do I tell a pike from a muskie?

A northern pike has a dark body with light spots, a muskie a light body with dark bars or spots. Pike have rounded tail lobes, muskie pointed ones.