Northern Pike Lures: Topwater Lures

There are many tactics to employ when Northern Pike fishing; one of them is to fish right underneath the surface of the water. Even though pike generally hang out in weedy areas, a disturbance atop the water can lure the pike from their vantage point in the weeds to the surface. Topwater fishing is a good technique for catching active fish, like pike.

Topwater fishing is not going to be a successful venture during all seasons. The best time to try this fishing technique is when the water is warm, anywhere between late spring and early fall. When the water is colder, this method is not as effective.

There are several Northern Pike lures that work well for fishing topwaters. Buzzbaits have either two or three blades that disturb the water. If you fish using buzzbaits, one technique is to vary the bait’s speed in order to attract the pike’s attention. Stickbaits are unlike buzzbaits in that they do not have a mechanism that creates movement or sound. However, by flicking your rod in a downward motion, you can create movement yourself. Crawlers generate sounds and movements because of the cups that are carved out of their bodies. Finally, propbaits get their name due to the propellers that help move the water and attract fish to the surface.

Regardless of the type of bait you use, you will have the most success using naturally colored topwater lures, like brown, yellow, and gray. Also, make sure that you are creating a disturbance at the water’s surface so that the pike have a reason to come up to the surface to investigate. As stated above, you can do this by using bait that creates motions, or by employing certain rod handling techniques. Whatever your methods are, topwater fishing can be a fun and effective way to fish for Northern Pike.