Which lure for pike? The complete guide, season by season

Choosing a pike lure isn't about picking "the best" one from a catalogue: it's about matching the size, the action and the depth to the conditions of the day. Here's how to reason instead of switching lures at random.

The 4 lure families to know

1. Soft plastics (shads & finesse)

The pike angler's Swiss army knife. Rigged on a jig head, they sink to the depth you want and lend themselves to countless retrieves. A shad of 10 to 15 cm on a 10–20 g head covers the vast majority of situations in rivers as well as lakes.

• When? All year round, and especially when the fish are inactive.
• How? A slow straight retrieve, or lifts followed by pauses (pike often strike on the drop).

2. Jerkbaits and crankbaits

Hard lures that imitate an injured fish. The jerkbait is worked with short flicks of the rod tip (the famous twitch) that trigger reflex strikes.

• When? Clear water, wary pike, post-spawn.
• How? Alternate rod-tip flicks and pauses. The bite often comes on the stop.

3. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits

A spinning blade, vibration, flash: they excel in stained water or cluttered spots (weed beds, branches) because pike detect them from far away, even in low visibility.

• When? Murky water, spring, cluttered zones.
• How? A steady retrieve, keeping contact with the vibration.

4. Spoons

The great classic, deadly and versatile. A cast-and-retrieve spoon remains a safe bet to cover a spot quickly.

Choosing by season

Simple rule: cold water = slow, bulky lure; warm water = faster, more reactive lure.

Spring (post-spawn). Pike are recovering. Favour slow, easy-to-grab lures: shads on a slow straight retrieve, jerkbaits with long pauses.

Summer. Active fish, but often holding in the shade or deep during the hot hours. Attack early morning and evening with reactive lures (spinnerbait, fast jerk), and look for cooler water during the day.

Autumn. The best season. Pike are stocking up: this is the time for big volumes (15–20 cm shads, large swimbaits). Don't be afraid of size.

Winter. Metabolism in slow motion. Very slow soft plastics, near the bottom, with long pauses. Patience pays.

Choosing by water colour

• Clear water: natural shades (roach, perch, white/silver).
• Stained water: bright or fluo colours (chartreuse, orange, white) and above all vibration.
• Low light: dark silhouettes (black, purple) that stand out better against the sky.

The classic mistake: switching lures too fast

Many anglers cycle through lures when the real problem is the spot or the retrieve. Before switching, ask yourself three questions: am I fishing at the right depth? does my retrieve match the fish's activity? am I insisting enough on the productive zones (edges, drop-offs, weed beds)?

This is exactly where CarnaFish comes in: you photograph your spot, the app analyses the scene and the conditions, and suggests a zone, a lure type and a retrieve suited to the moment. Enough to stop guessing and fish more precisely.

Key takeaways

• A 10–15 cm shad covers 80% of situations.
• Cold water → slow and big; warm water → fast and reactive.
• Murky water → vibration and bright colours.
• Before switching lures, first check your spot and your retrieve.