Pike Angling .com guide to Lure Fishing.
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This section of Pike Angling .com gives some basic information fore using artificial baits to catch Pike.  The use of artificial baits for catching Pike has seen a renaissence in recent years with the development of the highly effect soft plastic immitation baits.  This page contains some information that will hopefully put some more fish no the bank.
Types of Lures
Essential Tackle for lure fishing.
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Tips and advice to catch more Pike on artificial baits.
The basics: The safe handling and release of any Pike you catch needs to be your top priority.  Pike are not a strong fish and need more care than many people realise.  Pike should be unhooked quickly and efficiently with minimal stress to the fish, then returned to the water as quickly as possible.  
Pike Angling .com recommends the following essential tackle items:
 - Landing net (big enough to easily hold the biggest pike you are likely to catch)
 - Unhooking mat
 - Forceps and pliers (these need to be long enough to reach into the throat of a deeply hooked fish. Wire cutters are also a useful addition to your tackle box for cutting hooks or traces)
The right Rod:  Lure fishing probably puts more strain on your tackle then almost any other type of fresh water angling. As such rods need to be very strong, yet light enough to handle all day.  Most serious anglers will therefore need to invest in a dedicated lure Rod.  Carp rods will do fine but once you have used a dedicated lure fishing rod you won’t go back.  Rods come in different weights and lengths, these should be matched to the weight of lure you will be casting rather than the size of fish you are aiming for.
Reels: reels follow the same principle of rods, a sub-standard reel will soon break under the strain of constant casting.  A high quality fixed spool reel will work fine, but a multiplier style reel is better suited to this type of angling.  The stronger internal design of a multiplier, combined with its more direct and lower geared retrieve rate makes it the top choice for most anglers.
Traces: A wire trace is essential for all Pike fishing, these should be made from a minimum of 20lb wire, at least 18 inches long and strong enough to withstand constant casting.  
Line: braided line is highly recommend for this style of fishing. With next to no stretch you are in direct contact with your lure and can more accurately control its actions.  Monofilament lines are ok but should be a minimum of 15lbs.  It will not last as long as braided line and should be inspected for damage and fatigue regularly.  You will catch more fish using braided lines.

Sundries: The list can go on but a few of the more useful sundry items are listed below.
 - Rig making equipment: you may need to make or repair a broken trace so its helpful to have the items you will need at hand.  Swivels, crimps, clips and trace wire are always useful to have with you.
 - Hook sharpener: keeping an edge on those hooks will catch you more!
 - Antiseptic: fish antiseptic treatments are now available from most tackle shops and its nice to be able to treat any wounds you may find on a fish.
 - Glove: if you are not confident unhooking Pike a thick glove is worth carrying in your tackle box.
 - Weigh sling and scales
 - Lures: and of course a selection of lures and artificial baits, a basic run down of just some of the thousands available are pictured left.
Soft plastic imitation lure: These are highly effective and can be worked to mimic a sick or injured fish.
Spoons: The good old spoon still has its place and will put plenty of fish on the bank.
Plugs: Plugs come in all shapes, sizes and colour.  The vanes on the front allow plugs to dive to different depths from surface baits down to 20 or 30ft plus.
Jerk baits: Jerk baits or Crank baits are designed to mimic other fish but require most of the action to be put in by the angler by jerking and moving the road and varying the speed of retrieve
Soft plastics: Soft plastic lures are taking the fishing world by storm.  Available in all shapes, sizes and colour they are highly effective at catching predators.
Spinners: The old fashioned spinner will still catch pike as it always has.
Pike fly: Fly fishing for Pike is relatively new but is proving to be highly effective and one of the most enjoyable ways to fish for Pike in the summer months.

Where to start? Winter or Summer? As a rule of thumb in the winter Pike will be deeper in the water, in the summer you can catch them higher up.

 

Chose a lure that is suited to the depth of water you are fishing in.

 

Colour: don’t be over complicated on this, for each style of lure have something dark, something light or bright and a fish imitation pattern.

 

Depth: On shallow waters you will be either fishing on the surface or near the bottom, but on deeper venues things become more complicated.  Pike can be lurking in different layers of the water and you will need to find where they are.  On waters over 10 to 12 feet in depth you will need to vary the style of lure to cover all layers of water and entice a Pike to strike the lure.

 

Speed: Varying the retrieve rate can make all the difference, some days Pike will only respond to a lure being worked at the right speed.

 

Don’t just cast out and reel it in:  Put some action into your lure, you are trying to imitate a weak or injured prey fish. Vary the speed, twitch the rod and make sure you are getting the most amount of “action” from your lure as possible.

 

Features: Pike like to lay in ambush for their prey fish so work your lures as close as possible to features in the water.  Reed beds, lily pads, trees, boats, ledges, bars and drop offs are all areas worth paying particular attention to.

 

Watch the water: A good pair of polarised glasses can be invaluable Pike will often follow lures right up to the bank or boat.

 

Following Pike: If a Pike does follow your lure, a good tip is to actually speed up the rate of retrieve, this can encourage Pike to strike.  

 

Keep moving: Cover the water roam around either by boat or on foot.  Pike do move around a water following prey fish and won’t always be in the same spot day-to-day.