I this guide I am going to explain the exact techniques I use to catch pike with lures in Autumn.
As the weather drops cooler I like to take a mobile approach to lure fishing. Predator fishing at this time of year can be tricky…You may be fortunate to pick a swim and cast your lure straight to a waiting fish but more often than not, piking can be a game of patience.
The reason Lure fishing is so successful is because you’re not waiting for the fish to feed, instead, you are going looking for them.
Catch pike with lures in Autumn – A mobile approach
A roaming method will massively improve your chances of catching and will almost certainly increase the amount of fish you catch.
At this time of year, you should cover all areas of your swim strategically. Depending on the day you will sometimes need the lure to swim right past the pike’s nose before you get a take.
A solid plan when fishing canals or rivers is to cast your lure ahead of where you’re walking that way you will not spook the fish before they even see your lure.
The beauty of lure fishing is its versatility and allows you to cover a lot of water and features. Remember that pike are very often found around features and in the margins. If you start to get takes and even catch one don’t be tempted to move, stay in the swim for a while, re-casting over the same area. Pike do group up, especially as the water gets cooler.
Pike are well known for their feeding habits and may only feed at certain times and they can also go long periods without feeding at all. Large pike is even more difficult as do not have to feed very often and spend most of their time waiting for an easy meal.
Lure fishing is the perfect method for locating the areas pike hide in and in my opinion is more effective than fishing with a dead bait for instance. It is often the case that if you offer the pike an easy meal and it will be very unlikely to resist it.
Bring out the big lures
Many anglers are critics of huge lures but the facts are they catch pike. I know this because I have caught plenty. It is certainly one of my top tips when trying to catch pike with lures in Autumn
Firstly, big lures attract big fish. Large pike prefers larger prey; they’re less work to catch and provide a longer-lasting meal.
Another explanation as to why large lures are so effective is because the pike sees another large fish as an intruder and will attack it immediately. This is certainly the case with another pike, which is why pike lures like ‘Mike the Pike’ work so well. Big pike will not accept another pike in its territory.
An interesting thing to remember is that big lures do not only attract big fish. Jacks are fearless little buggers and will happily have a crack at a big lure.
Perhaps because they are so visible and obvious but I suspect their strange actions trigger some predator instinct to ‘attack’.
Whatever the reason, they work and make for exciting sport!
Big lures you can try during autumn include the following:
Squirrely Burt
Our first lure is the Squirrely Burt. It’s a little marmite and some people love it and others hate it. River Piker says its one of his favourites and there’s no doubt that he knows his pike fishing. I have caught fish with the Burt but it’s not one of my faves as I prefer lures that just work. If you can be bothered to tinker with the weighting of the Burt (to suit your situation) there is no doubt that it will catch fish.
The lure is roughly 11″ and weighs a whopping 100g. Be sure you have the kit to use it before you buy.
Strike PRO Pig SHAD 20CM
The Pig Shad is a soft-plastic lure. The Pig catches a serious amount of Pike and is definitely worth looking at. It will absolutely help you to catch pike with lures in autumn or any of the seasons for that matter.
The Pig Shad has a lovely rolling action with a cracking wobble. The tail paddles and twists. The action is unique to this lure and is great at all speeds. It is also a very versatile bait and can be rigged in many different ways, allowing you to present the bait in shallow or deeper water.
I have the 20cm version and it weighs around 50g.
Fox Rage Replicant
This realistic, soft plastic swimbait has caught me countless large pike and a few zanders. Replicants have loads of colour choices and imitate an injured baitfish movement in the water. Go for the 23cm version.
I hope you enjoyed this post on how to catch pike with lures in Autumn. Let us know how you get on in the comments below. If your just starting out with lure fishing for pike or zander I recommend you check out Our complete guide to lure fishing for pike
Tight lines.