Top 5 Northern Pike Lures for Savage Strikes

Why You Need the Best Northern Pike Lures for Consistent Success

Northern pike are some of the most aggressive predators found in fresh water. They’ll eat fish, ducklings, muskrats and even their own kind. Known for their wild strikes and sharp teeth, pike are often ready to bite. But some lures consistently outperform the rest. Here are five of the all-time best northern pike lures.

Quick Picks for Pike Lures

Most Versatile: Dardevle Spoon
Best Over Shallow Weeds: Mepps #3 Aglia
Best for Deep Water: Heddon Hellbender
Best for Trophy Fish: Bull Dawg Soft Jerkbait
Best for Inactive Pike: Live Sucker on Quick-Strike Rig

1. Classic Spoons Still Catch Lots of Northern Pike

a collection of well-worn Dardevle spoons in the classic 5 of diamonds and red and white color patterns. — The classic Dardevle spoon in 5 of Diamonds or red and white has accounted for numerous northern pike for decades, as evidenced by the battle-scarred condition of the author's collection. | Joe Shead

It doesn’t get much more classic that the old red and white Dardevle spoon for northern pike. Countless pike have fallen for this pattern, and despite new lures and new technology, this old reliable is still putting fish in the boat. North of the border, the 5 of Diamonds is a go-to pattern, consisting of a yellow spoon with 5 orange diamonds. No matter the color, pike can’t seem to resist the flash and wobble of a spoon cast or trolled above the weeds.

2. Inline Spinners Northern Pike Can’t Resist

A northern pike caught on a Mepps Aglia as a cat watches. — The Mepps Aglia is a veritable pike killer. And my fishing cat Harbor agrees! | Joe Shead

Ranking right up there with spoons are spinners. These lures are easy to fish and work great for pike in relatively shallow water. The flash and vibration of spinners drive pike crazy! My favorite pike lure has long been a gold Mepps #3 Aglia. It's tops for average-sized pike. If you’re after trophy fish, don’t hesitate to throw a muskie bucktail, which is just an oversized spinner with a deer hair tail. While these inline spinners work great, you’ll also have success pitching those safety pin spinnerbaits consisting of a spinner on an arm with a rubber skirt commonly used for bass.

3. Crankbaits for Deep Water Northern Pike

A northern pike the author caught with the tail of a large walleye sticking out of its mouth plus the crankbait it still bit. — How good is the Rapala Shad Rap? This northern pike had swallowed a walleye and still hit this lure! | Joe Shead

When pike are along deep weed edges or suspended under pelagic species like ciscoes, a crankbait can get down to the depth where fish are holding. A Rapala Shad Rap trolled behind a planer board on my boat or simply long-lined behind my canoe has accounted for some pretty hefty pike for such a small lure. If you’re serious about trophy pike, bump it up to a muskie lure like a Storm FlatStick or a Grandma Bait. When pike are really deep, feeding on ciscoes, the old reliable Heddon Hellbender has been getting down to where the big gals are for decades.

4. Muskie Jerkbaits Target Monster Pike

A Suick lure with a treble hook that was bent by a northern pike. — A 38-inch northern pike crushed this brand new Suick, mangling the hook in the process. | Joe Shead

It doesn’t take a jerk to fish a jerkbait ... but my friends say it helps! Jerkbaits have no natural action of their own. The angler has to impart it with a sweep of the rod tip. My favorite is a classic muskie lure: the Suick Thriller. This flat piece of wood with a tail fin floats on the water at rest, but with a sweep of the rod, it dives like a wounded baitfish before floating back up. The stop-and-go action is too much for big fish to resist and you better believe the Suick ain’t just for muskies! Soft jerkbaits like the Musky Innovations Bull Dawg have been turning big predators inside out since they came around in the 1990s. The rippling plastic gives a realistic swimming motion big fish can’t resist!

5. Live Suckers: The Ultimate Bait for Finicky Pike

closeup of an anglers hand showing the live minnow used to catch a northern pike. — Even on the rare days when northern pike seem lethargic, they can't resist live bait. | 295953809 | Kostiantyn Kravchenko | 108065868 | Truecash2k8 | Dreamstime.com

There are times even voracious pike get finicky. But a live sucker dangled tantalizingly in front of their noses is usually too much to resist. Five or 6-inch suckers are commonly used under tip-ups for winter pike fishing, and they work equally well in summer. For big girls, a foot-long sucker rings the dinner bell. Rig it with a multi-hook quick-strike rig and you can drive home those trebles as soon as the fish grabs the bait, making for lip-hooked fish that release well.

Catch More Fish with the Best Northern Pike Lures

There are lots of days when Northern pike seems very willing to eat your lure, but focusing on the best Northern pike lures can really put the odds in your favor, especially when targeting trophy-sized fish. Stock your tackle box with the Top 5 lures for Northern pike and get ready for some exciting days of fishing action.