Hi, I’m Kayla. I chase pike when I need a win. They hit hard, they grin with teeth, and they don’t judge a messy cast. I fish out of a beat-up 16-foot boat, a thermos rolling by my feet, and I’ve learned what makes those fish snap. Some days it’s fast. Some days it’s a pause and a stare-down.
Here’s what I’ve thrown this year that flat-out worked. Real lures. Real fish. A few swings and misses too—because that’s honest. If you’re hunting for an even deeper dive into tried-and-true hardware, Wired2Fish breaks down some of the current best pike lures that are lighting up tackle boxes around the country. Before we dive in, I cross-checked these picks against the crowdsourced rankings at Popdex just to be sure my confidence wasn’t blind. You can peek at the full comparison in Popdex’s breakdown on my top 10 pike lures that actually caught fish.
1) Eppinger Dardevle Spoon, 1 oz (Red/White)
This one is my old friend. I burned it across a windy point on Lake of the Woods and a 38-incher hammer-fisted it right at the boat. I let it flutter a beat, then cranked again. Boom.
- What I love: Simple cast-and-crank. Big flash. Easy to feel.
- What bugs me: It loves weeds a little too much. Bring pliers.
2) Len Thompson Five of Diamonds, #4 (Yellow/Red)
I tossed this along a reed edge in Saskatchewan with a slow roll. The spoon thumped like a tiny drum. A thick fish slid out from the shade and ate it like it owed her money.
- What I love: Thump and color that pike see from way off.
- What bugs me: Paint chips after rock kisses. Worth it.
3) Johnson Silver Minnow, 1 1/8 oz Gold + 5" White Grub
Cabbage beds in Wisconsin can be a mess. This spoon slides through like a sled. I add a white grub for wobble. I tick the tops, pause, and then speed up a hair. Pike show up with bad manners.
- What I love: Weedless. It saves my mood on snaggy days.
- What bugs me: Single hook misses a few short strikes.
4) Mepps Musky Killer (Black/Orange or Firetiger)
Cold, stained river in spring. I slow-rolled this big bucktail just above wood. A long fish tailed it to the boat, flared, and ate right on the turn. My hands shook. I pretend they didn’t.
- What I love: Calls fish from far. Great when they’re “lookers.”
- What bugs me: Heavy to throw all day. Check split rings.
5) Booyah Pikee Spinnerbait, 1/2–3/4 oz (Chartreuse/White)
Wind on the reeds? I lean on this. I pitch it tight, let it kiss a stalk, then pop it free. That kick-out gets hit a lot. It’s not fancy. It just catches.
- What I love: Runs clean in junk. Easy for beginners.
- What bugs me: The wire bends after big fish. I bend it back.
6) Rapala X-Rap XR-12 (Hot Head or Olive Green)
Clear water, noon sun. I twitch-twitch—pause. Five seconds feels like ten. Then the rod loads, and I forget to breathe. The suspend is the trick. Let it hang like it’s thinking.
- What I love: That hard slash and stop. Great on pressured fish.
- What bugs me: Finish gets chewed fast. Battle scars, I guess.
7) Blue Fox Vibrax Spinner, Size 5–6 (Firetiger or Silver/Blue)
When the water has a tea stain, I go noisy. The bell hums. The blade flashes. I sweep it along current seams on the St. Lawrence and let the current help. Pike pin it on the swing.
- What I love: Easy rhythm. Great for kids and guests.
- What bugs me: Eats grass. Pick your lanes.
8) Savage Gear 4Play Swimbait, 19 cm Slow Sink (Roach)
This one looks like lunch. I count it down on deep edges and give it smooth S-turns. On Rainy Lake, a wide fish followed twice. I sped up for three cranks, then stopped. She ran it down.
- What I love: Real look. Triggers “follow fish.”
- What bugs me: Joints wear with hard use. I keep a spare.
9) Suick 9" Thriller (Black Suick)
I used to hate jerkbaits. Then I learned the pull-pull—stall—rise dance. In fall, over rocks, it’s magic. I had a fish crush it on a lazy hang and then jump like a dog on a couch.
- What I love: Rise gives them a target. Old-school charm.
- What bugs me: Takes practice. Keep your rhythm simple.
10) Z-Man Original ChatterBait, 1/2 oz + 5" DieZel MinnowZ (Perch/Green Pumpkin)
Chop on a dark lake? I throw this into cabbage lanes and make it throb. I’ll kill it for a half-second, then rip. That change gets smashed. It’s my “they’re here but moody” lure.
- What I love: Thump plus weed work. Stays up in the zone.
- What bugs me: Blade paint wears. Still works fine.
Quick Notes That Save Fish (and Your Lures)
- Use a wire leader. Pike teeth are angry scissors.
- Change hooks when they dull. I like 1X or 2X strong trebles.
- Speed rules: cold water = slower; warm water = faster, with pauses.
- Nets, long pliers, and a calm heart make releases smooth.
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When I Switch Things Up
I’ll start with a spoon when I’m searching. If I get followers, I swap to the X-Rap or the 4Play to pause in their face. Thick weeds? The Johnson or the spinnerbait gets the call. If the wind kicks hard, I reach for the bucktail or chatter.
Funny thing—I say the Dardevle is my “number one.” But some days, the Five of Diamonds out-fishes it three to one. That’s fishing. You listen, then you change.
Final Take
Pike aren’t picky, but they’re moody. These ten lures cover clean water, weeds, rock, wind, and calm. I’ve thrown them, lost a few, and caught fish I still see in my head at night. You know what? That’s why I keep going.
New to chasing these toothy critters? Angling Times has a clear step-by-step primer on how to start pike fishing that pairs nicely with the lure list above.
If you ever trade pike green for redfish copper, check out the best redfish lure in Virginia from my tackle bag, not a catalog—the principles overlap even if the water doesn’t.
If you try only two, start with the Dardevle and the X-Rap. Then add the Johnson spoon for weeds. After that, let the day tell you the rest.