In many regions, the ice is already melting — it's time to open the pike fishing season in the spring! With warming, the behavior of this fish changes, and for successful fishing you need to know about its features. We tell you where and when pike bites in the spring, what gear and bait is best to choose for catching a toothy predator.

Where to catch pike in the spring

Spring is the spawning season, and the period when exactly the fish spawns has its own dates in each region. You can find out about the ban on pike fishing in 2024 from our article. As a rule, the faster the ice melts, the earlier the predator will begin to spawn, but only the fish knows when exactly this will happen. In March, when the reservoirs are just beginning to empty, the pike chooses oxygen-rich places with the highest water temperature. At this time, a good catch can be obtained in backwaters, shallow oxbow lakes, in the mouths of rivers and streams, gullies and at the edges of the ice. Points near aquatic vegetation, including reeds, are promising. The main thing at the beginning of spring is not to wait until the water warms up a lot. When the temperature reaches about 7 °C, the pike will already begin to spawn. Just before this moment, it has a pre-spawning binge, short but very active. Fishing for pike in the spring with a spinning rod during spawning is usually prohibited by fishing regulations. And from the point of view of preserving the population, you need to let the toothy one spawn, and only then resume hunting for it. After spawning, the pike begins a new binge, more intense than before spawning, because it needs to regain strength. During this period, it lives near the spawning grounds, in shallow small rivers, backwaters, oxbow lakes and floodplain lakes. Shallow water (up to 2 m), places with vegetation and snags will be the most productive: pike likes to freeze in coastal thickets, waiting for the moment to attack a suitable victim. When the predator is full, it will go to its usual places of stay. You can find it in pits, at the edges and dumps, on spits.

When pike bites in spring

The most productive periods of the day will be the morning hours before noon and from 4 pm until dusk. At dawn and late in the evening, pike practically does not feed. Pressure and temperature at this time of year are changeable, so you can expect a bite both in cloudy and in sunny weather. In May, especially at the end, pike behaves the same way as in summer. The most successful will be warm cloudy days with a little rain. Good conditions for biting will be high pressure and calm weather. But sudden pressure changes and cold winds worsen the bite.

Pike fishing in spring: tackle and technique

In spring, when fishing from the shore, a short spinning rod is suitable: it is easier to make a neat cast of the bait. The best option would be a medium-fast action rod of the medium light and medium classes:

no more than 2.5 m in height for small bodies of water with an overgrown bank;

2.5–2.7 m in length for larger bodies of water. Equip the spinning rod with a spinning reel of size 2500–3000 with a friction load of 10–12 kg. As the main line, use a thin braided line 0.4–0.6 PE and a metal leash-string 15–20 cm long.

On small lakes and rivers, the most accurate will be a side or pendulum cast, when the bait flies a short distance and the trees do not interfere with the cast. If you need a medium-range cast, and there are no tree branches overhead, then perform a vertical whip cast. During fishing, do not linger in one place if there has not been a single bite after several casts. Move as much as possible, fish all promising spots and try different baits - which ones should be checked first, we will tell below. After hooking, if the pike feels small, then you should play it quickly, pulling it to the shore. A larger specimen must be played carefully, otherwise you risk breaking the rig. If you have caught a real trophy, then you need to use the pumping method: the fish is pulled to the shore, then reel in the reel until the line is taut and the pull is made again. Repeat the steps until the fish is at the very shore, where you can take it with your hands or with a landing net.

Lures for pike in spring

During the pre-spawning feeding frenzy, pike will attack any artificial bait. At the same time, the predator is slow after a long winter, so it will not chase fast-swimming prey. As for the size, the opinions of anglers differ. Some argue that before spawning, roe pikes do not attack large prey, so small baits are needed, up to 7 cm. Others believe that a large pike will only attack a large victim and will not waste time on small ones. The main types of bait in spring are oscillating and rotating spinners and wobblers. From the second half of May, you can successfully fish with a jig.

Spoons

Spoons are a classic bait for pike in the spring. Spoons are especially effective on warm, cloudy and slightly rainy days. Heavy spoons weighing 14–17 g are good for catching passive fish at the beginning of spring. Lighter spoons are suitable for shallow water during the post-spawning feeding frenzy.

Spinner baits create a strong vibration, thereby tempting even passive pike in very cold water. These baits show themselves well at a depth of up to 1.5 m, where the toothy one lives.

Spinner baits should be conducted evenly, at a slow or medium speed. Oscillating spinners on the edges and slopes can be conducted stepwise.

Wobblers

Wobblers are a worthy competitor to spinners, especially in shallow water. Pike respond well to various minnows 5–8 cm long. The bait is animated both by standard twitching wiring with the addition of pauses of 2–5 seconds, and by the “stop and go” type, when uniform wiring alternates with pauses of 2–3 seconds. Poppers work well in May, when there is aquatic vegetation. Silicone baits

Jig fishing will give results when the pike stays at depth, where it goes closer to the end of the post-spawning feeding frenzy. It is preferable to use twisters and vibrotails 5-8 cm in size with a ribbed body, which creates good vibration in the water. The weight of the jig head is selected based on the strength of the current, as a rule, the universal weight is 10-15 g. Jig baits are carried out with the usual step wiring. The reeling speed should be slow or medium, pauses should be long. Dragging along the bottom can also give results.

Tips for catching pike in spring

Some useful tips:

-Be quiet while fishing, do not talk loudly and do not make sudden movements. All this can scare the pike, especially in early spring.

-Study the pike spawning route in advance. This will help you find promising fishing spots, since the predator spawns in approximately the same places from year to year.

-If you managed to catch a fish, do not rush to look for a new place, especially if you are fishing in the pre-spawning period. At this time, the pike stays in groups.

-Experiment with baits - this way you will quickly find an approach to the pike. In cloudy weather, first of all, put spinners.

-Pike does not like to chase prey in the spring, so the closer you throw the bait to it, the more chances you will have for a bite.