Some anglers find night fishing for pike weird and probably useless. These people see night fishing as a waste of time because they believe that fishes are more active in the day and passive at night. While there is an iota of truth in that statement, I think whoever made up such misleading assertion didn’t use the right words.
Yes, pikes don’t appear in the night as they do during the day. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t catch some at night. In fact, one of the ideal times to capture this fish is at night. However, if you lack the tactic, you will find this mission difficult to accomplish. So, in a nutshell, how do you catch pike at night?
Your mission to catch pike at night will be successful if you adopt the right tactic and lures. As pikes are less active at night, you will need to adopt lures that can pique their interest. A brightly colored lure with a good vibrating feature would do the trick. Also, fishing with artificial and natural bait on the bottom is another good tactic.
Don’t expect night fishing to be as easy as fishing for pike in the day. You will undoubtedly face several challenges. The sun would have set, certainly, so your vision wouldn’t be as clear and sharp as when the sun is visible. There are also the pesky night insects who would love to keep you company by all means. Then there is the fish itself.
Pikes spend the night to digest the meals they ate in the day, so there is a huge chance that you wouldn’t see lots of them, but they will be present. When night fishing, you will need to be at the top of your game. And how do you do that? You may ask. Well, that is the reason for this article. As we progress, I’ll give you valuable tips on how to pike fish at night.
Tips for Pike Fishing at Night:
If you are a pike fishing enthusiast or if you claim to be a pike fishing expert, then there should be nothing stopping you from catching this fish whenever you please. In other words, you should be able to catch this fish during the day and at night. Most people believe that catching pikes or fishes, in general, at night is a fool’s game. And this is because fishing at night comes with many challenges, which some anglers can’t overcome.
Aside from the absence of light and the presence of bloodsucking insects like mosquitoes, you’ll also have to consider the fact pikes aren’t really active at night. These species of fish are known to hunt in the day and relax in the night. Their relaxation routine involves digesting plethora of food they ate in the day. So, how do you catch pikes at night in the abovementioned conditions?
Before we delve into a little synopsis of how to catch pike at night, there is a general principle: the first two hours and the last two hours of darkness is the best time to target this fish. The reason for this theory remains blurry, but it is understood that the huge pikes prefer to feed when everywhere is as quiet as the grave.
First, let’s look at some of what you’ll need to be successful in this daring mission:
- Good artificial lights
- Sensitive bite alarms
- Bug sprays
- Illuminated float
- The ideal bait, reel, and rod for the task.
While digesting the abovementioned list, I must emphasize that night fishing for pikes is for proficient pikers and those who are very organized. Also, one of the significant issues you will encounter, aside from figuring out the fish’s location, is unhooking the fish in the pitch dark. If you do it wrong, you may have to deal with a tangled mess. The bottom line is if you are lure fishing for pike at night, fish in shallow waters, especially close to shore. While if you are lure fishing for pike at night, ensure you present your bait on the ledger (bottom) as that is where pikes will likely be.
Learn more about valuable hacks while fishing for pike from shore.
Can You Use Fishing Lures At Night To Catch Pike?
Pikes usually roam the waters at night. However, they aren’t always that active. So to catch them, you’ll have to adopt the right lures, be organized and prepared, and hope that luck shines on you because you’ll surely be needing it. Pike fishing at night is not for the faint-hearted neither is it for anglers who are disorganized and lack patience. This endeavor is for those who are skilled, patient, organized and attentive.
Like I said, to catch pikes at night, you’ll need to use the right tackle. However, I failed to mention that you’ll need to carry out your research and ask questions. Now, one common question anglers ask is regarding the use of lures to catch this fish at night.
Lures are very effective when fishing for pike at night. The attractive color and vibrating feature of a lure can help trigger the alert system of these fishes. So, when searching for this fish at night, ensure you use lures that are bright and vibrate a lot to get their attention.
You see, you’ll have to pay close attention to the lure you use. Pikes aren’t really active at night, so you’d want to use the slightest opportunity properly, and the perfect way to do this is by using the right lure.
Below is a list of some effective lures:
- Jointed Swimbaits ( with a minimum of 3-4 joints)
- Large chatterbaits
- Surface poppers
- Large double-bait spinners
- Shallow water crankbaits equipped with rattles.
Worthy of note is that the following colors are good for catching this fish at night:
- Neon yellow
- Chartreuse
- White
- Neon green
Here you can learn more about tips and tricks while fishing for pike in the fall.
What is The Best Lure For Pike While Night Fishing?
Pikes do come out at night, but not in their usual numbers. The few that come out from hiding do so to feed while the rest are always busy at the bottom of the water trying to digest the food they ate during the day. What this means for you that love to catch pike at night is that you won’t encounter lots of pikes and the conditions would certainly be challenging.
You’ll have to up your game, equip yourself with the right tackle and if possible, fish with a partner to make things quite easy for you. Speaking of tackles, when fishing at night, it is essential that you adopt the right lure, one that can vibrate and is flashy enough to attract this fish. In other words, you’ll need to use the best lure for this situation.
The best lure for pikes at night is surface poppers. Surface poppers are unique types of lures that boast of features that can attract pikes at night. This lure attracts fishes by skipping across the water.
Lure fishing is an effective way to capture pike at night. If you adopt the right lure (like a surface popper) and complement it with the right technique, you should capture a few pikes. Remember, pikes have enhanced senses like other predator fish. This means that they aren’t totally blind at night. So, ensure that whichever lure you are using is bright, can vibrate or create erratic movements, and can also mimic the movements an actual fish.
Leran more about the pkes appearance – color, teeth, scales and more.
What Is The Best Live Bait For Pike While Night Fishing?
Fishing for pikes at night requires lots of effort, planning, preparation, and patience. It is a different ballgame; thus, you will have to adopt tactics different from day fishing. At night pikes are less active, they always try to preserve their energy, so they hole up in a cozy hide spot. What this denotes for you is that you will have to adopt the right fishing tactic and lure to pique the interest of this fish. And one way to do that is by using good live bait. Live baits are effective for catching these fish species at night. However, you’ll have to use the best live bait if you really want to catch this fish.
The best live bait to use when night fishing for pike is Ciscos. Pikes love Ciscos thanks to their oily body, erratic movement and smell. Other good live baits to select from are suckers, yellow perch, shiners, mackerels, sardine and sprat.
If you desire to use live bait for pike at night, you will have to ensure that the fish is healthy and lively. If you make use of a fish that is dead, partly dead or dismembered, you may not get the attention of the pike because their senses are triggered by vibrations, smell, and movements. And the last time I checked, dead fishes doesn’t move, neither do they vibrate.
Another thing you would want to avoid is constantly retrieving your live bait. If this happens, constantly, probably because of a baitfish that died on you, you may end up not catching anything. So use a baitfish that can stay alive for a long time after being hooked so you don’t have to always retrieve your bait and recast.