I'm just getting in to lure fishing, ive read afew bits but I'm still striking out (trying to catch my first pike), what's best colour and size and depth to fish at this time of year (fishing on a canal at moment), how do you find pike when there are no features on the stretch of canal im fishing or do I need to find somewhere else to fish, would also like thoughts on river fishing with lures, I really want to get that first pike out of the way, any advice will be greatly appreciated cheers
Welcome to one of the most exciting avenues of fishing...save your pennies because lure fishing is addictive and you will buy lures, then some more lures and then more....etc
River fishing with lures is one of my favorites...they can throw up anything from little jacks to 30lb plus fish, all of which can be caught almost under your feet - so that's my first tip - don't neglect the margins, I have caught more river pike on the last few turns of the reel handle than I have at any other point in the retrieve. If you see a pike following your lure in - do not stop winding! if anything, speed up a bit to try to induce a take, then hang on.
As to which lures, well the selection is endless and the most successful lure will be the one which you have the most confidence in, match them to the casting weight of your rod and venue and experiment. I love fishing soft plastics, some hate them. They are very cheap and a good start and don't break the bank when you lose one to a snag.
If you are not catching, then try not to....that sounds odd I know, but clip on a lure which you have little confidence in and then just experiment with it, mess about in the shallow water and see what action you can get from the lure...very often by stopping trying to catch, you will catch.
Take a break...if you are not catching then stop fishing for a few minutes, this rests the water and also gets you out of the monotony of casting and retrieving. To be a successful lure angler you have to concentrate, hard.
I could write a lot more but won't as half the fun is experimentation, have a read of my beginners guide to lure fishing on my blog and see if that helps.
Tight lines.