Is lure fishing good in winter?

[Jeff Butler]

The question speaks for itself. I've always shyed away from lure fishing in winter prefering to do it in the summer months when pike are more active and willing chase prey. I'm guessing that pike won't be very keen to go charging around after moving baits and using up vital energy in the process? What do you think? If lures do work in these colder months then what paterns should I try and how best are they used?
Regards, Jeff.......

 

[Chris Bishop]

I've had a few on spoons and spinner baits worked slow and deep on the drains round here.

 

[Steve Burke]

Yes, yes and yes again!

These days most of my pike fishing is with lures and most winter days I'll catch, even in very cold weather. You may need to retrieve at a snail's pace most days but sometimes the reverse is true.

Apart from surface lures nearly everything will work well in winter. I do particularly well with spoons such as the Abu Atom and Ryobi Mr. Muskie, which are often taken on the drop - so do engage the pick-up as soon as the lure hits the water.

Floating plugs also work well, especially over the remains of weedbeds. Choose a pattern that'll work down to the appropriate depth.

When all else fails I've often turned to rubber shads. On several occasions I've even had these picked off the bottom when stationary having been followed by a pike. Not my idea I hasten to add, it was reported in Lure Angler.

 

[Peter Waller]

Yes, had a thirty on a Masterline Mugger last week. Last year a very rotund friend & I both had more than 30 pike each whilst trolling lures on a river. When the barometer is rally low then I would use baits but otherwise lures do the bizzz.

 

[Chris Bishop]

Top fish Peter..!

 

[Craig w]

i been catchin' a few small fish on rubber shads called "toothy critters" i found in my tackle shop, lead head, rubber boddy about 6 inchs long, slow retrieves work the best i found.

 

[Steve Burke]

I think the rubber shads I've been using have been the same as Craig. Mine are Head Cases from the Tooty Critter range by Masterline. They're available in several sizes and colours and you can mix and match the same size bodies and heads to get umpteen combinations, especially as the heads come in slow and fast sink versions.

 

[Craig w]

Yeah those are the ones Steve, 3 in a pack they work well but i have not connected with any of the larger fish in the Canal where i live using them yet,

 

[Chris Bishop]

Try plain rubber shads - a lot cheaper and they sink more slowly, so you can dink 'em along the bottom without catching up in all the leaves and debris.

 

[Craig w]

The Head case shads dont hook up the bottom or pick up leaves/weed often as the hook comes out the top of the shad, but they are a bit expensive thats for sure, but i am picking up more fish than any spoons, rupalas or other lures have caught me before.

 

[Chris Bishop]

Shads are about 50p. You can mount 'em like a wobbled dead or thread the wire through and have a hook in the belly.

 

[Nicky Garbutt]

buy a sea fishing mag their cheaper in their for shads braid etc.