Lure fishing

[cal_sutt]

Lure fishing is one of my most favourite ways of fishing, so I try to do it as much as possible. I tend to lure fish from about March right through to about this time of year. But, when would you say the best time to pack in the lure fishing is? I'm still going to get the deadbaits out as soon as the weather gets a bit colder. I've lure fished in previous winters and had absolutely no success at all in comparison to deadbait fishing. Any tips on winter lure fishing?

 

[Derek Gibson]

Lure fishing is one of my most favourite ways of fishing, so I try to do it as much as possible. I tend to lure fish from about March right through to about this time of year. But, when would you say the best time to pack in the lure fishing is? I'm still going to get the deadbaits out as soon as the weather gets a bit colder. I've lure fished in previous winters and had absolutely no success at all in comparison to deadbait fishing. Any tips on winter lure fishing?

Somewhat surprised by your lack of success in Winter on lures Cal, especially given your location. For years I've enjoyed great lure success from your area down into Linc's, could it be choice of lures, not as silly as it may sound, so something's definately amiss. What selection of lures have you been using.

 

[cal_sutt]

Somewhat surprised by your lack of success in Winter on lures Cal, especially given your location. For years I've enjoyed great lure success from your area down into Linc's, could it be choice of lures, not as silly as it may sound, so something's definately amiss. What selection of lures have you been using.

I mainly used rubber shads and jigs, as every so often I'd catch on either of these and be far too persistent in trying to catch again with them. mg:

Since about April I've experimented with swimbaits, spoons, spinners, surface lures, deep divers and a few others, before the winter comes around I am trying to build up a bit of a lure collection so that I have a wide range to choose from in the winter. I just can't bear the thought of snagging up and losing a £5+ plus lure so I'm yet yo buy some more interesting ones...

 

[john step]

It is probably my lack of expertise that I seem to catch well enough on lures at the start of the traditional pike season but catches tail off the closer to the end of the year. I have found that by switching to twitched dead baits I keep catching. Also much cheaper than lures which being clumsy I seem to lose too often.

 

[keora]

Lure fishing is one of my most favourite ways of fishing, so I try to do it as much as possible. I tend to lure fish from about March right through to about this time of year. But, when would you say the best time to pack in the lure fishing is? I'm still going to get the deadbaits out as soon as the weather gets a bit colder. I've lure fished in previous winters and had absolutely no success at all in comparison to deadbait fishing. Any tips on winter lure fishing?

Avoid lure fishing during periods of cold weather with heavy frosts.If you lure fish rivers, avoid fishing if the river is flooded and the water is coloured.

Accept that lure fishing is a bit harder in late winter. Take both a spinning rod and a deadbait rod, and alternate between them. If you take the minimum of tackle, you can still be fairly mobile. And funnily enough, you can pick up pike on lures on cold winter days even though they may ignore deadbaits.

 

[cal_sutt]

I think it's just going to be a case of persisting with the lures until the bites completely dry up and the weather is significanfly colder. I'll just take it as it comes! :thumbs:

 

[pointngo]

I lure fish all through the winter but you have to understand how temperature and weather changes affect the pike. When it's cold their metabolism slows and they just generally slow down a bit... that means fishing low and slow. Choose a lure that you can get to the bottom and keep there on a slow retrieve. Softbaits are perfect for winter fishing.

One thing I'd suggest with regards to lure fishing, and a trap virtually everybody falls into, including myself, is buying too many too soon. Much better to choose carefully and learn to use them to the best of their ability.

Otherwise you'll end up with 100's of lures worth £1000's that hardly see the light of day. mg:

Ring a bell anyone? :wh

 

[kevtaylor]

Personally, I lure fish all year round but during the winter I slow things down when I'm fishing shads - bouncing them slowly along the bottom of a river bed has caught many fish, when the deadbaiters are struggling. Dropshotting also allows you to keep the bait in the killing zone longer as well.
Experiment with different retrieves, as the perch, zander & pike are still active even when you think it maybe just too cold for them to feed.

 

[flightliner]

I've done a couple of trips out with the lures this week, not something that I normally do at this time of year but seeing fry being crashed into by both perch and pike made me put together my fox micro jerkbait rod with a few small yellow n red wrigley tail "bugs".
Had a few nice perch and two pike of 17lb and 16-10, tho I suspect they were one and the same fish but not checked out the pics too closely yet.
Great scraps,

 

[marshman39]

I start lure fishing at the beginning of January and finish about the end of December. I also seem to do the opposite of what everyone else says to do. Big noisy lures on a fast retrieve. They need waking up that's all.

A pike needs to move a few feet to catch your lure. One flick of the tail and it has it. Not much energy used at all.