If you fish for pike in weeds, there's a good chance you'll come up empty-handed more often than not. Some anglers give up after a few bites and never return to the same waters again. Others spend hours reading about how to catch pike in weeds and end up with the same limited success. When fishing for pike in weeds, it's important to keep things simple and focus on one or two techniques at a time. The key is to find out what works best for your area, then practice that until it becomes second nature. Here are some helpful tips on how to catch pike in weeds more often.
Use small baits
When fishing for pike in weeds, use very small baits. Generally, the smaller the bait, the more often you'll catch fish. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but it's a good place to start. When fishing weeds, it's not uncommon to use a jig with a prawn or minnow on the hook, or a small sandy. Pike can't resist a smelted or a small piece of herring. If you need to use a larger bait and can't find one in your tackle box, cut the head off and use the body of the bait. Small baits get a bit more often.
Don't use flashy lures
When fishing for pike in weeds, avoid flashy lures, especially those with holographic finishes. Lures that have a lot of colors will only draw the attention of pike that are close to the surface and spooking them is almost impossible. The best lures for fishing in weeds are the ones that are drab, low-contrast, and small. Pearl or pink lures with a holographic finish can be helpful, but when fishing in weeds, keep it to a minimum. A few small pieces of flash will do a lot less harm than a lure that shines bright. You can use a bit of flash to your advantage if you're fishing in deep weeds. Use a bit of flash in the middle of the lure, and a more drab finish towards the head.
Fish during the right times of day
This isn't a hard and fast rule, but fishing for pike in weeds is better done during the hours of low light. Pike are crepuscular, which means they feed during the hours just before and after the sun goes down. During the middle of the day, the sun will cast shadows and weeds will block out most of the light. This makes it harder to spot a pike, and most pike will be just below the surface waiting for food to come their way. If you want to fish during the hours just before and after sunrise or sunset, bring a light. A small LED light is plenty.
Learn how to read the weeds
Reading the weeds is one of the most overlooked skills when fishing for pike in weeds. If you can see a pike and it doesn't see you, you have a good chance of catching it. When fishing in weeds, you want to look for short grass with lots of long, thin weeds growing in it. If there is a lot of grass in the weeds, try fishing between the grass and the thicker weeds. If there are a lot of thicker weeds, try fishing between the weeds and the grass.
Final Words
Fishing for pike in weeds isn't something you can do all the time. You'll need to vary your approach according to water temperature, weather, and season. The best way to get better at fishing for pike in weeds is to go out and do it. Read some books, but don't get stuck in the theoretical side of things. If you want to catch more pike in weeds, you need to get out there and try new techniques. It's impossible to know what will work without testing your theories. Now that you know what to do, get out there and start fishing. A few bites will make it all worth it.