So today i went with my mom's boyfriend(John) on his pontoon fishing. Me and John were just using all of our new lures we collected over the winter and didn't really think we would catch anything. Then we each tied on rattle traps. First he caught one about 5 feet from a big drop off. then we re positioned and drifted over that drop off again. Then I caught one!!!!! I was using 8lb line and no leader...How i landed that fish is a mystery to me because that rattle trap had been engulfed. He was 26in, as for weight i really don't know.

Me and john had a hard time getting the lure out and he lost some blood but we were able to get it out and have him swimming off like a champ.

So what are some of your favorite early season lures for pike?

Good for you and and John.

Sounds like fun - I love the days you catch the first fish or a fish you havnt caught before.

As for the lures I have heard that Rapalas work decent for Pike, Although i have not fished for pike my friends have and he has a box specificaly for them.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Try a mepp's bucktail, they work great for pike.

I had great success on my last trip using Traps just like you did.  I did the best with the chrome and blue ones and also on blue and white spinnerbaits with the silver blades.

Can you fish for pike right now in MI?  in NY, they are off limits until the 1st Sat. in May.  Doesn't mean you aren't going to catch them them, but targeting them is verboten.  At any rate, I generally use musky size baits to fish for northerns.

My favorite Lures for Pike are Red and White DareDevil spoons and big chatterbaits. Pike will eat just about any lure, I have caught them before on Tubes, Jerkbaits and stick worms.

Also, big spinners with a single large colorado blade

Depends on what we're talking about; big pike or just pike.  Here in NE, I like to fish Showgirls and 4" and 7" Suick Thrillers.  I also catch a huge number of inline bucktails slightly larger than a #5 Mepps.

Big pike?  I fish them almost the exact same as I fish muskies.  Throwing big gliders and bucktails, big safety-pin spinnerbaits, and 8-10" minnowbaits.

the past week Ive gone to my local lake and caught 7 pike 1 land lock salmon and a small mouth all on rattle traps

Congratulations Scorcher, I'd say your hooked

With regard to best lure for pike, you must first decide whether you're after "pike" or "gators".

Hammer-handles may strike most any lure, but that's far from the case with trophy pike.

Small pike and large pike live entirely different lives and are like two separate species of fish.

Roger