Lures for pike perch are chosen by anglers depending on the fishing conditions in a particular body of water at a particular time. Lures for pike perch are very diverse. Pike perch can be caught using rotating and oscillating spoons, wobblers, various silicone baits, mandula, and foam fish. Pike perch has excellent eyesight, it distinguishes shades perfectly, and not just any bait can attract it. Our article describes what the color and size of pike perch baits should be, as well as the types and models that are best used for catching this predatory fish.
Zander bait color
As for color, it is difficult to predict in advance what color of bait will be attractive to pike perch on a given day: the fish is very picky, and what was a good bite yesterday may not cause any interest to the predator today. Therefore, it is better to stock up on baits of the same type, made in different colors (have at least 2-3 options). This will make it possible, by changing them, to determine the most catchy one today. Most suitable colors:
- red;
- salad:
- green;
- machine oil;
- brown;
- yellow;
- natural shades corresponding to the color of the fish living in the given water area.
Following the general rule, in cloudy weather and in muddy water, use brightly colored baits, and on sunny days and in clear water, use more natural colors.
Hooks
I use a tee or a single, and have not yet decided which is better - the fish catchability is almost the same, while the single has a slightly lower chance of getting stuck tightly in the cramp. Someone praises the tee, but I don’t see any practical sense in it, the bait is compact, and the fish won’t be caught better, and there are more hooks. In addition, a tee with similar quality is much more expensive.
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I select the hook size experimentally; as a rule, its width is slightly larger than the width of the bait. Although the fish suggests the best option, fortunately changing the hook on such decoys is as simple as possible. It happened that I set a hook that was “smaller than necessary,” but it gave more bites, and the hooking rate was better.
Size
Every angler who goes hunting for pike perch is interested in catching larger fish, and the size of the bait must correspond to the goal. 4-4.5 inches (10-12 cm) is considered the most optimal size, however:
- when fishing from the shore, models measuring 2.5-3.9 inches are suitable;
- for hunting from a boat - from 5 inches;
- If particularly large specimens are found, it is worth using a larger product - up to 25-30 cm.
Silicone baits for pike perch
Models made of silicone are most often used for catching pike perch both from the shore and from a boat, regardless of the nature of the reservoir:
- on reservoirs;
- small rivers;
- large rivers.
When choosing silicone baits, pay attention to:
- color;
- size;
- ponytail game;
- body shape;
- the presence of ribs on the surface.
The most popular are:
- vibrotails;
- twisters.
Following them are:
- worms;
- crustaceans;
- slugs.
Keitech Swing Impact
This vibrotail, which has increased softness, is often swallowed completely by the predator. The suitable size for catching pike perch is 4 inches, and the colors of the model are very diverse, ranging from natural shades to bright tones:
- gray;
- brown;
- blue;
- orange;
- green.
For hunting especially large individuals living in large rivers and reservoirs, there is a specially developed Keitech Swing Impact series - FAT (which means thick). The only disadvantage of the original models is the rather high cost. For this reason, many fishermen have quite success using cheaper copies of the Keitech Swing Impact (for example, Select Fetsh or Lucky John Spark).
Lucky John Tioga
Tioga is one of the most catchy walleye baits. A movable tail, increased ribbing and a thick center provide active, lively play that attracts fanged predators. Optimal size of Iucky John Tioga:
- for boat jig - 4.5 inches;
- for coastal - 3.9.
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The color is selected experimentally, adhering to the general rule:
- In muddy water use bright colors:
- orange;
- yellow.
2. Clean - more natural:
- machine oil;
- purple.
Keitech Easy Shiner
Pike perch very willingly bites on this vibrotail with a fleshy body made of edible material and an actively playing heel. The bait size is 3 to 4 inches. A wide range of shades allows you to choose any color:
- natural;
- bright (acid);
- plain;
- combined.
Keitech Easy Shiner is not cheap, but you can use quite catchy inexpensive copies (for example, Akkoi Prime).
Relax Copyto
One of the most popular lures made of silicone, Relax Kopyto attracts the attention of pike perch thanks to the powerful sweeping movements of its heel. Predatory fish, focusing on the lateral line organs and significant underwater vibrations, shows a noticeable interest in Relax Kopyto.
Sawamura One'Up Shad
The product is made of super soft material and even with the slightest movements the tail clearly plays. Sawamura is especially attractive to walleye, and 4- to 7-inch sizes have been used successfully to target the fanged predator in cold water.
Fox Rage – Zander Pro Shad
This model, made of fleshy material, is used to catch trophy specimens (available in sizes up to 14 cm). The Fox Rage – Zander Pro Shad color scheme consists primarily of a combination of natural tones, but there is also a bright “tiger” color option that can sometimes be especially catchy.
Lucky John Ballist
The twister bait, which imitates a larva or fry, is made of edible material and has a long, ribbed body with a ribbed surface and a small tail. Works successfully when catching pike perch on different fishing lines:
- uniform;
- stepped;
- drawing;
- twitching.
When starting fishing, you should take a 2.5-inch Lucky John Ballist, and later, if the situation requires, use a larger bait.
REMINDER FOR COMBATING PEAR RUST
Pear rust is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Gymnosporangium sabinae.
The peculiarity of this disease is that its development requires two host plants: pear and juniper . Moreover, the host is juniper of strictly defined species : Cossack, scaly, horizontal, medium (all decorative creeping species and their varieties). Our forest juniper, thuja, pine and spruce trees are not affected by rust and do not pose a threat to pear trees. During its development in early spring, juniper infects the pear, and fungal spores formed on the pear infect the juniper again in August-September. A pear tree cannot infect a pear tree, just as a juniper tree cannot infect itself.
Yulia Kondratenok / Personal archive
No specific means have been developed to combat rust; you can use fungicides such as Skor or Rayok, Topaz, Topsin-M, Mancozeb, Ditan, Fundazol 0.1%, Bordeaux mixture 1% and other broad-spectrum preparations used to combat scab and powdery mildew of apple and pear trees. The timing of treatments is determined by the most dangerous periods for infection - this is spring - before and after pear flowering, and autumn - late August - September, when “horns” with sporulation form on pear leaves. At the same time, BOTH PEARS AND JUNIPERS NEED TO BE PROCESSED!
Yulia Kondratenok / Personal archive
No pear varieties that are not affected or resistant to rust have been identified.
Prevention and protection of pears from rust.
Since two host plants are required for the disease to develop, not growing or removing junipers from the site helps solve the rust problem.
Protective measures include spraying juniper and pears with broad-spectrum fungicides.
Yulia Kondratenok / Personal archive
Be sure to carefully spray the juniper bushes every time, literally wetting them!
| Time for carrying out protective measures | Plant development phase | Fungicides |
| April – early May | Swelling of the buds, air temperature - +5...+10° The weather is humid, rainy - the beginning of the dispersion of spores - be sure to spray! | Copper preparations (Bordeaux mixture, 1-3%, copper sulfate 1%, copper oxychloride 1%, cuproxate, Medex, azophos 1%), |
| Beginning of May | Budding | Topaz, Topsin M 0.2%, Fundazol 1%, Chorus 0.02%, Mancozeb |
| Mid – end of May | The end of flowering - Be sure to spray! | Skor, Rayok, Topaz, Topsin M, Mancozeb, Fundazol |
| June | Formation of the ovary: The fruit is the size of a hazelnut 2 treatments with an interval of 10-14 days - subject to wet rainy weather and the presence of rust spots. If the weather is dry, there are no spots or only sporadic – one treatment. | Skor, Topaz, Topsin M, Fundazol, Mancozeb, Ditan |
| July | The fruit is the size of a walnut 2 applications with an interval of 10-14 days 2 applications with an interval of 10-14 days - subject to wet rainy weather and the presence of rust spots. If the weather is dry, there are no spots or only sporadic – one treatment. | Skor or Rayok, Topaz, Topsin M, Fundazol, Horus, Mancozeb, Ditan |
| August – early September | After harvest | Copper preparations, Skor or Rayok, Topsin M, Fundazol, Horus |
| End of September - October | Leaf fall | Eradication treatment 7-8% solution of urea (carbamide) or saltpeter |
Compliance with this protection scheme will help protect the pear not only from rust, but also from other fungal diseases!
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Wobblers
In terms of catchability for pike perch, wobblers are somewhat inferior to silicone baits, since they are more of the surface type. However, a number of models are successfully used for pike perch fishing, especially due to their advantage - their resemblance to potential prey of a predator:
- for fishing in pits and dumps, deep wobblers with a large depth (from 1.5 m) are used;
- on riffles of different depths they are caught with baits with a depth of 0.5 to 1 m.
Megabass FX-Zero
A surface wobbler that is effective when fishing in currents on riffles, both on a retrieve with pauses and on a regular retrieve, with the ability to go deep up to 0.5 m.
ZipBaits Khamsin 70SR
The original model with an attractive game, as well as its copy Mirage 70, is used for catching pike perch at a depth of up to 1.5 m exclusively with a uniform retrieve. Deep versions of ZipBaits Khamsin 70SR and Mirage are used at depths of up to 2 m, moving along snags.
Evergreen M-1 Inspire Minnow
A wobbler with a very active, close to natural game is buried up to 1 m, and for pike perch it is better to take a model for long throws, which produces a dull sound that attracts a predator. Types of wiring used:
- uniform;
- with pauses;
- twitching.
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ZipBaits Orbit 80SR
An expensive bait that is used for fishing from the shore, among snags, in windows between branches, with a depth of up to 1.5 m, on a wire:
- with pauses;
- twitching.
You can use a copy of an expensive wobbler - Mascot 80.
Imakatsu Riprizen 60F
With its pronounced play on a slow, even retrieve, the Imakatsu Riprizen 60F successfully collects fanged predators, especially in the evening, when the fish come out to feed. An alternative to a far from cheap bait is a successful copy of the Decoy 75F.
Evergreen LB-Roller
This wobbler is particularly good at catching pike perch thanks to active live play with even retrieving and twitching. If, having discovered a drop from 2 to 4-6 m, you move the bait along the edge, then if there is a predator there, you can safely count on a successful catch.
Yo-Zuri Duel Hardcore 50
A catchy pike-perch wobbler works well with even casting at a depth of 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 m. It is used for both casting and trolling. A wide range of colors makes it possible to successfully select colors depending on the transparency of the water and lighting.
Rapala Shadow Rap
The bait is highly reliable and effectively provokes pike perch to bite. The Rapala Shadow Rap is easy to cast and control, has good line feel and is a great option for beginning anglers.
Yo-Zuri L-Minnow 44
Inside the bait there is a faceted weight, which, rolling during retrieval, causes vibration and makes a special sound that attracts a predator. Yo-Zuri L-Minnow 44 works successfully regardless of weather conditions. The main thing is to use the original bait, because fakes, of which there are many, will not provide the desired result.
Pontoon 21 Greedy Guts
This wobbler has a special balancing system, which is achieved by placing two weights in its voluminous belly, ensuring an ideal location of the center of mass, thanks to which the bait demonstrates a pronounced game even at extremely low speeds. For walleye, Pontoon 21 Greedy Guts are used primarily in the evening or at night, and often work when other options have failed.
Spoons
The effectiveness of spinners is significantly lower than that of wobblers and silicone baits, however, towards the end of the summer, when the pike perch becomes significantly more active, experienced fishermen begin to use large spinners.
Kastmaster
A universal oscillating spoon, having the shape of a cylinder cut at an angle, is used on:
- uniform wiring;
- stepped;
- jig (with toss).
As it falls, the Kastmaster begins to oscillate, and it is at this moment that the fish grabs the spoon. The optimal castmaster size is 5-6 cm, and the weight is 10-21 g, and the larger the water area, the heavier the spinner should be. To reduce the number of hooks, doubles are installed.
Mepps Lusox
Lusox is one of the most catchy large heavy deep-sea spinners. It moves almost along the very bottom and has a game even more lively and active than a jig.
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Mepps Aglia Long No. 3
A rotating spoon is highly effective for catching bottom predators, which include pike perch. It works quite well at great depths and in strong currents. The frequency of rotation of the petal allows you to smooth out the mistakes of an inexperienced fisherman when retrieving, which makes Mepps Aglia Long No. 3 the most suitable of all heavy metal baits for beginners.
Oscillator Atom
A heavy oscillating spoon, inexpensive, works great both in summer and winter, even with strong currents and on different retrieves:
- uniform:
- with pauses:
- jig.
The stable game of Spinnex Atom with pronounced low-frequency vibration, reminiscent of the movements of a wounded fish, attracts the attention of a predator from afar. Having encroached on easy prey, he will definitely get hooked.
Equipment
This is the most important point that affects the game, catchability, fish grip, and the ability to pass through snags and grass.
I almost always attach the leash, hook and bait itself at one point. Some people prefer to wind everything on a regular winding ring. I often exclude the ring as excess iron, replacing it with a regular spinning fastener, which allows me to quickly change baits and (or) hooks.
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The hook is easy to attach to both the outer and inner parts of the snag. Each option has its own meaning. If I hook the hook in the pear from the side of the flat part of the bait, then with regular contact with the bottom the chance of hooking is much less - the body of the bait largely protects the hook. In this option, it is better to realize bites when the pike perch presses it to the bottom during the pause period during the retrieve. Moreover, the pear bait works clearly and stably with fast jigging, which is so important when searching widely for fish sites, while the edge on the hook acts as a kind of movement stabilizer.
If I place the hook on the side of the convex plane of the bulb, then a certain imbalance appears in the work of the bait, although I can call these changes differently - an improvement, a complication of the game, which is so important when you have to tease a sluggish predator. It is in this position of the hook that, by varying the speed and duration of the step, I can give the body of the bait both oscillatory and rotational movements.
Mandula
A floating bait, the load of which lies on the bottom, and the body itself is located vertically in the layer of water, which often eliminates bottom hooks, can be made with your own hands or purchased in a retail chain. Mandulas of various colors, 10-12 cm in size, made from Siberia are successfully used for autumn fishing. The products are painted in bright, contrasting colors. The most popular color combinations:
- green with orange or yellow;
- red with white or purple;
- black with yellow or orange;
- yellow with lilac;
- blue with white or red.
They use a mandula in those areas of the reservoir where there are no snags, using different types of wiring:
- stepped;
- jerk;
- dragging along the bottom and others.
During pauses, the mandula is located vertically in the water layer, which allows the predator to actively attack the bait.
Foam fish
In those places where fishing with a mandula is impossible due to the snagged bottom, a fish made of foam rubber with a pressed double is used as bait, which, like the mandula, is located in the water vertically in relation to the bottom. A foam rubber fish measuring 10-14 cm is a consistently catchable bait and is indispensable for autumn fishing. Of particular interest to pike perch is the fact that when water gets into the smallest pores of the foam rubber, it produces a characteristic sound that is attractive to predatory fish. To successfully catch pike perch, fish painted in dark colors are used:
- green;
- Navy blue;
- burgundy;
- Dark red;
- black.
The best option is those products that have different shades of color: for example, a darker back is combined with a brighter belly. Careful preparation for pike perch fishing, including a competent approach to choosing bait for a predator, will ensure successful fishing and will not allow the fisherman to be left without prey. From a wide variety of models, it is important to choose exactly those that are suitable for use in specific conditions of the reservoir, and also experiment with different shades to attract capricious fish.
Variety of flies
My pears and bullets catch predators even with bare hooks, and are often better than heavy spoons - it’s been tested, more than once. But the varied equipment of the forend dramatically increases catches, and it’s really good, I would even say strong, the bait only works in tandem with the right fly. The question remains - which one exactly?!
What fishermen don’t catch on the hooks of such baits! A regular twister for a single spinner, including an offset twister, trying to reduce the number of hooks to zero. Although I don’t like these hooks because of the poor execution of bites. I prefer to equip the hook with a streamer, which has worked well on our river for a long time - a “goatee beard”. These are several long fibers of wool from a goat's beard mixed with stripes of Christmas tree rain. The streamer is twice as long as the body of the pear. And it’s “thin” enough so that it doesn’t greatly affect the play of the metal bait itself. Like the body of the bait, I make the streamer myself, since I have a supply of goat hair.
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Nowadays, there are plenty of beautiful and catchy streamers in stores, including those tied by master fly fishers. Perhaps some models will work better than “goat beards”, but for now I am completely satisfied with the catchability of homemade products, including pike perch and asp.
