Pike habitats in summer
Pike lives in almost all deep rivers. There she hides under snags, on sand spits, because there is plenty of food there, which helps her survive and reproduce all year round.
Snags are a place with submerged trees that have fallen into the water and slow down the water flow, forming an eddy with changes in depth. Sawdust accumulates in them, which provides additional cover for predatory fish and a place to live.
Thickets of grass are the second most popular place where fish like to spend the winter and live in the first half of summer. The fish actively hide and hunt here.
She also actively lives and hunts in the mornings and evenings on sand spits. The duration of the bite in such a place is no more than an hour, but due to the concentration of a large number of small fish, there are a lot of predators observed here. You can catch more than 10 pieces at a time.
Bridge areas are another favorite spot for pike. This is where small fish like to be, which they feed on.
Good to know! Backwaters with tributaries, all kinds of man-made canals, locks and dams are places where pike actively gather. They burrow in holes and hunt other fish.
Summer fishing gear
In the summer, pike can be caught with two types of gear: live bait and artificial bait.
Live bait is bottom tackle with a fishing line of great thickness and length, wound on a simple reel or reel. Thanks to the small sinker, the bait does not leave the hook and allows you to catch the predator using a single large hook or several doubles or treble hooks.
It all works like this: the fish eats the bait, swallowing it along with the hook, and moves towards the shelter; the moment the fish moves to the spot, the fisherman catches it.
Note! Artificial baits - spinning tackle with a 3-meter long fishing rod, a spinning reel and a supply of fishing line. Presented in the form of all kinds of circles, spinners, artificial soft fish and vibrating tails.
Live bait fishing rod for pike
In summer, passive pike can be attracted to live bait. Catch in advance the fry of those species of fish that are usually prey for pike in this reservoir. When fishing with live bait, do not cast long distances; the fish may fly off the hook or hit the water and die. But pike will not bite on dead bait.
Predatory fish are caught with live bait on a lifting float using a regular fishing rod. For bait, use treble hooks of sizes 10 and 12, attach the live bait to the back under the skin or insert the sting into the mouth and out into the gill slit. Use weights to adjust the depth of the float so that it does not submerge under the water when the bait fish jerks. Carry several tungsten leashes with carabiners and hooks to quickly change the bait if the pike gets tangled or breaks the tackle.
They cast live bait carefully so as not to harm it. When the pike grabs the bait, the float either goes under the water or swims to the side, make a sharp jerk with the rod and begin to catch the fish.
Lures for catching pike in summer
Catching pike in the summer is impossible without feeding and tackle. Animal baits are the most effective, but artificial baits are just as effective.
Animal baits
The best tenacious baits of animal origin are crucian carp. In summer, they can always be quickly caught in small bodies of water and used as a means of catching pike.
Moreover, she really loves crucian carp and often hunts them in real life. Roach is no less effective as bait. It’s rare that a fish doesn’t attack such live bait.
The only drawback is that roaches are stored in the basement for no more than 7 days. Perch is also a good bait for predatory fish.
Note! The sharp fins of a perch are not an obstacle for a predator, so she enjoys feasting on them with pleasure. The good thing about perch as bait is that the hook can be hidden on its back and the fish won’t notice it.
Artificial baits
Today, catching pike is not difficult thanks to the large number of artificial baits.
Commonly used as bait:
- Vertical spinner;
- Balance;
- Silicone bait;
- Pinwheel No3-6;
- Oscillator;
- Twister;
- Vibrotail;
- Foam fish.
The most effective of them are oscillating models. Thanks to its movement, the predator more actively pursues its target and remains more interested. Deep fish that live in grass thickets and snags may like spinners.
In hot weather, wobblers that work on the surface, right next to the aquatic vegetation, are effective. At the end of summer, jig baits in the form of twisters, vibrotails and foam fish are effective. They must be used in combination with stepped wiring.
Selection of baits
We have found out when it is better to catch pike in the summer, but the success of this business depends 50% on the choice of bait. In open water, you can try a large number of different options, at least one of them may still interest the toothy predator.
The most catchy are considered:
- spinners;
- wobbler;
- silicone;
- live bait
They can be used alternately or give preference to this type, but change types often. It is advisable to find out in more detail which ones to take for catching.
Spoon
Fishing for pike in the summer will give good results if you use spoons as bait, while both rotating and oscillating ones will be successful with the predator.
In terms of size, it is better to give preference to medium and large ones; they will be better able to attract attention than small ones. The most catchy among the rotating ones are:
- Black Furry by Mepps;
- Masters of domestic production;
- Blue Fox.
Spinner baits are also popular; the most proven option is spinners from Spinnex, but Mepps is an excellent competitor to them. Separately, I would like to highlight the oscillating spoons of our production; Karelia catches always and everywhere and not only pike.
Interesting! Castmasters will also be an excellent option for luring a predator out of an ambush; this type of bait works almost all year round.
Wobbler
Fishing for pike in June using wobblers will be effective; this artificial bait, when used correctly, imitates a sick fish, which a predator will definitely chase. But not every option can lure you out; you need to know which one is suitable for catching.
In the summer, pike will react to a wide variety of colors, you can safely offer it:
- acid wobblers;
- fish with natural colors;
- translucent options.
In this case, it is advisable to choose those that will hang in the water column during pauses in the wiring. Pike in June, as well as in other summer months, will respond well to elongated minnow-type models, but shad will work just as well during this period.
Silicone
Silicone baits are considered universal; predators bite on them anytime and anywhere; fishing for pike in the summer without this bait is simply impossible. Most often, twisters and vibrotails are used to catch predators, but worms, slugs, crustaceans and artificial insect larvae will attract attention just as well.
In June and August, silicone baits are mounted with an offset hook and a collapsible Cheburashka weight, this will allow you to fish in places in the thickets of water lilies and other vegetation, where the pike stands during this period. An angler will not be able to survive the month with the most intense heat without using a jig head. It is the large soldered weight that will help the silicone sink to the desired depth and interest the pike there.
Zywiec
The use of the bait is more common in the autumn, but in August it is already possible to use this type of fishing. Not everyone knows how to catch pike with live bait, but this method is considered the simplest.
The catching method is simple, you will need:
- rod blank or self-reset for forming gear;
- fishing line, about 0.4 mm thick or 0.3 mm cord;
- sinker;
- hooks for live bait;
- live bait from the same reservoir.
Pre-caught live bait is attached to a single or double hook and the tackle is thrown in; it is best to do this at night. Install the rod blank or secure the self-release on the shore. Bells are often used as bite alarms.
Important ! Pike bite on live bait in the cool season; August nights are often like this. So you shouldn’t neglect this type of fishing.
Pike fishing tactics in summer
- Tactics for catching pike in the summer come down to using different baits.
- It also comes down to searching for shaded places where fish may be found: thickets, snags, water lilies, shady places, bridge supports, quiet water near sides, bays and whirlpools.
- In addition to bait, you need to learn how to hook and land fish. This is the only way to achieve success in summer fishing.
Hooking and landing
Hooking and retrieving relatively small specimens is not difficult even for novice spinning anglers. Fast rods do not require a large amplitude of movement - a short hook is enough, and, conversely, slow rods require a sweeping hook.
In order for the hook to be successful and the predatory fish not to break off the hook, you need to keep the fishing line or cord in a state of tight tension. This can be achieved by coordinated work of the rod with the friction brake of the reel.
The spinning rod needs to be smoothly lifted up, and at this time the reel should be smoothly twisted, without giving any slack. If there is no resistance, this means that the fish is moving towards the person. In such a situation, you need to reel in the line and quickly try to restore the tension.
As for fishing, if the weight of the fish is low, you need to do forced fishing.
Rod
A spinning rod is used together with a reel and plays the role of a bottom fishing rod when casting to a large state of the corresponding equipment.
Using a spinning rod is especially convenient if you are going to catch pike from a boat or from the shore, which is covered with grasses and bushes. The fishing rod consists of a ring, a reel and a fishing line.
This tool is a key part of the spinning tackle. When choosing a fishing rod, you need to pay attention to the chosen fishing spot, as well as the bait used.
Features of pike fishing in different months of summer
- In June, pike fishing is successful: the fish are active and catch bright baits well in shallow water.
- In July, fishing is less successful due to the heat: fish bite only on live or live-like baits, do not chase fast fish, so only a slow type of retrieve should be used.
- In August, fishing is extremely successful: the fish awakens their appetite and the excitement of chasing fast prey, so you need to use the appropriate gear. The principles of fishing in August do not differ from those in June, however, when it gets colder, you need to look for the predator closer to the bottom.
Pike fishing in July and August
You can catch pike at any time of the year. In the summer heat, catching pike becomes a little difficult, since at this time the pike begins to hide.
As we know, July is the hottest month of the year, so it is at this time that you need to use all your knowledge to get a good result.
July is characterized by fishing for small pike. At this time of year, it is possible to catch small pike, but large predators are well hidden under grass, vegetation and stones.
In August, the heat begins to gradually subside, and therefore the amount of oxygen in the water increases. As a result, large pikes gradually begin to go out in search of food. It is at this time that pike are active, so in August you can hope for a good catch.
Reviews from fishermen
I go fishing all year round with my friends. We especially like to fish for pike. It is well caught in winter near thickets and water lilies, but in summer you can also catch a couple of good carcasses. We fish in the village of Tikhotinskaya, not far from our country house. In the summer the bite is at least small, but you can always catch two or three pike in the morning with a few prepared crucian carp. Now I’m catching medium-sized pike, but I dream of someday catching a large one and taking a photo with it for my grandchildren. I use a spinner and a number 2 spinner and usually land 30 meters from the shore.
Grade:
Arkady, 50 years old, Volgograd
I often catch pike on the dead bottom. I fish with a green vibrotail in the shade of a tree every summer. In hot weather, somewhere around 30 degrees, it is not caught, but as it gets colder, you can catch a small one. Grade:
Anton, 34 years old, Starocherkassk
In summer I catch pike in a local reservoir from about 8 to 11 in the morning. These are the hours when the sun has not yet warmed up the water and it has not yet hidden from the heat. I fish with a regular spinning rod and live perch. It bites very well. It is important that the perch moves, then the predator is interested in catching it. I use a number 5 oscillator. Grade:
Vyacheslav, 27 years old, Chelyabinsk
I prefer paid fishing, with fed fish. I take a spinning rod, several types of gear and happily catch 2-3 pieces in 4 hours in the evening near the reeds. From my own experience, it is better to catch with live bait, such as perch or crucian carp. Grade:
Andrey, 44 years old, Moscow region
I’m not a fan of fishing, but from time to time I take a spinning rod and go to the Don to catch crucian carp, bream or pike perch. I use a vertical spoon, first I catch a small crucian carp, and then I try to catch a pike with it. It actively bites on this bait in the evening. Grade:
Mikhail, 30 years old, Novocherkassk
Let's celebrate! Fishing for pike in summer is no different in terms of effectiveness from fishing at any other time.
It is important to choose a cool place, use the right bait and fishing tactics.
