In spring, slow-rolling a spinnerbait through shallow bays and across developing weed flats produces the biggest pike in the lake. Spring pike can be caught on a wide range of baits, but one of the most productive for these shallow water pike is the spinnerbait.

Spring Pike Spinnerbait Success

During the spring shortly after ice out, most fish move in search of warmer water and spawning areas. Generally the best areas have weed cover or developing weed cover. It can be as shallow as a few feet of water. It can be difficult to throw crank baits effectively in these spots and that’s why baits like the spinnerbait, chatter bait and swim jigs are the baits of choice.

You are able to slowly retrieve a spinnerbait back in shallow bays in spring and it is a great way to target northerns.

Northern pike love spinnerbaits because they give off vibration and a ton of flash.

The Terminator Titanium spinnerbait is tough enough to stand up to the toothy pike. It offers great action and is one of the best spinnerbaits on the market.

Another bait of choice for these shallow water spring pike is the swim jig. A 1/4 ounce or 3/8 ounce paired with a plastic is a killer presentation.

A nice feature about the swim jig is that you can work it a little slower than a spinnerbait. When the water temperature is still cold, some fish might not be willing to chase a bait. Working a swim jig slowly off the bottom can often times trigger these slowly moving northern pike.