Pike Can’t Resist a Daredevle

Fishing for northern pike is an exciting time spent on the water.  When a big, toothy pike attacks your lure, the fight is on.  When a big pike attacks your bait, it feels as if your fishing outfit is going to be ripped out of your hands.

With so many lures on the market geared towards pike fishing, how do you know which one to use?  At times, northern pike seem to bite at anything in its presence.  Other times, they are very finicky eaters.  For success, you have to have the right lure for the right circumstance.

Many fishermen have known the potency of using a Daredevle Spoon from Eppinger MFG. for catching northern pike for decades dating back to 1906.  The tradition of using this lure has lasted for more than 110 years and there doesn’t look to be any slowing down.

Daredevle spoons are easy to fish, provide a good visual attractant and offer plenty of vibration.  All of these combined makes them one heck of a lure.

Northerns can be caught on smaller lures, but like most fish, the bigger the lure the bigger the fish you are likely to catch.  Because of this it is easy to find a spoon from Eppinger MFG with the northern pike fisherman in mind.

Pike anglers have always used spoons in the pursuit of catching big northern pike.  I started catching pike many years ago on a red and white Daredevle spoon and still use one today with good success.

When looking to purchase a spoon, you might become overwhelmed with the choices you have.  They are available in many shapes, sizes and colors.  I have found the best pike spoon to be between 4 and 5-inches in length and weigh 1 to 1 ½ ounces.  This size will keep casting comfortable over a longer period of time, and this size of lure will put more pike in your boat.

Even though shape and size are important, the most important consideration you should have is its overall shape.  The bend in the spoon is what gives it the attractive element that pike are looking for.  The more of the bend in the spoon, the more wobble it has as well as more vibration.  This is what has made the Daredevle so popular all of these years.

There are 5 ways to fish one of these spoons; 1) normal retrieve, 2) fast retrieve, 3) slow retrieve, 4) darting the lure, and 5) deep water retrieve.  Let’s explore these different techniques.

These are all simple retrieves.  The normal retrieve is simply allowing the spoon to sink a few feet, and then reeling it in at a moderate speed.

The fast retrieve is simply reeling the spoon in rapidly. Don’t be scared of reeling too fast, you will not reel faster than the fish can swim.  This will not let the lure go very deep so it is a good technique for retrieving over obstructions.

Reeling the lure in slow is nothing more than just cranking the handle fast enough to give the lure some action.  Your lure will swim very deep.

To dart the lure, retrieve the Daredevle with a series of short jerks.  Do this by lowering the rod tip about a foot and raise it sharply, then repeat.  This will often entice a big fish to bite when it refuses to bite a normal retrieve.

And finally, the deep-water retrieve.  Allow the spoon to drop within a foot of the bottom with the rod held in the horizontal position.  Begin to reel in, raising your rod to the vertical position.  This will allow the lure to come diagonally towards the surface.  Lower the rod and allow the lure to sink.  Repeat this process until the lure is in or you catch a big fish, whichever comes first.  This frantic action will often cause the educated fish to bite.

Like I mentioned the red and white spoon has produced fish for anglers for decades, but do not overlook all the other color variations available.  If you get stuck in rut relying on just one-color combination, you could be missing out on an exceptional bite on another color pattern.

You must be warned that you are going to catch a variety of fish using the Daredevle.  I have caught a lot of bass over the years, and the occasional musky grabs these spoons from time to time.  The next time you are shopping for a spoon, look for the Devle®Head trademark that have made these lures so popular among anglers.

Fishing for pike is an experience every angler should experience.  I can’t say just once, because once you get the excitement flowing through your blood you will likely be hooked for life.  Having the right lure, just makes it that more enjoyable.