Best Northern Pike Lures: 8 Picks Compared

Our verdict

Northern Pike Lures: Top Picks at a Glance

Northern pike eat a lot of lure types, which is why the guides we read name spoons, spinners, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, swimbaits and topwaters in the same breath. Outdoor Life fishing editor Joe Cermele writes that metal spoons “have been hammering pike across the globe for more than 100 years”, and a Reddit r/Fishing_Gear commenter says pike “will attack whatever they feel like at the moment”. So the useful questions are size, weight, running depth and hook strength, and whether the lure suits weeds, open water or the surface.

Related guide: Best Pike Lures by Type, From Spoons to Crankbaits

This guide compares eight lures from six brands, each linked as one specific size and colour. Size, weight, running depth and hook figures come from the maker where we could read them; where the maker’s page was unreadable or the Amazon listing disagrees, the review says so. We found no in-stock Amazon listing for a pike-sized spinnerbait or soft swimbait that matched the maker’s specs, so this lineup has none.

Compare the picks

Compare the Eight Pike Lures

All eight lures side by side. Weight, length, running depth and hook size are the maker’s (Rapala, River2Sea, Dardevle) or the maker’s Amazon listing, as labelled in each review; “not published” means we could not read a figure. Tap a lure’s Specs button for the rest.

Detailed Reviews of the Eight Lures

Dardevle 1 oz, Casting Spoon

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Fishing Manitoba: Dardevle 1 oz, 3-5/8 in.

The Dardevle is a spoon, so it is a single piece of metal with a wobble and no moving parts. Fishing Manitoba, the site of Cobham River Lodge, writes that the 1 oz. 3-5/8″ Dardevle spoon “has been a staple for pike fishermen” and prefers red and white or yellow “five of diamonds” patterns. Outdoor Life’s Joe Cermele adds that spoons are practically indestructible because pike teeth cannot slice them, and Sports Illustrated’s Joe Shead calls the red and white Dardevle a pike classic. Dardevle’s page lists the 1 oz at 3 5/8 in by 1 1/4 in and tags it for bass, northern pike and walleye; it does not state a hook size or running depth, and the Amazon listing gives no hook figure either. Dardevle lists the 1 oz at $8.69.

The linked listing is Red/White Nickel, sold by Frank’s Great Outdoors, a third-party seller, rather than Amazon.com.

Specs (1 oz, Red/White Nickel, model 0-16):

• Linked model: Dardevle 1 oz Red/White Nickel 0-16, sold by Frank’s Great Outdoors (third-party seller on Amazon)
• Weight / size: 1 oz / 3 5/8 in by 1 1/4 in (Dardevle)
• Running depth: not published; hooks: not published
• Maker list price: $8.69 (Dardevle)

Johnson Silver Minnow, Weedless Spoon

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Fishing Manitoba: Johnson Silver Minnow, 1-1/8 oz, 3 3/4 in.

Fishing Manitoba writes that the 1-1/8 oz. 3 3/4″ Johnson silver minnow “has wobbled back and forth weed free” for almost 100 years, and says the single hook lets you drop it on top of fish in weeds where treble-hook spoons snag. The Amazon listing, which carries Berkley’s name for the Johnson line, describes a metal weed guard, a brass blade plated with silver or gold and a 35-degree wobble that does not twist the line. Tackle Warehouse, a retailer, lists the 3.75 in size at 1 1/8 oz, agreeing with the listing.

Master Fishing Guide also picks the Johnson Silver Minnow for weedy summer water, but it fishes the 3/4 oz version, a different size from the one linked here. Hook size is not published in what we could read, and the maker’s list price was not published in what we could read.

Specs (3 3/4 in, 1 1/8 oz, Silver):

• Linked model: Johnson Silver Minnow SM11/8-SLVR, Silver, sold by Amazon.com
• Weight / length: 1 1/8 oz / 3 3/4 in (maker’s Amazon listing; Tackle Warehouse agrees)
• Running depth: not published; hook: single weedless hook, size not published
• Maker list price: not published

Blue Fox Classic Vibrax, In-Line Spinner

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Fishing Manitoba: Blue Fox #5, 7/16 oz (colour not stated).

Rapala’s Blue Fox page lists the Classic Vibrax in seven sizes; size 5 (model 60-50) is 7/16 oz with a size 5 blade, a VMC hook and a free-turning brass body that rattles inside the lure. Fishing Manitoba writes that the “#5 7/16 oz. Blue Fox bullet spinner offers a larger hook for those powerful pike jaws”. The source says “bullet spinner” and does not name the colour, so we grade it as a same-series match, not an exact one. Outdoor Life notes that in-line spinners need a constant retrieve to keep the blade turning and are a weak choice when pike will not chase.

Rapala does not list a hook size by model, and its page makes no statement about pike. The linked colour is Painted Firetiger, sold by Amazon.com.

Specs (05, Painted Firetiger):

• Linked model: Blue Fox Classic Vibrax 05 Painted 7/16, Firetiger, sold by Amazon.com
• Weight / blade: 7/16 oz / size 5 blade (Rapala)
• Running depth: 2-6 ft (Blue Fox, all sizes); hook: VMC, size not published
• Maker list price: not published

Mepps Musky Killer, Bucktail Spinner

Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. r/Fishing_Gear thread on pike lures: Mepps Musky Killer (size and colour not stated).

In the r/Fishing_Gear thread on pike, one commenter lists “Bucktail Spinners: Mepps Musky Killer or the Mepps Giant Marabou have a great track record for pike”, with no size or colour. Outdoor Life describes large in-line spinners, often called bucktails, as a pike staple that suits warmer water and a steady retrieve, and names the Mepps Giant Killer as an example. The Amazon listing for the Musky Killer frames it as a musky bucktail and suggests fishing it in cabbage weeds.

Mepps’ own pages did not give readable per-model figures, so the 3/4 oz weight comes from the Amazon listing; we could not read length, blade or hook size, and Mepps’ list price was not published in what we could read. This is a larger lure than the Vibrax; no source we read ties the 3/4 oz size to pike specifically. The buy box is held by Fair Services, a third-party seller.

Specs (3/4 oz, Hot Chartreuse/Chartreuse Tail):

• Linked model: Mepps Musky Killer dressed, 3/4 oz, Hot Chartreuse/Chartreuse Tail (BM HC-CH), sold by Fair Services (third-party seller on Amazon)
• Weight: 3/4 oz (maker’s Amazon listing); length, blade, hook: not published
• Maker list price: not published

Rapala Husky Jerk 14, Suspending Jerkbait

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Fishing Manitoba: Husky Jerk 4 3/4 in, 7/16 oz (HJ12 size).

Rapala’s spec table lists the HJ14 at 5 1/2 in, 5/8 oz, 4′-8′ running depth and three No. 4 hooks, suspending. Fishing Manitoba writes that the “4 3/4 inch 7/16 oz. Husky Jerk has put a lot of big pike in the boat over the years” and recommends it for rocky drop-offs. That is the HJ12 size, not the HJ14 linked here, so the evidence is same-series. The HJ14 shares the suspending body and rattle chamber, per Rapala, and the Amazon listing agrees on 5 1/2 in and 5/8 oz.

Rapala’s page has no pike statement for this model and its list price was not published for the HJ14 in what we could read. The linked colour is Pure Chrome, sold by Reveal Outdoors, a third-party seller.

Specs (HJ14, Pure Chrome):

• Linked model: Rapala Husky Jerk 14 HJ14PCH, Pure Chrome, sold by Reveal Outdoors (third-party seller on Amazon)
• Length / weight: 5 1/2 in / 5/8 oz (Rapala)
• Running depth: 4′-8′ (Rapala); suspending
• Hooks: three No. 4 (Rapala)
• Maker list price: not published

Rapala Deep Tail Dancer 11, Deep-Diving Crank

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Master Fishing Guide: Deep Tail Dancer 11 (perch pattern named; linked colour differs).

Rapala’s spec table lists the TDD11 at 4 3/8 in, 3/4 oz, 30 ft and two No. 3 VMC black nickel trebles, and says the enlarged lip takes it “as deep as 30 feet unassisted”. Master Fishing Guide writes that “the size 11 hits the right balance between diving depth and lure profile for pike” and fishes it on steep drop-offs at 4 to 6 m (about 13 to 20 ft) in summer heat. Outdoor Life’s Joe Cermele writes that most pike action is in 10 ft or less, so treat this as the deep-fish option, not a shallow weed-top lure.

Rapala’s page makes no pike statement and its list price for the TDD11 was not shown in what we could read. The linked colour is Purpledescent; Master Fishing Guide names a perch pattern. It is sold by Amazon.com.

Specs (TDD11, Purpledescent):

• Linked model: Rapala Deep Tail Dancer 11, Purpledescent, sold by Amazon.com
• Length / weight: 4 3/8 in / 3/4 oz (Rapala)
• Running depth: 30 ft (Rapala); floating
• Hooks: two No. 3 VMC black nickel trebles (Rapala)
• Maker list price: not published

River2Sea Whopper Plopper 130, Topwater Prop Bait

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Master Fishing Guide: Whopper Plopper 130 (colour not stated).

River2Sea lists the WPL 130 at 1 3/8 oz and 5 in with two River2Sea 4X strong No. 2 trebles and a rattle; the page for the Whopper Plopper 130 and 90 carries the heading “Larry Dahlberg Used Whopper Ploppers Catching Pikes”. Outdoor Life describes the tail spinning “like a propellor” and making a gurgling sound pike can hear from a distance. Master Fishing Guide lists the 130 for surface strikes in low light along reed edges and weed flats and suggests a steady medium retrieve.

The linked listing is the Chrome Black WPL130/44, the rattle model, sold by NightGalaxy, which calls itself an authorized dealer on its Amazon listing; that is a third-party seller, not Amazon.com. River2Sea’s list price was not published on the page we read.

Specs (WPL130, Chrome Black):

• Linked model: River2Sea Whopper Plopper 130 WPL130/44, Chrome Black, sold by NightGalaxy (third-party seller on Amazon)
• Weight / length: 1 3/8 oz / 5 in (River2Sea)
• Running depth: topwater; hooks: two 4X strong No. 2 trebles (River2Sea)
• Maker list price: not published

River2Sea S-Waver 168, Glide Bait

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Master Fishing Guide: S-Waver 168 (Lite Trout named; linked colour differs).

River2Sea’s spec table lists the S-Waver 168S at 1 5/8 oz, 6 1/4 in with two No. 1 trebles. The Amazon listing prints “Length: 6-3/4 (168 mm)”, so the sources differ; we use River2Sea’s figure. The listing also says “Dive Depth: 0-1” and “Type: Sinking” without units, and River2Sea’s page does not give a running depth. Master Fishing Guide lists the S-Waver 168 as a glide bait for larger summer pike along deep weed edges and transition zones, and describes slow sweeps of the rod tip with pauses; its 3 to 6 m (10 to 20 ft) range describes where those fish hold, not the lure’s depth.

The guide’s favourite colour is Lite Trout; the linked listing is 28 Bluegill. Sold by NightGalaxy, a third-party seller, rather than Amazon.com. River2Sea’s list price was not published on the page we read.

Specs (168S, 28 Bluegill):

• Linked model: River2Sea S-Waver 168, 28 Bluegill, sold by NightGalaxy (third-party seller on Amazon)
• Weight / length: 1 5/8 oz / 6 1/4 in (River2Sea); Amazon prints 6-3/4 in
• Running depth: not published (listing: “0-1”, sinking); hooks: two No. 1 trebles (River2Sea)
• Maker list price: not published

Matching Lures to Pike Water

Weeds and cover

The sources split on how to fish weeds. Fishing Manitoba says big pike love weedy bays and a single-hook spoon lets you work deep in the weeds; Master Fishing Guide lists a weedless spoon for lily pads and a prop bait for reed edges at first and last light. Picks: Johnson Silver Minnow, Mepps Musky Killer, River2Sea Whopper Plopper 130.

Open water and drop-offs

For open water, Outdoor Life says spoons work at any level of the water column and in-line spinners suit warmer water. For deeper fish, Master Fishing Guide fishes a deep crank and a glide bait on steep edges. Picks: Dardevle 1 oz, Blue Fox Classic Vibrax, Rapala Husky Jerk 14, Rapala Deep Tail Dancer 11, River2Sea S-Waver 168.

Leaders and line

This is general guidance from the sources, not a spec of any lure here. A r/Fishing_Gear commenter advises “wire leader, regardless of lure choice. pike got teeth”, and Outdoor Life’s Joe Cermele warns that small lures on lighter line risk a bite-off. Match your reel and line to the lure weights above with our spinning reel size guide, see our river smallmouth lures for lighter hard baits, and our bass lures for winter comparison for cold water.

How We Chose These Lures

The criteria we applied

• On brief: a lure type named for northern pike by a pike guide, magazine or forum commenter
• Several brands and lure types, no duplicate roles
• One specific size and colour per pick, with the maker’s size, weight, running depth and hook size where published; makers rarely state a species, so fit for pike rests on the named source and the size
• In stock on Amazon with a new offer; any seller other than Amazon.com is named in the review

How the sources are graded and seller and stock checks

How the sources are graded

Each review shows an Evidence line. “Independently reviewed, exact model” means a guide names that lure and size; “same series” means it names a sibling size or the family; “owner reports” means forum comments. Master Fishing Guide and Fishing Manitoba are guides, not sellers of these lures. Maker figures come from Rapala, River2Sea and Dardevle pages; Johnson and Mepps figures come from the maker’s Amazon listing because their pages were not readable.

Seller and stock checks

Outgearly’s policy accepts any Amazon seller, with Amazon.com and reputable sellers preferred. Three picks are sold by Amazon.com and five by third-party sellers at the time of writing, and each review names its seller. Stock and prices change; the review box shows the live Amazon price.

Frequently Asked Questions

The lists we read name spoons, in-line and bucktail spinners, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits and topwaters. Outdoor Life, Sports Illustrated, Master Fishing Guide and Fishing Manitoba each give a different mix; the Dardevle appears in several.

Master Fishing Guide says yes, often in the first hour of daylight and the last low-light window before dark. Outdoor Life calls a pike topwater strike thrilling and names the Whopper Plopper.

A r/Fishing_Gear commenter recommends a wire leader whatever the lure. That is owner advice, not a lure spec; no lure here includes a leader in the listing we read.

Fishing Manitoba names red and white or yellow five of diamonds for the Dardevle and silver or gold for the Johnson; Master Fishing Guide names white, chartreuse and natural baitfish patterns. The linked colours here are the colours sold on these listings, not a ranking of colours.

The bottom line

Final Verdict

For a mixed pike box, start with the Dardevle 1 oz (check price) for open water, the Johnson Silver Minnow (check price) for weeds and the River2Sea Whopper Plopper 130 (check price) for the surface. Add the Blue Fox Classic Vibrax (check price) or Mepps Musky Killer (check price) for spinner fishing, the Rapala Husky Jerk 14 (check price) for rocky drop-offs, the Rapala Deep Tail Dancer 11 (check price) for deeper fish and the River2Sea S-Waver 168 (check price) for larger pike on deep weed edges. Check the size, weight and seller shown in each review before you buy.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.