Flashy Swimmer
First of all, this is not a lure, but rather a lure + hook combo, because here the hook is as important as the lure! This hook is the Owner Flashy Swimmer, in sizes 5/0, 6/0 or 8/0.
This Texas hook has the advantage of being able to fish shallow areas. It is leaded to allow the lure to evolve at a depth of 50 centimeters to 1 meter and its well positioned blade gives it more appeal!
To complement the 5/0 size, a Sawamura One up shad or a Lunker city Swim Fish in 5" will fit like a glove and make an effective duo early in the year. A 6 inch lure will fill the 6/0 hook and a 7 inch lure is a good size for the 8/0 hook.
A slow retrieve in a straight line gives very good results. At the moment of the strike, you must hold back from striking immediately, and wait 2 seconds for the fish to turn around or close its mouth before striking.
Freddy 170
The Illex Freddy 170 has a wide S-shaped action, which can be jerked to amplify it. The lure sinks fairly slowly, so it's adequate for long breaks. Early in the season, a slow, steady retrieve or animation works well.
The freddy 170 swims under 30 to 80 centimeters of depth which makes it a good lure to fish edges and plateaus. It is easy to use and proposed at a very good price of less than 30 euros, it is clearly a good choice to try beautiful pikes from the opening!
For the beginning of the season, I recommend using the silent model, bringing it back to a constant speed, without animation. The model with internal balls is to be reserved for later, when the water is warmer.
Vatalion 115 F
The Megabass Vatalion 115 F is a hard swimbait that doesn't have the same action as the Freddy, which is why there are two hard swimbaits in this selection. The vatalion has a tight swimming action that responds well to both fast and slow retrieves. It moves at a depth of about 80 centimeters and its floating density allows to make marked pauses.
This diversity of use allows you to adapt to the mood of the pike. At the beginning of the season, a slow linear animation is the one to start with. If you realize that fish are following without attacking, you should either speed up the retrieve or take big breaks and start again quickly!
The colors
As far as lure colors are concerned, there's not much to worry about! The fire tiger, the chartreuse and the white are the basis to ensure a good opening. The natural colors are rather to be reserved for later, when the waters will clear up or when the sun will be stronger.
You can fish bigger at the beginning of the season, but the purpose of this selection is to get back in touch with the environment and to discover the new holding areas of the fish. Also, pike are in an active feeding phase, and fishing with something close to what they eat is a good thing to do.
