Spring Pike fishing.... The 5 Lure Challenge!

In this video i've taken 'The Kit Room' on to the bank and not only challenged myself to catch pike on 5 different Westin lures but also to do a post fishing analysis on the days fishing to see what lessons could be learned from how the pike reacted to the different baits. I ended up with 5 fascinating observations abut their behaviour in cold water, early March spring time conditions.

[@TheFishingDaddy]

I always said your content has been gold from the first day i started fishing really like this combination of video and explanation please do more of these. And once again thanks for taking the time to make this content.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

No problem, thanks for the positive comment I will look to make more 👍🏻

[@bonesapart8210]

Hello Thom, I found your content via the KZbinr "Hungry Fish". Your videos are quite informative, thanks to your tips I've already been able to adjust and improve the way I use soft lures. I want to thank you for your knowledge about "going slow" to catch hesitant zander. At one of my regular spots I could see zander during the afternoon coming to the very edge of the river but they didn't show any interest in a traditional shad with jighead. Because I'd spotted a crayfish the night before, I decided to rig a creaturebait onto a ned rig and follow your advice to leave the bait on the bottom for 5-6 second intervals. I forced myself to count before making it hop again. My patience was rewarded by two 60cm zander. When a friend arrived, he used the same method and also caught 2 zander. Hope to see more videos in the future. Perhaps you could make a video about "reading" locations (features on the bank, obstacles, currents, depth differences) such as rivers for pike.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Hi there, sorry for the delay in replying to this comment. Honestly I absolutely love it when I get comments like this that people have learned something from my videos or articles and caught more fish and improved as anglers so thank you for taking the time to comment 🙏🙏🙏

[@lexuscraig]

I always come to the kit room as I love the valuable info you give. And with the putting it into practice fishing, Perfect mate. Can't wait for the next one.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Awesome thanks Craig 🙏

[@bretthurrell6944]

Definitely a better format, the purely instructional videos from the kit room are good, but mixed with live fishing and analysis. Much much better 👍🏻.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thanks Brett, deffo aiming to do more

[@Cavanpikefishing]

Western crayfish next lure for pike if they don't have one great vid with great tips thanks tom😊🎣

[@blankmasterfishing]

Your sir really know what you're doing! There's a lot to learn from your videos! What a session, as I was watching I thought, Man There's no chance in my lifetime I could catch about 15+ Pike in one session here in the North West😂 specially with average being really good size fish. It was fun to watch. 3 or 4 double hook ups in one session😮 My hat is definitely off to you sir. Hopefully you can post more videos out on the bank like this in the future, I would enjoy watching them. Keep them coming 🤜🏼🤛🏼

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thanks for your message. I really love it when people are learning from my videos 🙏 It’s all about finding the right venues, and then a day like that is an exceptional day!

[@blankmasterfishing]

@Thomhuntfishing Absolutely, I share your thoughts and I'm going to quote something you said on one of your videos "every day is a school day". Every time I'm out fishing I spend a lot of time paying attention to other fellow fishermen when they are catching fish, what time of lure they using, how long they are letting it drop, is it touching the bottom before they start retrieving, the speed and style of the retrieval and many times that converts onto a fish a few moments later because that's what was triggering them to bite. Watching where the birds are hunting for baitfish and even where the direction the wind is blowing to. I can't wait to get on the bank this weekend and put some of time in practice😁 thank you!

[@mattgoodchild8215]

What a session what a lake wicked video Loved your analysis at the end bang on

[@garysimpson8860]

I know this upload was a year ago but I’m not a beginner at lure fishing but id still like to know what tackle you might use for different fishing , ie braid strength, trace or floro etc etc and great videos one off the top ones really easy to watch and very very informative thanks as you never stop learning 👍

[@thelureangler4346]

Brilliant video Thom, thanks for the time and effort you’ve put into making it. I personally really like the “kit room” videos, I’ve watched every one, many a few times. I like the information, the thought process, the ideas, the learning 🧠. I’ve personally never been a fan of any KZbin videos on the bank when it’s just a video of people fishing, overlayed with music…. 😴 Not even as much as a description of gear, method or lure choices. It’s great that you’ve managed to get the best of both worlds, some great fishing footage with top tips and tricks mixed in and narrated. I like the format! Great video, thanks again.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thanks man, really looking forward to making a few more!

[@BeneathTheWavesFishingJersey]

loved that - new subby from us here in JErsey :D

[@fin4889]

I am dead excited for more on the water content! Thanks for such high quality information as always

[@Thomhuntfishing]

No probs! Glad you enjoyed it and hope you picked up a few good tips?

[@fin4889]

@@Thomhuntfishing Yeah definitely, I got a good idea of the kind of speed your reel with and also find it reassuring that you find swimbaits in shallow, weedy water to be a method that's often too fast just as I have in my local stretches. I know you mention that sort of thing a lot in your videos but to see the proof in the pudding on video, it's really given me more confidence in what I've learned from your channel :))

[@leafysfishing]

Would love to see more videos on catching big perch... I can't edit but this was fine .. love the videos either way. I think your channel would go even further if you could edit more fishing vids like this 👍 thanks for the content.. love it. More of this type of stuff 👍

[@benjones3819]

Really enjoyed this - you turn it into a bit more of a science instead of the random cast and hope for the best that many fishermen do. I use to be like this in the beginning, and had some very long days on the bank😂 Its nice to have someone show you different things/methods to try when nothing seems to be biting.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Yep…. It’s what I call the Riddle of fishing. Changes every day and often very difficult to work out!

[@matthewwooldridge164]

Really enjoyed that Thom, some great tips in there, they certainly loved the hard baits

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Cheers, yeah a lot of people say some days they like the hard baits, some days they like soft baits…. I like to find out why 👍🏻

[@kevinproudman3776]

Brilliant video Thom, great content, very informative and lots and lots of Pike. 👌 👍

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thanks Kevin, more to come soon!

[@sandorkovacs9271]

finally you are back!!!! im heading to Llandegfedd in the morning, wish me luck :)

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Good luck my friend I hope you get a big one!

[@sandorkovacs9271]

@@Thomhuntfishing thanks Thom im so excited. 6lb pb needs a beating 😂

[@davidhunt6322]

Just back from a short session before work , put a deadbait out and a pig shad on the lure rod, which got a shy bite but no hookup. Changed over to a westin jerkster in perch pattern, first cast and landed a nice little 8lber. I can see what you mean about the water heating up and fish bunching up in bays as the jerkbait was a suspending presentation, plus added a steel ball to keep it in that zone. Great video 👍

[@maciasduchywod]

Great video and some good fun ! :) Keep recording I think I changed my view on fishing thanks to Your videos. Thanks

[@deanmentjes7774]

Great video! I liked and subscribed. I love the blend of educational and on-the-water footage. Keep up the great work.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thank you 🙏 It was my first try at filming and editing on the water content so appreciate your positive comment

[@JackSparrow-oi5jb]

Good work as always sir…thank you for taking the time to make the vid

[@Thomhuntfishing]

No worries! Please let me know any improvements. A bit shorter maybe?

[@JackSparrow-oi5jb]

I like the longer vid especially when they are full of info..also as I see some people have requested would b cool to see a perch one in similar format wading in a big water

[@oneevilkev]

Nice fishing Tom. Great video too!

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thanks Kevin yeah was a great day and really interesting to see different lures creating different responses

[@sorindstoian3262]

Hi Tom, I must confess... you are a true content creator, lots of information in one video, thank you.P.S. I "discovered" your channel thanks to Hundry Fish, the one from Luretopia

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thank you very much! I really like peoples feedback. If there is anything you’d like me to make a video on then please let me know

[@ronfullelove6995]

Working my way through your videos. Fantastic content, thanks for putting the effort in. Would love to see some more on the bank video's. Maybe boat fishing one of the Big reservoirs. 👍

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Hi Ron, thanks for the comment. Have a look on the Westin Fishing channel, there’s a few on there with me filmed by a real cameraman so much better quality than my channel! 😂

[@cheza7061]

First time watching and subscribed. They were some gorgeous pike, well done guys!!!

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thank you Cheza, glad you enjoyed it! As it was you first time watching…. I’m always interested in my viewers….. where are you from and how did you find the channel please?

[@markward8216]

Great fishing

[@danevans740]

Some epic fish in this footage dude, just getting back into the Predator fishing and loving the content 👌

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Cheers Dan, glad you liked it and hope it inspires you to get out there and catch a few! Keep me updated 👍🏻

[@daniellaw8999]

Great content, very enjoyable viewing.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thanks Daniel appreciate the positive comment 👍🏻

[@daniellaw8999]

@@Thomhuntfishing as much as I've enjoyed the kit room videos, and they've taken my own fishing to a new level, seeing things put into practice is always better.

[@johnbaalham1305]

Great content Thom as always 👌🏻

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thanks John…. More to come!

[@chrisdowns4756]

Excellent video entertaining and informative would like to see something similar for perch

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Hi Chris, yep got a few more videos like this planned including some perch vids 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@sandorkovacs9271]

i absolutely love this video, so please make more of these. this crayfish thing was a shocker to me. so much i learned again. i noticed the same on soft plastics on my lake. they collected the leaves and weed but fast retrieve doesnt work in cold water so i went to a diving crankbait that goes down to 5m. i know it sounds crazy but i could pull it down close to the bottom and stop it immediatelly when i felt something. little twitches and pulls and it kinda stayed close to the bottom and the retrieve was slow. that way i managed to catch a couple. im yet to do this with swim/glide baits, but tomorrow might be the day! You had a hell of a good day, congrats :) please make more videos like this, with the analysis in the end it is amazing. love that tigerfish poster on your wall :)

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Yes I’m hoping this to be my style from now on getting out on the bank more

[@sandorkovacs9271]

@@Thomhuntfishing that will be awesome cant wait to see more.

[@nickstone4973]

Great video Thom, some great pike . I seem to be struggling on my local canal at the moment just catching micro pike 🤣 better than nothing I guess .

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Keep trying! At least you’re getting a few… always think about different lures and different presentations the big ones can be very crafty

[@SaskFisher]

Great video! I usually dont fish snot rockets very much....or I mean Pike haha. But I want to get into it more this year. Got some real nice ones! Great job!!

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thank you! ‘Snot rockets’ ha ha never heard that before!

[@SaskFisher]

@@Thomhuntfishing Hahhah, yip or.... slough sharks

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

Minor suggestion -- If you are going to be making more of these videos (because i really hope you do!) Please consider getting a Polarizing filter for your gopro as I cant see what is going on with your lure or the fish you catch till you have it up on the surface with all that glare from the light reflecting off the water. Otherwise. Loving your videos and i've been learning a lot of tips and tricks for pike and perch that i didnt know before!

[@dominikwrobel3647]

Great format! Thanks for putting so much effort into this video! Just to fit in your educational content I would like to see more information about the conditions you are facing (water clarity, water temperature and so on) and the gear you are using. Really envy you for that healthy body of water you have around. I go fishing for pike a lot and so far I never had a blast like you had that day!

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Yes normally a good day for me is 3-7 pike, some small, when I get lucky sometimes a bit bigger but that was a good day I think I ended up with 18 pike that day!

[@leeemery9796]

A year late for this , just getting into more lure fishing with my boy and great information and fishing , what I will say is that the leach will be attaching to the pike mostly up in the water, just the same as carp etc when there resting up in the water to maintain temperature and drop to feed/hunt, fly anglers have great days imitating leaches normally after bright days leaches will leave cover to swim up and find a host, leaches can swim quiet well surprisingly, that’s not to say they don’t attach when fish are lower down but just an observation as from what I could see them pike where shallow to.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Wow I didn’t know that! I guess it mean they still have to be very motionless for that many leeches to attach? Whether on the bottom or up in the water?

[@leeemery9796]

Yes they’ll be motionless up or low down in the water normally in the warmest part digesting (thermal layers) I’d imagine them cray fish they’d pigged out on.

[@johnloxley8705]

What a cracking video. Love watching your videos and getting some tips and just a case of me getting some fishing done to put some of that knowledge you have shared into practice. Any chance you could maybe do a perch fishing video along the same lines as what you have just done? 😀😀😁😁🎣🎣👍🏽👍🏽

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thanks John, yep I’ve got another pike video I’ve already filmed and will edit (like my pike fishing until about now, then switch to perch) so will get a perch one done soon 👍🏻

[@johnloxley8705]

@@Thomhuntfishing your the man !!! All the best to you and yours thom 👍🏽😀🎣

[@nickturt]

Cracking video Thom! Would love to see one for perch 👀🤞👍

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Yep….. coming up! I’ll make that my next one to film

[@St0NeS0lo2.0]

I really enjoyed watching this Thom . Out of curiosity what leader material are you using with the braid?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

I think it would have been 28lb wire. Can’t remember it was a few years ago now!

[@bickleysanglingadventures5866]

Really enjoyed that, learnt alot from the way you retrieve, the only thing i can suggest is when you doing the pieces to camera, which i assume is on your phone, if you hold it the other way, landscape mode, it will fill the screen more. I personally would like to see a video about texas rigging with non floating baits on a canal, cause i can not see in my head how that works.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Yep I thought that too so will change it for my next one 👍🏻 Regarding Texas rigs…. Yep I use floating plastic most f the time as well 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@hoppe1991]

Awesome video and very educational video Thom. Kitrrom videos with the theory and mixing in some videos from the bank were you showcase the praxis adds another layer to it. Love it. Why don't you do a few casts in the shallows before you step into the water?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Hi Rene thanks for the comments. I know the venue quite well and it’s very shallow for the first few metres and lots of backside trees etc so getting out a little bit stops me snagging on the cast!

[@kurtis8384]

Would love to see an analysis like this for perch on a stillwater from the bank

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Yep that’s the plan…. Had a few people ask for a perch one so will get that done ASAP

[@kurtis8384]

@@Thomhuntfishing legend

[@elwooddestiny11blues20]

Good to see you back Thom . Always educational . I got an idea for a video for you . I know your very techincal and its like a science to you . Could you do a video on mainlines and leaders . Materials and diameters . How they affect casting and presentation . Also weights and lure profiles . Example . I know when i fish super ultra light with say a 2lb fluorcarbon mainline straight through for wasping . I can fish the same lure and with a slightly larger diameter fluorocarbon and the lure will need a slightly heavier jighead to get the maximum amount of bites . I know its more often what works on the day but i cant help but realise , what seems to me , to get the perfect maximum action with each soft plastic that line diameter and material plus weight of jighead play apart . On the same day I can use a 1.5-2g jighead with a fluoro diameter of say 0.12 and get maximum bites . But I find if i step it up to 3g with the same diameter line i still get bites but not as many . If i step up the mailine to 0.16 diameter , im then having to step up the weight of the jighead to 3g with the exact same soft plastic to hit the maximum bites . If i use the same 2g jighead on the heavier 0.16 diameter line i still get bites but not the maximum if that makes sense . Profile of lure also has an effect on jighead weight to line and leader material to line and leader diameter to me . Then you have flow if your fishing a river . Is it to do with where the lure sits in the water colume straight when working the lure thats the reason ? If so , why do i notice it when im bouncing along the bottom slowly to ? Didnt mean for it to be so long but i hope you get the idea and can put it into a video . Or maybe im just over analysing it and going crazy . Braid floats , fluorocarbon sinks , wind drag , floating vs sinking soft plastic materials . Mainline composition to diameter to jighead weight for maximum bite ratio !!! Does it even exist ??? Arghhhhhhhhhhh . Lol . I look foward to your next video . Thumbs up from me . Hahahahaha .

[@elwooddestiny11blues20]

I forgot to mention depth !!!

[@Flippin4Fish]

This’ll get me a quarter of the way through my journey haha

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Just watch it 4 times then! 👌😂

[@leafysfishing]

Oh and yea I always revert back to whatever lures iv caught most on 🤣 kept sticking my fox replicant on altho it was a new lmab 7cm kofi roach that caught for me yesterday 👍gonna try the westin shadeez I believe it is.. what size jig head suits them? The ones around 7cm size? Thanks.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Hi 7cm Shadteez works well on 1-6g, and a size 1/0 hook 👍🏻

[@paulharris6886]

A very enjoyable and informative vid Thom. One question: you said it was January and the water very cold. One swim had a very deep drop-off, yet you seemed to be keeping the lure very shallow, retrieving straight away and not letting it sink a good bit. The fish were feeding deep (crayfish) and covered with leeches, yet you were hooking-up like it was early summer!?!? Is it because you know that particular water so well or am I not getting it? Great stuff👍 Hahaha!! I should have watched the end of the vid first!!

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Hi Paul, I meant ‘deep for waders’ it drops off to about 4-5ft so too deep to wade where as the rest of the lake is only 1-2ft in the edges.

[@paulharris6886]

@@Thomhuntfishing thanks Thom, all is now clear. I’d like to see you tackle a 5ft deep silk and streamer weed choked river with a lot of silt for summer Perch. This is what I have to contend with and I find it hard work.

[@zoomzoomgt]

So damn lucky to have an Infested pike pond/lake.

[@EthanPriceOutdoors]

great

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Thank you 🙏

[@alanrobson4965]

Top drawer Thom

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Cheers Al! I picked up on most of it during the day but always interesting to watch the footage back and learn more detail

[@EsoxFlow]

Great Vid Mate keep em coming 👍👍, was that the 240 W8 Powerstrike 30-80g ?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Yeah, not had it long but it’s quickly becoming my favourite medium weight pike rod 👌👌👌

[@mattdunnell2298]

Great video Thom, i notice with the swims you don't really jerk and twitch them, most straight retrieves with pauses. Is that just due to the fish wanting it faster? I only jerk my swim, maybe i'm missing a trick not straight retrieving?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Yeah I used to be the same…. Almost exclusively twitching them but especially when the pike are active or at least semi active there’s something mesmerising about the slow S swimming action

[@paake3134]

What a great vid again Thom! What was the setup on your gear, that rod looks wicked.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Hi there…. It was a Westin W8 Powerstrike 30-80g and 2500 Shimano Ultegra with 30lb YGK X8 braid

[@colt5618]

Enjoyed the video excellent content. Question, which was the most successful lure on the day?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Definitely the Westin Swim 10cm. 👍🏻 caught on quite a few different colours. Second best was the Ricky the Roach 15cm suspending swim bait

[@LesSutcliffe-x2n]

Can you tell me what the landing is that you are using in this video please

[@leongoerger9768]

hi been looking all over word someone using the w10 im thinking of getting the 20-60g baitcaster hows the action on yours? are they worth the money?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Hi there, the rod I’m using is the W8 Powerstrike 30-80g and it is absolutely brilliant. However, the W10 range you mention is in a different league. Yes they are more expensive but I almost guarantee will be the best rod you have ever used in your life

[@petew7856]

Thom. If you didn’t fish competitively would you still use treble hooks on lures? Are they not something we should be moving away from?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Depends on the species I think. For pike there’s actually an argument, and in my experience I agree with it, that a treble hook can do less damage than a big single. They go in and then don’t move, where as if a big single goes in in the wrong place it can definitely tear. However for chub, or to a certain degree perch, singles definitely have a place especially on hardbaits.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

I’ve made an assumption there that when you said ‘moving away from them’ I was assuming you were talking about potential damage that trebles do? I’m open to hearing your thoughts 👍🏻

[@petew7856]

I don’t like the fact that on some KZbin videos one of the spare trebles can be seen to have lodged in the flank or around the head of a fish (mainly with perch) during the fight.

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Ah yes I know what you mean. That especially happens with longer baits like minnow style jerkbaits as the hooks are further apart. I don’t fish that style very much though

[@jamiemillbourn9936]

Just out of interest, what clips are you using to attach your lures to your trace?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Mustad Fastach size 2 for smaller (10 & 12cm baits) and size 3 for lures up to 18/20cm

[@jamiemillbourn9936]

@@Thomhuntfishing cheers Tom 👍🏻 cracking video also

[@ChrisWhite.fishing]

Dunno. I'm on my de-diversify path at the moment. Svartzonker 17-23cm, ShadTeez 12-16cm and Miuras mouse. 3-4 colors. Period.

[@maciasduchywod]

One question Thom : Did You try to use spinnerbait or it was just not the type of lure for the day ?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Good question! Yes I did try the spinner bait two or three times during the day but never had a follow or a bike from here for spinner baits I normally like a bit of wind so if they were on the offshore points in deeper water where there’s some wind they would’ve worked in those shallow bays that were calm I couldn’t get the spinner bait to work

[@maciasduchywod]

@@Thomhuntfishing Thank You 👍

[@benjones3819]

Whats the reel & braid strength btw?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Reel is a Shimano Ultegra 2500 and the braid is 30lb YGK G-soul

[@benjones3819]

@@Thomhuntfishing Niceone, is there any basic guide on how to pair the size of reel with the rod? E.g. would a 20-80g rod pair with a 4000 sized reel or would that be a bit too heavy?

[@Thomhuntfishing]

Hi Ben, I should do a video on this really! So partly you need to consider the size/weight of the reel for balance, and partly for retrieve rate. On light UL set ups it’s 500 or 1000 size. Mid range is 2000, 2500 & 3000 and 4000 is pike on spinning reels for sort of 80-150g rods. You could deffo use a 4000 on a 30-80g but I’d suggest 2500 or 3000 would be better (but again depends on the balance of it on the rod)

[@benjones3819]

@@Thomhuntfishing Makes sense, Ill go for a 3000 I think. Just seen a rather nice Shimano Sustain😅 And the Penn Fathom for the heavier stuff👌🏼

[@benjones3819]

@@Thomhuntfishing Just had my shimano sustain in a 3000 size! Really nice reel👌🏼Is there anyway you advise on spooling a reel with braid Thom? Any backing line? Cheers!