The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Do any of our members use vintage pike lures and are able to comment on their effectiveness?

As we know pike lures have developed over the years with advances in colours and action but have these advances made a difference?

I have a few vintage lures which, as a traditionalist, I'd prefer to use but am I reducing my chances of catching? Would I be better off sticking with my plugs and rubber lures?

Here's my small collection;



Thanks in advance chaps,
Scott

Earlier this year my son caught his first ever pike on this chubby old lure.

I would certainly recommend using them.

However, you should ensure that you casting into open water, as snagging and losing these charming fellas would be a shame.

Lovely old lures Scott. Red and white certainly works for me and these lures have caught plenty of Pike in the past so should take their rightful place in your armoury. I would focus more on the water you are fishing and the action of the lure to achieve your objectives i.e. surface, mid water, deep diving etc and then make your own decisions based on function.
I'd happily take those three down the lake where I'm currently fishing and if the Pike are up for it they will go for them.
I dread to think what percentage of floats and lures that are purchased never see water. Less is more sometimes Scott.

Earlier this year my son caught his first ever pike on this chubby old lure.

Blimey that's a well fed Pike...very nice young man

Sion, a Shakespeare Big S lure by the looks of it. Great old lures those.
I still use some of the old Abu HiLo plugs.

Use them! They will still catch fish - the pike have not changed. That Big S is a great catcher, always has been and I expect always will be.

Yes, I agree the chubby feller is Shakey's Big S, a great lure for playing the injured fish, rolling about, moving up and down just like a sick fish in my aquariums that I used to have so many of.

The lures Scott shows are earlier and I think the red and white one might have an adjustable vane as the early Abu Hi-Los did. Red and white doesn't seem a natural look to us these days with such fine fishy looking lures around now, yet they work. I can only think they too play to the injured or ill fish appearance that has given pike so many easy meals before and they therefore trigger an attack.

And that's the thing really....it isn't about what looks 'right' to us, it's what looks like easy food to the pike and to that end working the lure to make it look injured or ill is the key. Old lures will do that just as well as new ones and I'm not averse to running one in the bath to see what makes it work in that regard...too see just what makes it roll and wobble, rise and dive.

Nice collection of oldies, too Scott. They put me in mind of the illustrations in Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing that captivated me all those long years ago.........

Use them in open water but crush those barbs or consider replacing the hooks.

Scott I was on Ullswater last weekend fishing for a few hours, tried all the modern stuff, plastics (soft and hard), plugs and what ever else I had in my box. The only thing to work? a 20 year old Mepps spinner! Just goes to show new isn't always better. Nice colelction by the way.

MaggotDrowner wrote:Use them in open water but crush those barbs or consider replacing the hooks.

Add butchers rings where there aren't any? yes makes life easier and get more movement
Change hooks? why not
Barbless? Nope, my experience is that Barbless do lots more damage as a respectably sized barbed treble (4) will hook and hold.
Its all opinion but that is mine. On Saturday I had an 8lb Jack break an Owner size 4 clean off...fortunately one of the remaining two hooks on the treble held good. It just goes to show what power is being exerted. Hungry looking fish.. disappointing given amount of bait fish present.