IN-LINE SPINNERS
WHEN TO FISH 'EM: Tie on an in-line spinner when you find pike in and around pencil reeds and lush vegetation, especially weeds growing on underwater points, offshore reefs and saddles tucked between islands.

WHERE AND HOW: Bulge the surface of the water as you retrieve the lure around, over and down the open lanes of reed- and weedbeds. Experiment with blade sizes, shapes and colours. As a general rule, larger and wider spinner blades create more loft, allowing you to retrieve the lure slowly while still creating the illusion of a fast-moving bait.

While most anglers know that in-line spinners are fabulous around vegetation, few cast them over shallow rock piles, reefs and shoals. But they should. Also, scale down the size of the lure when the weather conditions are poor (bright sun, warm, clear, calm water) and the pike bite slows.

PYZER'S PICKS (click here for photo): [A] Mepps Musky Marabou, [B] M/G Buck-A-Boo, [C] Blue Fox Vibrax Musky Buck, [D] Mepps Aglia #5, [E] Mepps Aglia Long #4, [F] Mepps Musky Killer.


ACCESSORIES

Click here for photo

[A] LANDING NET Frabill's Power Catch Kwik Kradle net allows you to safely land the most monstrous of fish. Better yet, keep the pike in the humongous net over the side of the boat in the water while you remove the hooks.

[B] POLARIZED SUNGLASSES: A good pair of polarized sunglasses is essential for spotting weedlines, sunken cover and even giant gators cruising the flats.

[C] SCENT: Ultrabite, Dr. Juice and YUM Attractant all work. Fish hold onto good-tasting lures longer, giving you an extra second or two to set the hooks. And oily, scented soft-plastics slide through weeds and reeds like a greased pig at a county fair.

[D] FORCEPS: These are great for helping to quickly construct new leaders and quick-strike rigs on the spot using Sevenstrand wire.

[E] LONG-REACH HOOK REMOVER: This is essential for removing hooks deep inside the toothy cavern of a giant pike's mouth.

[F] TELESCOPIC LURE RETRIEVER: Snagged again? This will pay for itself after you retrieve a couple of pricey lures.

[G] SEVEN-INCH SIDE CUTTERS: A trophy pike is far too valuable to kill because of deeply imbedded hooks. If you can't get them out, your only option is to snip them off.

[H] FISHING GLOVES: If you're not wearing them, eventually there will be blood in the boat-and it will likely be yours. There's a reason we lovingly refer to pike as toothy critters.

[I] DOUBLE-SIDED HOOK SHARPENER: The hooks on pike lures take a beating as they smash into weeds, rocks, wood and bony pike maws. Sharpening them regularly will mean more fish.

[J] REPLACEMENT TREBLES: Speaking of hooks, always carry several extra, high-quality Gamakatsu trebles (especially in the bleeding-red colour) in various sizes.

[K] SUPER-LINE SCISSORS: These Rapala scissors are indispensable if you fish with braided line. Clippers are fine for monofilament, but they'll only fray super-line.

[L] JAW SPREADERS: Pike have a habit of inhaling lures, then clamping down and refusing to let go. A pair of jaw spreaders makes unhooking them much easier.