The sun can definitely play a role in northern pike fishing. The sun doesn’t always make the fishing better or worse. Pike are opportunistic feeders, so if you can find them and present them with a bait that interests them, you will probably get plenty of bites. However, understanding how the sun may affect the fishing can help you fish smarter and catch more pike on a sunny day.
Clear Water
In clear water, pike will usually be found deeper on sunny days. If you’re looking to target them shallower, early morning and evening are the better times to fish for them. The low light conditions help the pike feel more comfortable in the shallows. Once the sun gets higher in the sky, you’re going to have to fish deeper if you want to catch more pike.
Murky Water
In murkier water, the sun will actually help the pike to see your lures and baits better. Pike are sight feeders so the sun will actually help to improve the bite quite a bit in stained waters.
Use Flashy Lures
Flashy spinners and spoons work well all the time, but on sunny days, pike can see these baits from a long ways away. Flashy lures do great when the sun is up higher in the sky.
