I'm a ground pounding shore fisherman. I also like spinners for pike but I also use spoons. They cast a mile and pike really seem to respond well to them.
For a all around lure I like a 4" floating Rapala. I fish the Mississippi river so I use perch, black/silver and black/gold colors. Very versatile bait. I've worked them like jerkbaits with luck. I've also just twitched them on the surface and have had smallies blast 2' to 3' out of the water as they hit them on the surface. You can also just cast them out and retrieve them as search bait to see what a strange body of water holds. I've even caught sunfish on these. I'm sure it's a territorial reaction as it invades their beds.
For a all around lure I like a 4" floating Rapala. I fish the Mississippi river so I use perch, black/silver and black/gold colors. Very versatile bait. I've worked them like jerkbaits with luck. I've also just twitched them on the surface and have had smallies blast 2' to 3' out of the water as they hit them on the surface. You can also just cast them out and retrieve them as search bait to see what a strange body of water holds. I've even caught sunfish on these. I'm sure it's a territorial reaction as it invades their beds.