Maybe it the time of year, but small has been my go to strategy. I have caught almost all of my big pike on small lures. I just came out of quetico on sunday actually and between two canoes we had about 15 or more pike over 36 landed in our 8 day trip and it all happened in one spot... all the fish but one were one a 3inch flat rap. and over the years i have caught the majority of my big pike on that bait. including a 46 a couple years back. also a buddy i typically fish with almost exclusivly fishes a mistertwister casting all day and he will catch multipile big pike every year on that bait and ive even seen him catch big walleye on it too. on the flip side his brother spent 10 day period with us only fishing big baits as in muskey baits and did not catch any big pike on it. I have never gone later then june and that may have a part in it but for me shallow and small baits have been my big producers.