Master Fishing Guide (MFG) is an independent fishing brand focused entirely on pike fishing, built on real experience, continuous testing, and years spent on the water.
MFG started in the simplest way possible — a group of friends who spent years fishing together, sharing ideas, testing gear, and figuring out what actually works when targeting pike.
After more than 20 years on the water, we realized that most fishing advice online doesn’t match real conditions. That’s when the idea came to turn our experience into something useful for other anglers.
The idea behind Master Fishing Guide was simple — to build something that allows us to spend more time on the water, explore new fisheries, and continue learning.
Everything we build goes back into the same cycle — more time fishing, more testing, and more real knowledge to share.
This project keeps growing with every season we fish.
Who We Are
My name is Aleksandar Jonic, and I’m the founder of Master Fishing Guide. I started this site to turn years of real fishing experience into clear, practical knowledge that actually helps on the water.
While I lead the editorial direction and manage the platform, this is not a one-man project.
We are a small team of anglers who fish together, travel when possible, and constantly exchange what we see on the water.
Everyone contributes through real experience — that’s what makes this site different.
The MFG Team
Even though we work as a group, each member of the MFG team focuses on a specific part of pike fishing — from reading water and tracking seasonal behavior to testing gear and identifying patterns that consistently repeat in real conditions.
- Water & Behavior Focus: Understanding seasonal movement, depth changes, and feeding windows.
- Gear Testing: Testing rods, reels, lines, and lures across different conditions and seasons.
- Pattern Tracking: Connecting what happens across different waters to find repeatable results.
Every guide we publish is built by combining these perspectives into one clear system.
What We Focus On
MFG is fully focused on pike fishing — understanding how pike behave, where they move, and how to catch them consistently across different seasons.
We cover:
- Seasonal pike behavior (cold water, pre-spawn, summer, late season)
- Location strategies (weed edges, drop-offs, river systems)
- Lure selection and presentation
- Rod, reel, line, and leader setups
How We Test Gear
We don’t believe in quick reviews or “on-paper” recommendations.
All gear is tested through real fishing across all seasons — from cold water conditions to summer heat, including wind, weeds, pressure, and changing fish behavior.
Before any product is included in our guides, it has to prove itself in real situations:
- Consistency: How it performs after repeated use across different conditions
- Hook-up reliability: Performance during real strikes, including short hits and missed takes
- Durability: Resistance to pike teeth, structure, and long-term wear
- Control: Performance during the fight with strong fish
We’ve had plenty of days where nothing worked — no strikes, no follows, just empty water. Those are the days that taught us the most, because that’s when you’re forced to understand what’s really happening below the surface.
If something doesn’t work when it matters, we don’t recommend it.
Where Our Experience Comes From
Our experience is built across both European and North American waters.
In Europe, we’ve spent time on rivers such as the Danube and Sava, along with well-known pike waters like Lake Vänern, Lake Mälaren, and Lough Derg.
In North America, our knowledge is shaped through fishing and studying patterns connected to waters like Lake of the Woods, Devils Lake, Mille Lacs Lake, Lake St. Clair, as well as river systems such as the Mississippi River backwaters and the St. Lawrence River.
These waters help us understand how pike behave under different pressure levels, climates, and seasonal changes.
Shared Experience Across Waters
Over the years, we’ve built strong connections with anglers across Europe and North America.
Through regular conversations, shared sessions, and ongoing exchange of ideas, we compare observations about pike behavior, seasonal changes, and gear performance in different environments.
This constant exchange of real-world information helps us recognize patterns faster and understand how pike react across different waters, pressure levels, and fishing styles.
Our Mission
Our goal is simple — to help anglers stop guessing and start understanding pike fishing.
Every article is built to give you something you can actually use on the water.
No theory for the sake of theory — just real patterns, real conditions, and real experience.
Independence and Transparency
Some articles on Master Fishing Guide contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
This does not influence what we recommend.
If a product doesn’t perform for pike fishing, it doesn’t belong in our guides.
You can read more on our Affiliate Disclosure.
Contact
If you want to reach out, share your experience, or discuss collaboration, feel free to contact us.
We usually respond within 24–48 hours.