The figure 8 works good if you see them coming for it close to the boat. One time I had a pike come up 10' from the boat, at a buzzbait I was throwing for muskies, and it saw the boat or me and took a dive out of sight. I made large oval with the rod about 2' in the water and the pike came up and nailed the buzzbait before I completed the oval. I use a large oval instead of a "8" in the water. That is the only pike I've caught on a figure 8 though, and I end every cast with a figure 8 weather I see a fish following or not. Other than that fish all the pike I've caught have been at least 20' from the boat.
