alan-g-w
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Registered: 9th Nov 07
Location: Glasgow
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I'm going down to the local reservoir for a bit of pike fishing tomorrow with a mate. It's the second time I've fished for pike ever so it's all a bit new to me - anyone on here into a bit of fishing that can offer any tips or hints to increase the chance of catching?
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Kyle T
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Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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Pike are spawning around now, so the big mama's will be likely not to be feeding.
The Jacks (male pike) will still be feeding, but typically they only go up to around 10lbs in size.
Are you fishing from a boat or from the bank? If from the bank - target whatever features you can such as overhanging trees, reed beds, snaggy areas. Don't be tempted just to lob it out as far as you can.
I'm presuming you'll be fishing deadbaits, but if you're doing some lure work - keep moving and cast around alot - you're likely to only get action if the lure goes right past the nose of a fish so don't expect them to come to you.
Good luck!
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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BarnshaW
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when the weather is warmer they are a bit more active and you can tend to catch them better on livebait or lures, when water is colder they tend to be deeper and lazier and prefer deadbaits.
most seabaits will be alright such as mackerel, lamprey, sprats etc.
personally i would float flish a roach deadbait if you can get it, fish fairly deep and you wont go wrong.
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alan-g-w
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Cheers for the reply lads.
Aye, I'm using dead bait - I've got mackerel tails and a wee selection of frozen full fish, would you say totally defrost them or take them still a bit frozen?
I'm fishing from the bank but the bit I'm going to is quite bare tbh - there's a bit of a weed bed in the shallows but I reckon it's only about 2 or 3 feet deep.
I got the little polystyrene pellets to push into the bait to prop it off the bottom - would you rate these or would I be better going off the bottom?
[Edited on 07-04-2011 by alan-g-w]
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alan-g-w
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I'm sure I've got a roach there in one of the packs I've got so I'll give that a whirl first
Also, I got some lamprey oil with a BFO syringe to inject the fish with. I was told it someties makes the difference between catching or not but is the stuff really that good?
[Edited on 07-04-2011 by alan-g-w]
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BarnshaW
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i would keep them frozen until an hour or two before arriving, they will defrost pretty quick.
anything near weed bed where there is cover will be a good feature, any feature in the water or where they can trap smaller fish is a good gamble.
you can try popping up the bait, personally if it was me i would fish overdepth by half foot to a foot, gives the pike a few seconds to pick up bait and move off without sensing any tension
also i guess there is no harm in using oils etc, never used them myself though but worth a shot, normally use them in murky waters when visibility isnt good, most pike eat their fish on visibility not smell
[Edited on 07-04-2011 by BarnshaW]
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Kyle T
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Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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Visibly the injections give me a lot of confidence - huge oil slicks coming from a deadbait makes it look more likely to attract a fish 
Realistically it probably makes no difference 
I've been experiencing VERY tentative bites this winter, but it's warming up now so you may get more screamers. The overdepth tactic is sound, and helps to encourage the more nervous bites - as does fishing with slack line and a running ledger when fishing along the bottom.
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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chrisritch
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Registered: 2nd Sep 08
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Definitely take some smelts with you. Popped up just off the bottom.
Many people dont take into account how effective groundbait can be for pike. Brown crumb mixed with red dye and mashed up fish is brilliant. Atracts lost of prey fish which then in turn attracts pike.
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chrisritch
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And be aware of your buzzers at all times and dont leave it too late with striking. Trying to sort out a deep hooked pike is a problem you dont want to have to deal with
And take some very thin strand string/cotton if your using soft deadbaits such as herring etc
Also be very careful when releasing them at this time of year. Most will tire themselves out very quickly and will need a bit of support when first returned to the water. Keep hold of them until you feel them kick away 
[Edited on 07-04-2011 by chrisritch]
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alan-g-w
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Aye I'll try it in about the weed for a bit anyway.
As said I'm pretty much an amature at this point, I've only ever fished smaller tackle for trout, perch, roach etc. so excuse the noobness but what exactly is fishing overdepth?
And you're right about those slick Kyle
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BarnshaW
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Registered: 25th Oct 06
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fishing overdepth is bascially fishing deeper then the lake is, so setting the float to say 10 foot when its only 9 foot.
the float will lay flat or have slack line between the float and hoock so there is no tension on it, when you get a pike pick up your bait it will have to take a foot of line before it registers on the float
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chrisritch
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quote:
Originally posted by alan-g-w
Aye I'll try it in about the weed for a bit anyway.
As said I'm pretty much an amature at this point, I've only ever fished smaller tackle for trout, perch, roach etc. so excuse the noobness but what exactly is fishing overdepth?
And you're right about those slick Kyle
Overdepth is when fishing with excess line on the deck. FOr exanple when you plumb the depth you would find the bottom and then move the float that bit higher
Im shit at explaining things lol
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alan-g-w
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Cheers chrisritch, not got any buzzers at this point but I stick a wee spinner on the line between the first and second eyesso I know when it goes
Groundbait's a mysetery to me, I see it all the time on Matt Hayes' Extreme Fishing (quality programme) but it looks very effective. I'm going to need to get into it
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BarnshaW
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one last thing i will say, dont be scared to fish about a foot out or even less, catch nearly most my big pike fishing less then a foot out from the bank 
last one was below on the river thames, i was fishing about 20cm from the bank in about 3 foot of water with a roach deadbait:
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chrisritch
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quote:
Originally posted by alan-g-w
Cheers chrisritch, not got any buzzers at this point but I stick a wee spinner on the line between the first and second eyesso I know when it goes
Groundbait's a mysetery to me, I see it all the time on Matt Hayes' Extreme Fishing (quality programme) but it looks very effective. I'm going to need to get into it
Go to your local pet shop, not pets at home, your average high street sole trader, they have brown crumb for about 65p per KG compared to nearly £3 in tackle shops
As for buzzers, My old man used to have a bent in half tin can lid, when it fell off and clanged on the ground, he knew he had a run
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chrisritch
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quote:
Originally posted by BarnshaW
one last thing i will say, dont be scared to fish about a foot out or even less, catch nearly most my big pike fishing less then a foot out from the bank
last one was below on the river thames, i was fishing about 20cm from the bank in about 3 foot of water with a roach deadbait:
12lb ish?
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alan-g-w
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Ah right, sounds like a good idea since I take it it would help with snags as well? Definetely giving it a try anyway.
How do I go about setting the float 10' away from the hook without having to cast 10' of line?
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BarnshaW
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12 pound? you having a laugh it weighed 22 pound 8. same spot week later had a bigger fish but left scales at home
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chrisritch
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quote:
Originally posted by alan-g-w
Ah right, sounds like a good idea since I take it it would help with snags as well? Definetely giving it a try anyway.
How do I go about setting the float 10' away from the hook without having to cast 10' of line?
Use a sliding float or a polaris float with a small stop knot where you want the float to stop.
Ill try and find a diagram for setting it up hang on
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alan-g-w
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That's a beast Barndoor, reservoir is a very gradual drop off though - would it still be worth a try?
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chrisritch
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quote:
Originally posted by BarnshaW
12 pound? you having a laugh it weighed 22 pound 8. same spot week later had a bigger fish but left scales at home
DIdnt mean to take the piss I always struggle guessing pike because they are always long and slender
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BarnshaW
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sliding stop knots are ok, not really needed if fishing close in, measure the depth, and then use a small splitshot on the line to lock where the float stops.
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chrisritch
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last one I caught
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BarnshaW
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Registered: 25th Oct 06
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nice fish that, looks nice and fat
alan you can use a very similar rig to the one below:
[Edited on 07-04-2011 by BarnshaW]
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chrisritch
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quote:
Originally posted by BarnshaW
nice fish that, looks nice and fat
[Edited on 07-04-2011 by BarnshaW]
All of 13lb lol
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