Make sure you watch some films about how to unhook pike and of course take some forceps. It’s easy to kill them if you don’t know what you’re doing. The key is to grip them under the jaw.
years ago i fished the dam regukarly, what worked best for me was a spoon and only a dozen or so casts in a spot and then move on, bit like fly fishing on a small river. This was before the variety of lures increased exponentially to what we have today. A mate used to buy sardines from the fishmongers and used sea-fishing gear, would go a season without a bite !!! Mind you, biggest i had was 4ibs but at least i had half dozen over the winter
ive actually studied the films for a few years, that's why i haven't been ,lack of confidence, last thing i want to do it damage or god forbid kill something as amazing as a pike, hence the barbless hooks i will be using, id rather let one get off than do damage.
Good advice DD.
Modern hooks are so well designed nowadays I don't feel the need to use barbed hooks. I've bought cheap spinners and plugs with crude barbed hooks on and replaced the with barbless. It's all about keeping in contact with the fish so keep a tight line when using barbless hooks. I'm no expert in pike fishing but I don't leave it to long to strike as I'm fearful of landing a deeply hooked fish. I have a thick pair of suede gardening gloves in my bag when pike fishing rather than use a gag when unhooking them.
You use a gag? How very ‘50 shades of grey‘ of you. But with a Pike??
Have you ever tried a BJ off a pike without a gag? ; )
Yes but I couldn’t yell at it to tell it to stop!
your all a great source of fishing knowledge and for that i really am grateful, i would never use a gag they look too medieval , gloved hand and my friend luckily works in operation theatres so i have a full array forceps coming in all shapes and sizes :)
up at the crack of dawn
Looking at that picture.........just being there is worth it.
Looks a nice water that. Try small spinners like this Mepps one for perch. I'll dig my spinning tackle out of the loft soon. Getting to be the right time for a bit of autumn spinning.
they say the camera never lies , well take another look at the picture,that isn't the rising sun,:)
Looks a cracking swim tbf.
i was looking at them only yesterday in tacklesavers (handforth) well angling direct as its known now
I used to have some really good sport on them on compstall lodge in the 80s. Spinners lures plugs have advanced considerably since then, and those soft jelly things look interesting. DD is more clued up on spinning than I am though.
