Pike season,hows yours started?

[BUDGIE]

Despite what is wrote in the angling press I reckon this years piking has got off to a great start with some right lumps having come out.Sadly none to my self yet! a 21lb 6ozs being my best so far but Im getting plenty of low doubles when I can get out so cant complain.The recent spell of high air pressure realy brought them on the feed down here in Kent. Hows it going for you guys?

[Andrew Burgess]

budgie said:

Hows it going for you guys?

I haven't even started yet. You see Budgie the West Midlands, Worcestershire and Warwickshire area is not a Ideally good place for piking as you should know (well you did lived here until went on a wander ;D) after that most of my waters did have pike at one time but either been removed or cull. I have started looking at some new waters but as you know the untimely death in our relations and your helps in the house and again due to my illness I haven't been out yet!

As also it is either really too far to go only just for an couple of hours for what - some really low figures pike! Well not not for me anyway.

What I would really like a very good still water in my area which will produce pike so where do I start looking?

Budgie, I am not being funny with you but as you are living in Kent which is a pure heaven area for pike! So next time I come down to you, get some time off work and go pike fishing on the River Rother mate.

[Carpy]

Been out a couple of times, piking
But nothing yet. Went to a local venue with Dave, the pike wheir showing every ware, down in the margins right by my feet was a massive pike.
We seen many pike just cruising around on top, but not intrested on taking any offering.
Will try again soon.

[Andrew Burgess]

At least I have found out where he was fishing from! Cheers Frank!

[anglerpaul]

Not been piking yet. But some good fish been caught by my friends.
Cant tell you the venue, Andrew will beat me to it.
Plus what is the best method to fish for pike on a pool.
open water or down by the margins.

[BUDGIE]

AP as always when asked about pike location I will have to answer where ever the food fish are! I would always start in the margins as in a lot of waters this is where most of the features that attract prey fish can be found. Open water is often pretty barren.

[anglerpaul]

Thanks BUDGIE the margins it is then, Sadly ONLY a 21lb 6ozs being the best so far. i would be really disappointed with that. ;D i would be jumping through hoops.
How is float fishing dead roach, and how deep do you fish, on the bottom or close to the top.
Have seen many Pike cruising around the top.

[BUDGIE]

Daft though it may look fishing a bait quite shallow over even deep water can be very productive.As a simple rule of thumb I fish my baits higher in the water during periods of high pressure and nailed to the bottom during low.If you can use more than one rod then try both!

One thing to bear in mind when selecting the depth that you fish a suspended bait as that a pike can see upwards a lot better than it can see down.

If your suspending a bait (live or dead) its best to use an up trace to avoid bite offs.

[anglerpaul]

Daft question to you, but you mention, fishing in high pressure or low. being the best times.
I'm a bit thick how done you tell, what the pressure is high or low.
I want to catch a good Pike before Christmas.
Great into BUDGIE

[Carpy]

Daft though it may look fishing a bait quite shallow over even deep water can be very productive.As a simple rule of thumb I fish my baits higher in the water during periods of high pressure and nailed to the bottom during low.If you can use more than one rod then try both!

One thing to bear in mind when selecting the depth that you fish a suspended bait as that a pike can see upwards a lot better than it can see down.

If your suspending a bait (live or dead) its best to use an up trace to avoid bite offs.

I have fished for pike with Dave on a pool which we have seen big pike moving around. And we have fished it 3 times this winter, without any luck.
Then i read Budgie's post.
We have been using a pike float and using dead roach as bait.
We always fished it on the bottom, we had on the last trip loads of bits within the first minute of casting, but it then went dead. We had many roach with bite marks and some ripped off parts.
But did not take the fish.
I can see now we should had fished higher up in the water.

[MrMatthew]

Hmmm I still wanna chuck my lures somewhere!

[BUDGIE]

Well we are definately into the second half of the season now.Jan and Feb can be hard months,mainly down to the weather conditions.A lot of still waters are frozrn and rivers in flood.Get it right though and they can still be caught.

Not been out as much as usual over the last two weeks due to the fishing wagon being knackered!

Still been a very average season for me other than that a few days after my origonal post I was lucky enoughin early December to get a 29lb 12ozs from the reservoir.Its the best Ive had for some time,infact since my PB back in 1998! cheered me up after a bit of a rough year.

Hoping the river will be in better condition for this comming month as it can produce its better fish prior to spawning. All of my teach ins are done for the season so can put a bit more in for myself (er car permiting!!)

As we get to the backend of the season in March Pike can become very finicky and I tend to scrap my normal sunken float paternoster live bait rigs for a more free running version.Seems to help.

A lot of Pike will be making their way to the spawning areas and will often be found hanging just of the shallows in deeper water prior to spawning.They can really feed hard both before and after this.

[BUDGIE]

mrmatthew said:

Hmmm I still wanna chuck my lures somewhere!

Have you tried the River Severn above Bewdly? Plenty of pike there and fishable on a day ticket.A mobile aproach with your lure rod should produce plenty of jacks with the chance of some doubles.

The weirpool at Cropthorne on the River Avon used to be good for both lure and bait fishing.

[MrMatthew]

Thanks Budgie, I will have to plan something for the then....

[Carpy]

I'm up for another session piking, and Dave is too.
Maybe go the weekend sometime Matthew.
let me know, and i will get thinks going.