jeff smith

Sorry should've put the price in the original post.£25 and i'll pay for postage. Jeff

I've got a Strikeright Questaflo as new complete with original(tatty) box if you're interested.Not a very fashionable reel,and Strikeright usually made cheap pressed tin reels but this one must have been the top of their range because it's a 'proper' pin with a spindle and spins very well with a good start up.Works just as well as my main pin which is a Trudex.It's 4" with a narrow drum.

NOW SOLD!!!!!

Take a look at this; http://www.femail.com.au/competition-femme...shing-packs.htm Apparently Okuma are donating a percentage of the profit on these to the cancer charity.Good cause.

Fox piker multispin 20-60G 9 ft 6 " in very good condition.£25

4 piece 10ft Mike ladle Surespin travel rod 15-50g in excellent as new condition complete with travel case and rod bag.£35 posted more info see; https://www.veals.co.uk/acatalog/Spinning.html

For sale; Pair of Fox piker deadbait 2.75 lb with matching Pro logic XLNT 40 baitrunner type reels- and a Fox piker multispin 20-60g with an XLNT 50 baitrunner. All in very good order ,reels complete with original boxes,padded cases,and spare matching alloy spools. A third XLNT 40 baitrunner also available. Great set up for someone who is stating up piking. £50 per rod and reel combo. email;completeangler@sky.com

Saw a boat angler up on the broads using these. http://www.eddieturner.co.uk/products.php?...mp;productid=17 Highly recommended.Have ordered some but no chance to try them out yet.

Sharpes Scottie split cane avon rod for sale on ebay.*******NOW SOLD]

Phil, I did see that you and Karen have rejoined the NMC-good to have you back on board. Was that you by the big black boat shed as the tide was flooding ?Forgive me for not stopping for a chat but, I had a bit of a late start this morning after a rather busy night shift and .as I missed the last of the ebb tide,i decided to pursue my other passion-namely the pike from the same river ,but a few miles upstream.They're almost as much hard work as the mullet and my only take of the session was this tiddler who took a shine to my spinnerbait.Believe me-it's a BIG landing net.Pity that none of his bigger sisters were about.Despite being about 20 miles from the river mouth there were also a few thin-lips showing on the stretch where i was fishing-regular visitors to the area but never there in enough numbers to have a crack at .Great to watch though. The shanny that you mention is also a common by- catch in the harbour area.I'm always amazed how these tiny little fellahs shoot the float down when they take the bread.Their takes are almost as aggressive as the little bass. Jeff

Good to have you back on the scene Phil and nice to hear of some fish coming out of the Arun.Think i'll give it a go myself tomorrow. Jeff

All, I'm off to France in September and an intending doing some serious fishing on the Rivers Mayenne and later on the Loire.Has anybody on here done anything on these rivers? Jeff

I caught a glimpse of the year's first mullet feeding on a weed covered pontoon a couple of weeks ago in the Arun but i've been busy building a trailer for my new boat so haven't had a chance to visit the river since.However,first reports of captures came through on Monday and if the current warm spell continues there should be some more.Gonna have a look tomorrow.

Jon, I'm gutted i won't be able to make this one-would've been particularly interested in the Mahseer stuff.Should be a good'n if the last few talks are anything to go by. I'm off to Namibia to hunt sharks from a beach!!!It's a hard life! Jeff

Had a spare hour(literally) this afternoon so decided to nip up the river for a quick go.Water conditions were much improved with the river fining down nicely.On Budgie's advice,i left the deadbait rods at home,and just took a wobbling rod and a packet of roach.Result- a pike -not a double, but not far off, and anyway that's not the point.This afternoon's weather was bright sunshine and quite warm, pressure high and steady.Another angler who'd been on the bank all day searching with static deads had not had a touch.I know it's only one fish and you shouldn't read too much into it,but it has certainly given me confidence in the method and also a way of formulating a 'game plan' for the pike. Budgie-thanks for the tip mate!

Budgie, You're right about the methods that have done well(more like saved the day) for me in low pressure conditions i.e static or twitched deadbaits.I think because the majority of pike i catch in the depths of winter are laden with lice,i assume that they are lying static on the bottom,and I therefore rely heavily on the deadbait approach. I do continually search along the river hoping to literally drop the bait on the pike's snout.To be fair,i don't get many small pike and am just as likely to get a high single,or a double as a jack using this approach.But then i don't get ANYWHERE near the numbers of fish that you mention. Livebaits are near impossible to get on my tidal which leaves lures and wobbling-methods that i've only really used in the summer and autumn and usually result in a reasonable number of smallish pike..I think i'll take your advice and try a wobbled bait on my next outing.I'll have a bit more confidence in the method .The forecast is for settled high pressure for a couple of days and the river level and colour should be better by now.

Fascinating stuff.This is why i've completely given up on the telly! Budgie-In your experience,do river pike behave in the same way as stillwater pike with regards to B.P? I suppose this could also explain why a lot of 'traditional' pikers swear by cold frosty weather as being good for pike.I have to be honest and say than in my LIMITED experience the opposite tends to be true.BUT i have other variables to consider in the venues that i pike fish -tidal rivers.

No Sussex Pikers on here Jon, West Sussex piker here,but i don't think there are that many of us.Go on, prove me wrong!Recently joined PACGB too after hearing about the club's immediate response to a threatened pike cull on my local river.Keep up the good work! Gonna try to make it over on Tuesday.

As a youngster i used to keep cold water fish.One of the most interesting species in my tank was a weatherfish.When the weather changed,the fascinating little fellah got up to all sorts of antics.Found this on the net; 'The fish acquired its name "Weather Fish" from their long recognized erratic behaviour during changes in barometric pressure. At these times the fish may become very active and agitated. They were kept in containers as weather predictors and historically may be one of the longest kept species of fish. ' Jeff

I blanked today up the river but it was running very high and coloured after the recent rain .I'm never confident piking in these conditions but give it a couple of days and it should be right.Nice day though,bright and warm in the sun.Peace and quiet,deer,kingfishers,what could be better!.................well perhaps the odd pke or two! How'd you get on Steve?

Looking at the BBC weather site there is indeed a sharp rise in pressure forecast for tomorrow.I should be doing other jobs but it looks as though i'll just have to have a crack myself up the river.Tough decision but it's got to be done. Jeff

Fair point John and i suppose many would say the same.I'm in the fortunate position of working shifts(think Dave Horton has the same job-though i suspect he may catch one or two more pike than me!)so i've got a bit more flexibility as to when i can get out piking though perhaps can't do so many full days.Suppose i'm just trying to optimise my chances and figure out things a bit more.It's funny-in the 'old' pike books Rickards etc weather conditions were discussed more than by modern writers.Was more emphasis placed on these things in the past? Jeff

Just wondering what sort of weather conditions you pikers out there favour.Lately i've been doing better when the weather has been mild and the light conditions fairly low.But when the barometric pressure is high,with bright, cold days i've fared less well.Most of the time i'm fishing tidal rivers in reasonably deep water of up to 4 metres,but occasional trips to a shallow lake have given similar results. Jeff

Jolanta, Joining The National Mullet Club will put you in touch with mullet enthusiasts in the Devon area. check out www.thenationalmulletclub.org As far as eating them goes-they're far too valuable a resourse for that!

I completely agree.I fish tidals where the flow can be very powerful indeed at times,and the water deep.It would seem in places like these that there are few slacks for the pike to take shelter in,and therefore they are fit fish.Recently all the pike that myself and mates have taken have been strong fighters-the best my first ever 20 taken on New years Day.It stayed down deep and was very stubborn.Still got it in in a reasonable time though which i think is very important. Small streams round my way can produce some big old girls.A water, that in places can be jumped over, produced a mid 20 for a lure angling mate in the summer.