Slickfish

So its rated to a 20+ elastic. I was after abit of advice from more experienced pole anglers(than myself) about what they'd advise using.

I bought a Avanti margin control pole/whip, its a 4m long 3 piece take apart pole. It may be short but seems very heavy duty, my question is what elastic do I put in it???. I fish a variety of waters but most seem to be the usual commercial pools. Have read an artile about this pole they recomended putting hollow elastic in it(im guessing that is exactly what it sounds like a tube as apposed solid elastic) I have no idea of its advantages etc. Any advice guys would be very handy, as I want to get it sorted this weekend.

I think its normal, I was the same lived for fishing til I left school, then it tailed of. I still went fishing now and again but very rarly with years in between trips. Now im 30 and back to lining reals, practicing new knots, making rigs etc while sat in the house watching TV, annoying of the missus.

This weekend’s fishing trip had as usual its daft occurance, we went to a fishery in Hemington just of the A50. Basically one of the lads who went with use's a carp rod I gave him, it’s not cheap stuff, now don’t ask me why but the numb nut didn’t but the bait runner on, and guess what happened. A combination of a slow day(not concentrating), and a bolting fish saw the rod fly in, he was sitting rite next to it as well. It’s a weird feeling watching the top 2ft of the Shimano Katana rod bobbing about as the fish dragged it rite into my swim. I managed to get it back using my feeder rig to tangle it thank god, but it did look like it was going to be lost. It was suggested one of us would have to go in to get it back, I was thinking about it while trying to snag it, if it was a river or big lake etc then no chance but it’s a commercial fishery still not tiny mind, it wouldn’t have been a job of wading it must have been in a 6-7ft of water. So if you could see your gear would you go in after it if you couldn’t get it any other way???, or watch your gear sink. Oh and yes the fish was still on when it was all sorted but the dumb a** lost it after 30seconds..D’oh.

We fished just bellow the big mill in Belper, in the weir pool just the oposite side of the road. Memorable is one word for it , we are planning a return visit this weekend.

Found a nice part of the derwent that is day ticket and had to day to remember lets say, proper comedy of errors. Tried feeder fishing 10mm pellets for the Barbel, which resulted in afew Chub 3lb region. Now while doing this a coot managed to dive for some yummys from my feeder and get the hook in its leg, followed the hastle of landing and unhooking a bird(thank feek for barbless hooks). Never thought about hooking a bird on a feeder rig . It ran of ok in the end though. After all the specific targeting of barbel on the feeder I hooked one on stick float fished single maggot , 2lb line, 18 hook. fish seemed to give up really easily,over came my brother in law with the landing net, netted it job done I thought, bringing the net in the fish vanished, it had somehow ripped a hole in the net, probably started my the bird earlier. so started the stupidity of playing a barbel that was still fresh, in a fast flow on light tackle through a knackered landing net on my own while Paul frantically set up another net. Christ knows how but I got the fish . Didn't weight the fish as TBH I think it had been through enough so I returned it ASAP, I'd guess it around 6lb ish. It was a day to forget and to remember

I am also quite a newbie to pike fishing, and I got all the same advice etc and although not meant to im sure, it did almost put me of the idea of trying it. Did kind of gave the impression if you arnt experienced every pike you catch will die, I know it isn't meant like that, its if something happens and you dont know how to deal with it bad things can happen. In the last year, I've seen old boys who have been piking years do things that would be frowned upon im sure, yet pike still exist . They are certainly are not made of glass. I think the idea of finding a local pike angling club is a good one, Im going to have a look for one round my way. Back to your question, I've never had to strike as such while lure fishing, they do seem to find the hooks on their own.

Im trying to find a day ticket venue within the notts/derby ish area that has a decent head of barbel in. The reason being the brother in-law is over and im taking him fishing, he's always been nuts about trying to catch barbel even though neither of us has ever actually caught one . I haven't done a great deal of river fishing. I know the obvious trent/derwent but what stretch?, are day tickets sold bankside by baliff? etc. I have asked in local tackle shops and i truly dont understand how no-one seems to be able to give me a solid answer on this one. There always seems to be a uncertain pause .

Fishing with a small plug for perch/chub on a small local river, thought I got snagged up on a branch or carrier bag etc, just dead weight. Got it all the way to my feet(standing on a bridge, only about 2ft above the water), and up pops a bloated sheep with my plug firmly in its leg. Seriously not nice, cut the line. Never did fish that stretch again straight after a flood Caught a 12lb pike while feeder fishing, it went for a small roach I didn't know had taken my bait, and somehow got a wire trace it had snapped of someone tangled in the actual feeder cage. Nothing quite tops a old boot though , out a local canal on a 3m whip.

The stock they have in store isn't really that good plugs wise, its mainly spinners they have in, but I was lucky enough to speak to the guy who works there who is in charge of the ordering etc. The lure I bought wasn't supposed to be there, he had done a sligh one to get them in store(Goodman ). Apparently these natural patterns are quite new. He told me they are abit funny about sending things out as they think it wont sell, However if you find what you want and ring up or pop in they will order you anything in at a customers request, that will be instore within 5 days, set aside waiting for you. It's daft I cant see these lure's not selling but still they are reluctant to get a large stock. The pike one he got in had been out for a short time and I was the third to buy, they had about 6 left out, im sure there will be alot less when I pop in again. As I said I have the common carp one on order, they have to order in 3's, so later this week 2 should be out on the shelf. Unless it looks as good as im expecting in which case I might buy 2. http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/young-carp-14cm-34487585/ Seriously the quality seemed very good to me, I cant vouch for how long they would last obviously as its still in the tree, but from first impressions it seemed quite well made. I'm happy to buy more and advise you guys to take a look. -EDIT- Went to try and get the lure out the tree this afternoon and it had gone, through either the wind or someone got it, still to get me over the disapointment I went and to buy a replacement and they only had 3 left now 2. So they are selling well. With any luck they might realise they fly out the door and increase the selection .

Yup back in my match days. Most stupid was on a local canal, I was pole fishing and decided to put the pole in the box mounted holder as my arms got tired, it was a heavy pole. anyway dont ask me why I did this but I picked my feet up, cue the box slowly tipping forward with me feet over the edge, unable to do anything about my impending dunk, and in true fashion the peg I got lotted was in a old boat yard with 5ft+of water. Had a horrible experience on the trent, fishing near Gunthorpe, you had to climb down a bank and stand in 2ft or so of water all day, I only had thigh waders, but them seemed fine. The place you stood was on a shelf about 7ft wide so it looked safe enough, afew boats went past I to stop the wave's flooding my waders I had to jump abit in time with the wave. It was going well most of the day until some plumb came hammering up river making a huge wave, I could see it but do nothing I hadn't enough time to retreat to safety so had to try to jump it, cue me getting swept into the river after a failed jump and slip. Christ knows how deep it was I didnt touch the bottom, my legs were of no use swimming in waders, luckly im a strong swimmer and able to tread water using only my arms. I went about 3 pegs down with amazed looks from the lads. after a breif WTF panic, someone held out a landing net to me and fished me out. Oh the jokes from that one.

I'm posting this as I wouldhave never thought to go to Decathlon for fishing gear. I went into the local decathlon store the other day and wandered down the fishing section, now in all honesty some of the stuff seems abit cheap, but some seems ok. I was having a look at the lure's and found some plugs with rather life like patterns(which I hadn't seen the like's of before), I decided to give one a try. I bought this one http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/pike-16cm-05-34487580/ Today, I have been once more to my local canal were I was told lure's don't work, I tried all sorts of spinners, spoons and plugs to no avail. I decided to crack out this new lure, now it looks quite bland with the darker colours but within 30min had a nice pike(about 8lb-9lb, didn't take my scales, very clean fish though). Side note whoever told me to take a set of plyers, thankyou you saved me and the pike a ball ache today. I now fully understand how forcepts wont cope in all hook ups. Im confident I would have had more but afew casts after I managed to get the damn thing in a tree and lost it. The canal has a thick overhanging tree lined far bank so the slightest overcast and your screwed. Im planning to go down one day this week to try to recover it. I have a 14cm carp version on order, in short these plugs are £6 to me thats better than throwing £12-15+ rapala's into tree's(if like me you do the odd duff cast), they have rattles and a nice action with alittle encouragement, I like the realistic look and it appears in my local pike venue so do the pike. Worth a look in my view if you like lure fishing.

I had a 14.5lb mirror on a deadbait roach about 2oz, trying for a pike, I was shocked. The lad I had toke for his first ever days fishing was not amused as the roach was his biggest fish of the day.

AH man your joking I would never have thought perch would be a good live bait being dark in colour, with spikes . I sat near all day just catching perch yesterday, throwing them back, I got one roach and used that netting a 6.5lb pike near the end of the day.

I am so pleased with how today went. Knowing how the water used to fish I couldn't resist buying half pint of maggots on the way down. Had a wander and saw the most incredible shoal of bream just sitting there 30-40 fish all looked a good few pound. Hadn't got the tackle to try for them. Tried all sorts on the pike front and had no joy, so I decided to get my 3m whip out and wind back 15yr's, and what on earth, the place is stuffed with Perch, chub afew minnows. had the smallest perch I hace ever seen followed by a nice 2lb'r, whicked fun on really light gear. In the end I did give in to the temptation to stick a roach on the pike rod, and was rewarded with a take within 15min, Like a class clown I had moved pegs not long before and forgot to get my scales and weight sling back out, had everything else ready, That was my fault not the pike's so I was unwilling to make it wait for me to get sorted so I released it without getting a weight. Gutting as it was a nice fish, at a guess a low double, so around my PB for pike. I will not make that mistake again. The catch has however raised another question from me, I had hold of the pike under the gill flap, lifted its head slightly, but it didn't open its mouth, as soon as I put the forcepts on its lip it would slowly open its mouth at the way then try to flap, rinse repeat, I was as recomended sat astride it to hold it down, obviously not sitting on it with any weight. got the hooks out(one in each corner of its mouth), the but still it did the same thing open up them flap. Is there a secret to get them to open their mouth without the flapping???. It went back no worse for it, got me back by going for a sulk rite in my little perch swim totally killing it off . I am seriously thinking about going down again in the morning.

I've decided to go try again this afternoon, now I've heard of a nice stretch of a local canal that has a large head of pike. I can remember fishing it as a kid and it was stuffed with gudgeon and other small fish, and I mean stuffed, they got to be a pain at times. Light fishing would see you getting hundreds in a day. Now however the gudgeon have all but gone(apparently) and around the same time the pike started coming out in large numbers. mainly jacks but with some larger one's thrown in. I cant see pike nailing them all, but fisheries change over time and it has been 14-15years. I've been told that spinners, spoons and plugs don't really work, dead baits will pick up afew but live baits catch alot, is there any advice you guys can give on fishing a place like that?????. Is there anything you can do to improve chances on a lure or deadbait????.

I've always wanted a 20lb plus carp and I can't think of a nicer way to catch them than freelining floating baits on a nice summers evening. 20lb has been my target for a good few years but as I dont go to the large carp waters, I like the smaller ponds, stalking carp with minimal tackle. Afew years back I almost realised the dream with a 19.5lb mirror, I was gutted when I saw the scales . Managed acouple of 14lb's this summer. The 20 is out there somewhere, and I will find it!! .

I think the problem is people who don't ask for any advice or do any research before going, if you at least ask and have a basic idea, its alot better than wandering in totally blind. I think thats the top and bottom of it.

Conditions sucked abit yeasterday with the water being a very weird colour with the rain. I am going to have another crack at it next week. The place has a feed of a small river so any colour in the river instantly transfers. He not only explained how to handle the fish and some basic rigs but also told me how to fish that venue, he set me up on a simple sliding float rig quite shallow, explaining I'd likly get smaller pike, for the biggys there you normally have to fish deeper and take's are alot slower coming. The one's I had both hit the bait withing 2min of it going in the water. Afew more trips like yesterday and I might set a rod abit deeper . Thanks for all the advice guys and expect more questions .

Well people I have been piking today, and would you guess it one, and I mean one other person was fishing on the whole place. Guesss what he was fishing for.............................bingo...........Pike. I went over to say hello and asked him if he minded helping me out, he didn't mind in the least, a really nice bloke. I have sat one peg down form the guy all day, learn't a alot and bagged 2 pike, granted only Jacks 4lb max, but it made me smile. It was nothing like as much hard work as I thought, what I already knew and have been told worked just fine. I had images of some really complex stuff, after having a pike there hooked infront of you and having how to sort things explained, it aint that hard. infact more or less exactly the same as every other fish. Nothing that can't be explained to anyone other than a muppet. I can underand why people who are pikers get miffed about silly mistake's damaging or killing fish. Both mine today went back fine and to be totally honest I can't see how a larger pike would be that different, time will tell I guess. At the end of the day all fish can get hooked in a bad way, all fish can die and any and I mean any part of any food chain ain't good to lose. Andy has made his point, granted in a strong way but maybe he has ran into afew proper numptys piking in his time, lets face it we have all seen some muppet's fishing doing everything wrong. Jesus look on youtube there are some right fools posting vid's on piking, holding fish wrong and dropping them from waist height . The advice about going with a experinced piker I fell is a good idea, but I think that relates to any form of fishing. With a basic base knowledge of fishing, pike do not apper to be some unatainable goal. With basic knowledge you can learn. Without any basic knowledge of fish handling or treatment, same as any fishing GET HELP!!!!. Pike are slightly different to most but, nothing like as much as I thought. I will keep posting about my future piking adventure's but im pleased to say I've scored the two today. Onward n upward ehi!!! . Ever so slightly loved it .

I am getting different information from everyone I ask, some say there is no longer a closed season at all, some there is on rivers and canals, and someone said pike have a totally diferent closed season.

Andy, I more than get your point about other peoples broke of gear left in pike's mouths. My first ever pike was caught swim feeder fishing, a trace already in its mouth caught up in the feeder. toke awhile to land on 4lb line. That looked a mess, granted it wasn't deep hooked mind. Read afew things on how to remove deep hooks but as you say, reading things and doing them are very different. A basic idea is better than non. It's is a million times better to tag along with someone experienced in a new feild of fishing, but not knowing anyone is the main reason I asked on here. I'm thinking of having my first outing Thur, just got to find somewhere to go.

First of thanks for the welcome. Some good advice there guys, big thanks for the links. I don't know anyone who goes for pike fishing round here, weirdly none of my mates have ever bothered. I know who to ask about just about every other fish. Might be worth asking around, im sure someone I know will either be a closite pike angler or know someone who does. Place's I've been told about are Ironville and butley res(both members only for pike, last I heard) and a canal not far from my place. Which to be honest I thnk would be a really good place, as I know how massivly under-rated it coarse fishing is, I have seen people fish this place bagging roach 1lb+ like you'd catch gudgeon. I have been told pike can be a funny old fish, so I can see the point about tagging along with someone experienced. I have all the terminal gear I can imagine you needing(which probably means half whats needed ), just non of the know how. please correct me if im wrong but alot of my carp gear, rods, reels, nets, un-hooking mat's, slings etc shoudl be ok???. Last thing I want to do is harm a fish through not knowing basics, I have seen it to many time's with carp. I actually learnt what I know about unhooking pike from watching John Wilson's programs years ago, the one's I have caught up to now seem to have swam of ok, but I may have been lucky. As I said my piking experience has been afew hours while coarse fishing throwing plugs here and there, until afew weeks back. I tried to catch pike, fishing a dead bait(roach), about 3oz, and in the most weird twist of event's caught a mirror carp just over 14lb4oz, and yes it was hooked in the mouth, most weird (never heard of carp taking dead baits). Still biggest fish of the weekend so I was happy enough.

First of hello, first post and all . I've been fishing for years, mainly coarse/match. I have quite alot of experience at carp fishing, or what I call carp fishing, not into the alarms and sitting waiting for the monster, more the floating baits or float fishing etc on small carp waters for smaller fish. Rite my question, I'm seriously thinking about trying my hand at pike fishing, I have in the past set up my carp rod with a spinning trace and thrown afew plugs, caught afew small pike(12lb 4oz is my best) but not many . Im after advice on places to go in my area(Nottingham/Derby), afew place's I have fished in the past had the pike fishing restricted to club members. I'm just looking for somewhere I can fish on a day ticket. Any other advice for a relativly inexperienced pike angler would be useful.