msutton

Excellent. I appreciate all these replies. Basically there are three lakes (4 if you include a trout reservoir only fishable a few times a year by PAC members). They are all within 15 minutes walk (or so) of each other. Wintersett (Half Moon) is the largest followed by Cold Heindly and finally Botany Bay. Botany bay has coloured water and is difficult to fish with lures. Cold Heindly is a good course fishery now and does have pike, although it is mainly match angling. There are a couple of inlet pipes there which fish well for all species. Wintersett does not have any feeder streams that I know of otherwise I would have tried there. The best mark on the lake is by the boat house, and I know some large pike have been taken there in the past. The main issue is the depth of the water, it is so shallow and you have to cast miles. I saw some guys dead baiting in what I knew was 3ft of water, made me chuckle considering they sat there all day. It was -1 that day so I doubt whether they'd be likely to catch! Anglers Reservoir has very large pike but it is used for national competitions through the PACGB only I believe. They no longer allow trout fishing either since the pike ate them all... ! I'm going to join the local angling club as they have a few good pike waters on their books. That should give me a start. Again though, most of them are shallow. Can anyone here recommend a good water for lure fishing near Wakefield? Oh, and I'm always willing to give guided tours if anyone feels like a day out in the cold with a lure rod

My mag elite will spin for about 30 seconds with a hard flick. I've had to tune it though of course.

Interesting gents. I've got a modified Rapala minnow which is weedless that I can use. It's a spoon though and not the plug version of a minnow. I think I might give that a try. Lots to think about. I will re-read your posts in the morning as my head is in several pieces at the moment given the hour. Thank you all for your responses.

In terms of making the bait move around. I used the word crazy too many times. It didnt make sense when I re-read it. Put one inside a deadbait and watch it move. It really works, makes a heck of a fizz. If you don't believe me try it on a lure at home in the bath, but watch the crown jewels with those treble hooks!

Yep, only problem is, it stops them flatulating which can lead to problems in locating them

Thanks Peter, I am not a total novice at fishing lures, I have done so with much success with perch (3lb's worth!) in the same reservoir. That was a long time ago though. I've done extensive reading on the subject of jerk baiting and I also have a bit of experience in saltwater so I feel confident. What I lack in pike terms is watercraft. Maybe I'll ask for a "fish" finder for xmas! Anyone fancies a day fishing by the way, give me a PM and we'll see if we can hook up, coarse or lures and even beachcasting.

In response to the original post. Try adding crushed Alka Seltzer to your pike groundbait, or any groundbait for that matter. It drives fish crazy! This stuff is also good for when you are dead baiting, it makes the bait go crazy once in the water. One thing I've yet to try, but I plan on doing so soon, is taping a tablet to a lure. I cannot help but think it would be the ultimate attractant, especially in cloudy waters.

Im no river fisherman but it sounds like you've got the fishing bug bad! I've seen posts from you on lure fishing, feeding, trotting and all sorts! Good for you, but try to master one. Better to be master of a couple of types than jack of all trades, master of none. In the long run, it will save you money and frustration. Don't try to take on more than you can handle at an early stage in your fishing career!

Dear all, Firstly, thank you to the administrator for allowing me to be a member of this forum and enabling me to participate in what appears to be very lively discussion on my favourite subject! I was wondering if anyone could help me as I am a bit stuck at the moment. I recently started lure fishing for pike. I have all the correct tackle including a good multiplier, jerk bait rod, braided line and strong wire traces. However, I have been having trouble locating the fish! I have been considering buying a fish finder to look at the make-up of my local lake Wintersett Reservoir in Yorkshire. It is a vast water and was formally an open cast coal mine, albeit many years ago. Typically for such a venue it is very deep in the middle and very shallow along the bank. Pike over 30lb's are known to live in the lake but catching them is quite a challenge. The lake appears featureless to the untrained eye. I have been unable to find a drawing of the lake bed hence my posting here. I know that in general for pike it is often best to fish to a feature, whether it be a deeper hole or a weed/reed bed. There are some on the lake but the water is very shallow in these areas and in this weather I cannot help but feel the pike would retreat into deeper water to avoid the cold. I would like any tips at all that anyone could give me including lure choice for this time of year, whether or not to buy a fish finder (depth sounder...) and what time of day to fish. Any assistance would be most appreciate. I am wide open to suggestions on other venues also. Regards, Martin [ 22. November 2004, 08:34 PM: Message edited by: msutton ]