Small Pike

[Ian FG]

A very similar story to Pangolin's recent one. Almost given up hope of catching anything with a lure in the Avon. Nipped down the river for a couple of hours this afternoon and had these two small pike, not as big as American pike but very reassuring just to catch something. The successful lure was a Storm 5 inch curl-tail minnow.

 

[Quest]

Well done mate, they all count.

[J.K]

Nice fish but I think you need to invest in a landing mat

 

Joel

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

a bigger net could be usefull...you never know you might hook a biggie....

 

still nice fish mate

[Leon Roskilly]

Small pike are congregating in spawning areas around now, (usually shallow weedy areas).

 

Within a few weeks they will be joined by the big females.

 

Finding the places where the small jacks are congretaing early in the year is one of the secrets to finding the larger pike later.

 

Some anglers have reservations about targeting fish that are gathering for spawwning, but once the spawning is actually taking place they won't be interested in feeding!

 

Anyway, a proportion of those jacks will be eaten by the big girls once they have spawned.

 

A girl's gotta eat after all of that effort y'know!

 

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Dick Dastardly]

"not as big as American pike but very reassuring just to catch something."

 

Gobio,Ive been lucky enough to catch a few big pike and more luckier to have acsess to waters with them in! But rather than a "big pike fisherman" I have always thought of myself as a "pike fisherman" I am just as happy going down the river or small marsh dykes and catching a load of small ones as I am sat on a trout res all day hoping for a monster.I enjoy pike of all sizes and as long as you enjoyed yours thats all that matteres.

[Steve Burke]

Leon Roskilly:

 

Some anglers have reservations about targeting fish that are gathering for spawwning, but once the spawning is actually taking place they won't be interested in feeding!

It's not prior to spawning when I feel fish, whatever the species, are vulnerable. It's immediately afterwards when they're very much out of condition.

[Dick Dastardly]

Yes Ive got to agree with you there mate.Never had a pike shedding milt or spawn but once theyve spawned they are quite vunerable and the fact that they often go on a feeding spell after makes them very vunerable.

 

Have any of you noticed how some waters the pike seem to recover a lot quicker than others?

[Andrew Boyd]

Nice to see a Mitchell in use. Excellent reel.

[The Flying Tench]

Steve Burke:

It's not prior to spawning when I feel fish, whatever the species, are vulnerable. It's immediately afterwards when they're very much out of condition.

Ah! Our local angling club lakes are open this close season for the first time, and I was thinking of having a crack at the pike. I read an article saying that spring was a good time for lure fishing. But you've made me think. When is the period you wouldn't fish for pike? Maybe the month of March?