Bonking pike on the nose

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

The Flying Tench:

what do you do on a cold day to catch pike? They're less likely to chase lures, the scent of deads won't travel so far, pike are less likely to be moving around.

 

 

I guess all you can do is keep moving, and probably stick to swims you know well and believe to hold fish?

yes and no mate,they are catchable on lures,worked slowly i cant see why it wont take a fish or more,as for the scent well i think it does drift downstream,i can see budgies point with oils and warmer water but a nice lamprey section ozzing blood wil definetly travel some way on the current.on the coldest days,when the sun is bright and the river clear,the only bait they will often move for is a livebait.

thats the no.1 rule in my book,keep moving,im not one for sitting in one swim all day,dont always go to the known swims try the unknown,you never know,nothing is certain,there are no anwsers!try two rod approach one static,ie pop-up or flaot pat and one wobbled?trotting.

 

at the end of the day,sometimes they are aving it,others they are not,its par for the course.

 

[ 11. December 2004, 07:51 AM: Message edited by: Ratty46 ]

[Steve Burke]

John, you may find this article of mine of interest http://anglers-net.co.uk/authors/steve05.htm

. Although it refers to chub in rivers the principles apply to pike as well, both in still and flowing water.

 

By the way, pike will take lures on the coldest of days so don't write them off. Admittedly baits generally do better than lures in really cold weather. However there are still very cold days when lures will totally outfish baits. Indeed, I've often caught pike on lures when much of the water has been covered with ice.

[The Flying Tench]

Thanks, Steve, helpful article.

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

what i had to say not good enough FT?

oh well dont blank again...will ya....

[Dick Dastardly]

Lure taking times has nothing to do with weather conditions or water temperatures! Its all to do with if they are actively hunting or not.On a day they are banging in to lives they will gladly grab lures.On high pressure days like we have had a couple of this week (and in deed early this morning) the water is dam coldf but they will readily take a lure.When they aint actively hunting ie on low pressure winter days then the lure becomes almost (note only almost!) useless by comparrison.

[The Flying Tench]

Ratty46:

what i had to say not good enough FT?

oh well dont blank again...will ya....

Hopefully you're smiling when you say that, Ratty. Yours and others' comments were all helpful, Steve's was just the last post before my reply.

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

i thought you was ignoring me....got out of bed wrong side this morning.... i apologise..

 

i meant it tho,dont blank again!

 

[ 12. December 2004, 01:36 AM: Message edited by: Ratty46 ]