Wanting to start pike fishing, advice eyc please.

[Andy Macfarlane]

You'll be able to use a lot of your carp tackle no problem. You still want some bolt cutters or good quality wire cutters at least for chopping up trebles and a pair of long-nose pliers. Forceps are fine for some hookups but they won't cope with them all.

 

Watching John Wilson and unhooking a few lure caught jacks on the lure is an entirely different prospect than unhooking a deep-hooked 20lber and you also have to take into consideration that you will have to remove other anglers' lost tackle. You might be on the ball with your instant striking and all that but that doesn't let you off the hook. Ask ANY piker how often he has to remove noddy items from the throats of their captures. John Wilson didn't explain that part.

 

Would you know where to begin?

 

That's why it's a good idea to go with another piker but don't let me put you off.

 

....Andy....

[Slickfish]

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.

[Brian Carragher]

Don't let not having anyone with you to show you the ropes put you off from pike fishing

 

I don't buy into the theory that you have to have, or need someone to show you what to do or how to fish or remove hooks , the only real skill in de hooking is in the removal of deep hooked fish or removing someone elses gear and that will only come with practice and persistance

 

I know plenty of experienced pikers who can't or won't remove deep hookers as they just don't feel comfortable doing it so length of service in pike fishing means nothing really, some very competant anglers can swith to piking and do it with their eyes almost closed, once you know how to disgorge your hooks the the target species becomes irrelevant only the technique counts

 

No one ever showed me how to pike fish as there were'nt many pikers in my area at the time I started although its different now with pike being a fashionable fish and I never harmed any fish nor did anyone that went with me so go for it and enjoy it for what it is, another branch of the sport to enjoy

[Andy Macfarlane]

Don't let not having anyone with you to show you the ropes put you off from pike fishing. I don't buy into the theory that you have to have, or need someone to show you what to do or how to fish or remove hooks , the only real skill in deep hooking is in the removal of deep hooked fish or removing someone else's gear and that will only come with practice and persistence

 

Well you should. I and other pikers are sick to back teeth removing traces because untrained anglers have taken to piking and that's exactly what you're advocating

 

You don't know the man's experience as an piker, so that's a pretty unfounded statement. Unhooking carp doesn't mean hes fully qualified in coping with deep-hooked Pike; a pike would could be a 20 or a 30. The death of which could have repercussions for a decade to come. Sorry Brian but I think that's a dangerous sentiment.

 

I know plenty of experienced pikers who can't or won't remove deep hookers as they just don't feel comfortable doing it so length of service in pike fishing means nothing really, some very competent anglers can switch to piking and do it with their eyes almost closed, once you know how to disgorge your hooks the the target species becomes irrelevant only the technique counts

 

And how do you know which camp he sits in?

 

No one ever showed me how to pike fish as there weren't many pikers in my area at the time I started although its different now with pike being a fashionable fish and I never harmed any fish nor did anyone that went with me so go for it and enjoy it for what it is, another branch of the sport to enjoy

 

That's you though isn't it.

 

Just because it worked for you, that doesn't mean it'll work for anyone. A dangerous noddy could read your sentiment and think it's OK for them to just go out and have a crack at pike completely unprepared because you've said you didn't have any problems making the transition.

 

So what, you think all novice pikers should just go forth and learn the ropes by trail and error because that's exactly what you're suggesting???

 

Pike are not to be practiced on my anglers who have little or no idea of the physiology of the pike. Trial and error just isn't good enough. What if that newbie piker, without assistance, accidentally kills one of the top, apex pike in a water. That could have catastrophic repercussions for decades to come and you think it's a good idea for novice pikers to learn by trial and error?? I think the other members of just just such a water would have plenty to say about that.

 

I think your advice is dangerous and badly thought through. I wouldn't want a novice pike fishing my favourite swims without supervision. Would you want them on yours??

 

That's what leads to dead to dead fish, mess, cans, fires and all the other crap noddy pikers leave at their ar*e

 

Tell me, what if you favourite fishing location was descended on by novice pikers who all wanted to learn how to pike fish by trail and error? Would you let them deep-hook a few, kill a few, maim a few, to then stand back and say to yourself,

 

"Ach, they're just learning!"

 

I seriously don't think so.

 

....Andy....

[Brian Carragher]

Andy

 

Thats about the most stupid and arsey comment that up to date I think you've posted and it shows you in no great light

 

To try and twist words and make comment in your own style to suit your own purpose and make inferencs and conclusions to something I've not said or hinted at does you no favours at all. Nor does it do anything for piking and pike anglers in general, all it does is reinforce the stereotype that other anglers have of pike anglers in general

 

Attitudes like your post are the main reason that anglers who want to pike fish don't seek out pikers or ask advice before fishing for pike for fear of ridiclule and think therfore that we as a group of pikers are un approachable

 

As I said in the above post "some very competant anglers can swith to piking and do it with their eyes almost closed, once you know how to disgorge your hooks the the target species becomes irrelevant only the technique counts", no reference there to anything else other than competant anglers

 

Deep hooking and snapped off gear happens to all pikers of all ages of all experience sometime and its something we have to accept as part of pike fishing and thats no different to fishing for lets say barbel who snap off many hook lengths, are you advocating tuition for barbel anglers next

 

Time to grow up and llive and deal with the real world and not some ideal you'd like to see

[Anderoo]

I have to say, I'm starting to mellow about all this. Ideally, yes, definitely go with an experienced piker - it will save you loads of money, loads of cuts, loads of time, and will be better for the pike.

 

However, if you don't know anyone to take you, do as much research as possible and be as prepared as you can be, because - you're going to go anyway! (I, and I expect many others on here, did just that, and had to learn the hard way.)

 

Preparation and research can be reading articles, books, talking to people, or starting a topic asking for advice on a web forum, which is what this chap has done.

 

Surely it's better to be as helpful as possible to those who bother asking. It's the ones who don't ask and wouldn't take advice if you gave it to them in any case who are the genuine problem, isn't it?

 

Killing 20lb or 30lb pike as a novice is pretty unlikely to be honest, I've done rather a lot of piking over the last 20 years and still haven't caught a 20lber

[Dick Dastardly]

This subject always gets out of hand.

 

When I answer a question I only do so if I have enough knowledge of the subject to do so.I always give the best answer I can.Many questions just like this one though have many answers!

 

The best answer to this question however is to get first hand advice and help from a competent pike angler.Simple as that.

 

However just because that option may not be available doesn't mean you cant still go piking and do so in a responsible way.As said often now more than at any other time there is a wealth of knowledge available on the subject,be it in books,on the Internet,DVD's etc etc. All are useful and very good BUT obviously not as good as being shown first hand and having the reassurance of a competent person next to you in case it all goes tits up!

 

The thing I object to as a pike (and I would like to think both experienced and competent) angler is the attitude that many have these days that makes them think unhooking,handling,fishing for pike doesn't require any prior research/new skills to be learned because the angler has caught big carp etc.The two species and the methods and skills required to fish for them are very different.

 

Not only has the availability of this information improved but I'm glad to say even more importantly the realisation that this information is in deed needed before the angler sets out to catch his/her first pike.This in my mind is the major break through.

 

Any who doubt this just need to look on this forum alone.

 

In the ideal world no one else would go pike fishing except for me! as pike anglers ourselves are the pikes worst enemy! But people are always going to want to so better to accept this and "share" but also help minimise any potential damage they may cause by helping educate.

 

Ive said it a million times before that us "Pike Anglers" need to be very careful when this subject comes up.We need to instill the need to learn into the new guy without alienating him."The Pike Police" can appear very heavy,especially to some one who has bothered to try and find out before hand.Spread the good word but don't push them away.

[Slickfish]

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 .

[Guerilla]

Time for another teach-in?

[Anderoo]

Nice one Slickfish Let us know how your future piking trips go.