First Pike

[Colin Payne]

Whilst fishing my local lake on swimfeeder with maggots I got a bit of a twitch on the quiver tip which didn't develop into a full on bite so I started to reel in to re-bait and found a little Jack Pike on the end, only about 6-7 inches long but never the less my first! As I lifted it out still unsure what it was it snapped the line near the hook, dropped on the bank and rolled back in before I could get a picture. I hope it survives ok as it possibly had the hook left in. I'm not sure if perhaps it latched on to a small fish I had caught or if indeed it had gone for the maggot. Has anybody else had this happen?

 

[ 03 April 2002, 09:55 AM: Message edited by: Colin Payne ]

[Dave Hill]

Hi Colin,

 

Congratulations on your first pike...

 

Pike don't just eat fish, they will eat just about anything edible and a lot of things NOT edible as well. Small pike especially since a 6" pike can feed on maggots or worms much the same as any other 6" fish. As they get bigger however, it would take an awful lot of maggots (and more importantly an awful lot of energy) to satisfy a hungry fish.

 

The same is true in reverse, all fish will eat smaller fish on occasions. Hence many strange reports of 'none predatory' fish being caught on deadbaits etc.

 

I think there are no hard and fast rules, just generalisations that apply most of the time. Its rather like the generalisation that Bream are bottom feeders. I have caught many Bream off the top from swims 8 feet deep

 

In my opinion I think your pike took the maggot...

 

I wonder if you were to make an artificial maggot lure about 6 inches long if we might just have come across a new super lure for pike??

[Gray-Catchpole]

well done, i too have had a few small pike on maggot, it always puts a smile on my face.

[M.K]

First of all. Well done.

Now whilst ice fishing in Latvia my grandad too caught a pike on these three long red maggots. I too caught my first pike not so long ago (round new-year). I caught it an a Lucky John Kamasan ice fishing jerkbait (i think thats what theyr called). The pike was only 8 inches long but still a fish.

 

[phil dean]

well done, the first pike I saw landed was on 4 maggots, a 4lb fishy surprise for the captur, I've had zander and pike on worm and maggot and know of one chap in Leeds who regularly catches large (15lb plus) pike on whole lobworm, he's dissapointed if it's anything less.

 

Now you know where the pike are, read up a bit on how to handle them (please use a modern book not one over ten years as procedures and attitudes have changed substantially) and set out for them as your main target from now on, it can be very rewarding.

[coxie]

Well done on your fish, like a pike but smaller.

 

I caught an 8lb pike on bread flake from the Rickmansworth Aquadrome years ago, hooked fair and square in the mouth, after a typical tench bite! Thought it was a huge tench at first.

[gforce]

a while back i was fishing with my usual fishing buddy, he was after pike and i was ledgering, using a single red maggot on a size 18 hook, i had the tiniest of bites and when i reeled it in it was a jack pike about 6 inches long. my mate who was after pike never got a bite all day, he hardly spoke to me for the rest of the day

[GlennB]

Excellent! I can't see that that small hook will stay in long or cause the fish much bother.

 

You going for the real business next time? trebles + traces etc?

 

Predators are a bit strange eh? Last year I caught a tiny pike on a plug almost as big as the fish. Eyes bigger than its belly.

[goin_fishin]

hey all i had my 1st pike on two weeks ago on white maggot it was only aabout 7oz but snapped my 3/4lb bottom so thats fishing for you you win some u lose some any ways i caught my first pike on sunday at around 4lb....