Winter river piking session

[AddictedToScopex]

Hi all,

 

I am planning a trip down the river after pike tomorrow but was wondering whether it would be worth giving lures a go as well as the deadbaits? I have not heard of pike coming from the stretch I am fishing as most pikers can be tight lipped so it is more of an exploratory mission.

 

Having done all my pike fishing on canals it will be a good learning experience either way.

 

Any other tips that can be offered would also be well received.

 

Thanks

Rik

[davedave]

I can only tell you that the last two sessions (today and last week) when i tried working a lure for perch, i didn't have a single fish, so lures might not be the best choice. Might still be too cold... best of luck though

[Ed Matysiak]

Don't talk to me about pike. You should have seen the one i lost earlier

 

Literally on the lip of the landing net, must have been 20+

[AddictedToScopex]

Don't talk to me about pike. You should have seen the one i lost earlier

 

Literally on the lip of the landing net, must have been 20+

lol unlucky. Was it a river fish? Well I had planned to use deads but was wondering it it would be worth working a lure on the off chance.

[Ed Matysiak]

yes, was on the river. I was infact chub fishing, but after seeing a BIG pike follow a hooked dace i decided to set-up my big rod. I did so, with a live dace on the trebels. It worked & i had a fantastic battle with it, until i lost it

 

really was gutted, so went back to the chub lol

[Ken L]

It depends on the level and colour of the water.

If it's flooded, I tend to float ledger in backswims, the mouths of streams and other slacks.

If it's lower and clearer, trotting tactics can produce well but trotting and holding back constantly with pike tackle gets tiring very quickly.

Lures will work in winter but baits are a better bet.

[jameshodkin]

A float legered Smelt on or just past the marginal shelf always seems to produce for me

 

Further out into the main flow the paternoster is a great rig to use so that the deadbait wafts around in the current like a wounded fish

 

It's best to use floats where the line goes through the middle as opposed to bottom end only and use banksticks to keep the rod elevated and line off the water just as you would when legering on a river

 

Hope this helps

 

James

[Tony U]

We were out yesterday I blanked but Sue had a nice jack on a Golden Mullet Pattern Storm Wildeye Jigging minnow.

 

Tony

[AddictedToScopex]

Thanks all. Sadly the mrs got her claws in and I had to do wedding planning all day so didnt mannage to get out

 

Planning on making it out this coming sunday though so will take all the advice on board.

[pearbo]

Always throw the lures about, especially between your deads. A big spoon fished low and slow. It can provoke a take on the deads and get the pike moving. Many a day has been saved for the committed angler who isn't sitting reading a book.