Winter river piking session

[Dick Dastardly]

Far better to keep moving your self I reckon. Unless you know the river very well "leap frogging" takes a lot of beating. Use both deads and lives if you can as the extra effort pays of in buckets on most rivers.

 

I don't rate lures if there is any colour in the water especially at this time of year but if you don't want to/cant live bait then a wobbled dead will out fish a static in good conditions.

 

I did an article specifically on river piking a few years back for another site I will see if its still available.

[Tony U]

The River Rother was slightly milky on Sunday but not too bad for visibility it is never that clear anyway. We chose to spin as it wa so cold we did not fancy sitting around deadbaiting.

However, this weekend we plan to return and give it a go with deads (live baits are banned on KAPS waters).

 

Tony

[AddictedToScopex]

Far better to keep moving your self I reckon. Unless you know the river very well "leap frogging" takes a lot of beating. Use both deads and lives if you can as the extra effort pays of in buckets on most rivers.

 

I don't rate lures if there is any colour in the water especially at this time of year but if you don't want to/cant live bait then a wobbled dead will out fish a static in good conditions.

 

I did an article specifically on river piking a few years back for another site I will see if its still available.

That would be great if you could get hold of that for me budgie. Do you know of a link to a rig setup for wobbling deads? I have float and ledger set ups but I am not so sure what I would need tfor wobbling. I was planning on leap frogging as you said as I do not know of any sure shot areas for pike on my river.

 

As always the pikers are keeping quiet about them lol.

[jameshodkin]

For wobbling i just pinch on a few SSG and hook the bait heads up on the trace

 

Majority of the time that i'm float fishing i hook the bait that way as well as i like to twitch it back to me with a couple of turns of the reel handle, takes can often come right after doing this

 

Have to wait for Saturday to get out myself again, blanked last week on the River but hitting a pit which is usually good for a few this week (hopefully!)

[Dick Dastardly]

That would be great if you could get hold of that for me budgie. Do you know of a link to a rig setup for wobbling deads? I have float and ledger set ups but I am not so sure what I would need tfor wobbling. I was planning on leap frogging as you said as I do not know of any sure shot areas for pike on my river.

 

 

Found the article here-

 

http://fjames.proboards.com/index.cgi?acti...05&post=587

 

and here-

 

http://fjames.proboards.com/index.cgi?acti...05&post=601

 

But the pictures have all expired.I will get the last of the reel repairs I have out of the way by Thursday so will "re vamp" the article (Ive found the original art work and photos) and send to Elton to put up on the site if he would like it?

[Dick Dastardly]

As for wobbling I'm pretty much the same as James in that I either use a normal snap tackle for larger baits or a single large treble for small ones.I don't often find the need to weight the bait but if I do I prefer to put the weight preferably in the bait (I have a length of wire coming off the hook with the weight(s) on that I push down the baits throat) or a single large split shot (1/2 ozs-1ozs as required) squeezed on directly in front of the baits mouth. If you haven't got any of these "Mega shot" (I got a load from when I lived in France) you can do the same by mounting a drilled bullet on the trace and secure it with a stop.Not as flexible though.

 

Remember that the swim bladder may still be intact on any coarse baits you use.Right I'm going to stop now else this will turn into a wobbling "How to"!!

 

Just one last point about wobbling tackle but a very important pike safety one-

 

Due to the fact that you can fish a wobbled bait very slowly next to the bottom (even leave it for a while actually static on the bottom at times) its very easy to get snagged up.Far more so than other pike baiting methods.REMEMBER if you have to pull for a break or whatever and leave a trace with bait on there is nothing to stop a pike still picking it up and swallowing the lot.This is inevitably a DEAD pike!

 

Simple way to avoid it is to "balance" your tackle by using a mainline (braid suits best) that is strong enough to straighten the trebles you are using. Also so you make things easier for your self select a hook that you can straighten (avoid ones that snap rather than straighten as well) with a direct pull (by wrapping the braid around a short piece of dowel etc not your hand!) but not with the rod. Means you can then all ways get your gear back,Admittedly you wont be able to re use it but you wont be leaving any killer rigs in the water.

 

Incidentally I adopt this tactic in any snaggy bait fishing situation where a hang up is likely.

 

A good pattern that I use when I need a bigger hook for bigger baits on trout reservoirs is the Kamasan B990 Salmon Tube fly treble in size 4. A big strong hook but can easily be straightened with 50lb braid. It comes barbed but they are easily crushed.

[AddictedToScopex]

Thanks Budgie. Thats some great advice and thanks for finding the article for me. Really appreciate it.

[Rob Ward]

Thanks Budgie. Thats some great advice and thanks for finding the article for me. Really appreciate it.

 

ATS - I'm planning a day on that stretch in the next couple of weeks do you fancy teaming up?

 

I'm thinking midweek, Graeme is also wanting to come but he's more interested in the Chub.

[AddictedToScopex]

ATS - I'm planning a day on that stretch in the next couple of weeks do you fancy teaming up?

 

I'm thinking midweek, Graeme is also wanting to come but he's more interested in the Chub.

Yeah would love to Rob. I would have to be notified in advance if it were to be a midweek thing though so that I can request the day off work.

 

I am due to have 3 days off starting the 14th of Feb (but fiance has booked me up that day for valentines day) because I might be starting a new job so 15th and16th I will be free. My boss is making me a counter offer today though at 2pm to try and get me to stay where I am so will know for sure what I am doing then.

 

Will be going down the canal I think this sunday or saturday or maybe vernons lodge after the big pike in there so I am hoping that will throw up a surprise or two. I am letting my chub hunt rest for a while now. Another couple of weeks and the barbel hunt will be on again too lol. Trying to focus on the Pike for a while now though.

[Rob Ward]

Yeah would love to Rob. I would have to be notified in advance if it were to be a midweek thing though so that I can request the day off work.

 

I am due to have 3 days off starting the 14th of Feb (but fiance has booked me up that day for valentines day) because I might be starting a new job so 15th and16th I will be free. My boss is making me a counter offer today though at 2pm to try and get me to stay where I am so will know for sure what I am doing then.

 

Will be going down the canal I think this sunday or saturday or maybe vernons lodge after the big pike in there so I am hoping that will throw up a surprise or two. I am letting my chub hunt rest for a while now. Another couple of weeks and the barbel hunt will be on again too lol. Trying to focus on the Pike for a while now though.

 

Have you renewed your card for the river yet?