Trolling for pike

[Lee-sox]

I was out lure fishing for pike on saturday i was doing my usual tactic of trolling to the top of the river with the upcoming tide then drifting back when the tide changed (i find this the most productive time)casting all the way.

 

But on the way up there a fellow boat angler told me that he had been "done" three time the year before for trolling with an electric outboard.

 

Now i always use an electric motor when fishing, and always thought that going at a very slow speed(the lowest possible) with the tide and stopping the motor straight away on a take was not very dangerous for a pike. (Feel free to prove me wrong) :confused:

 

when i first bought the motor i sent an e-mail to the broads authority asking if trolling with an electric is banned, i got the reply of "there is currently no regulations on the use of trolling with electric motors but the issue is under consideration"

 

I have sent another e-mail to the broads authority

asking for an update, but im yet to hear a reply.

 

i would like to hear others opinions on this subject as Pike are my favourite fish and i would not willingly do anything to harm them.

[Lee-sox]

anyone

[Scott]

Not sure about the rules down there so I cant help on that.

The damaging the Pike bit I might be able to help.

 

If you are say using a very strong braid and you hook a pike while trolling, if your clutch is set not to give line, your rod should cushion any effect. I dont think it is possible to cause much damage with a rod, I would think the first casualty in this situation would be your rod, but if you are still worried about this set your clutch to give line and dont start bullying the fish till you have stopped.

 

Scott.

[StuMac]

I quite often (= almost always) troll live / dead baits 'cos I'm hyperactive and have to do something like steer a boat - can't stand sitting still!

 

If you use an ABU (or similar) multiplier you can leave the real out of gear with the ratchet on. This holds the bait quite nicely. You can slightly tighten up the end cap if the it's giving line too easily, fish don't seem put off by resistance, but I tend to think if you have to do that you'r going too fast. I usually use the slowest possible setting on my electric outboard, and often pulse the motor on for 5 seconds, off for 10 or something similar. However, I sometimes zip along at quite a speed (setting 3/4) as some days you only seem to get bites with fast-moving baits.

 

When a pike takes the bait the sound of the ratchet going is music to your ears!

 

You then lift the rod out of the rest, ratchet off, control the line with your thumb whilst you work out which way the fish is going, and then strike.

 

Brilliant way to fish, give it a go. It works really well with smelts set up on a wobbling trace with a spinner blade about 2 inches in front of the first treble. You get scent attraction of deadbait and the visual attraction of a lure.

 

May not be too good with lures as the pike may not hang onto the bait.

 

You can also combine it with lure fishing once you know the water, just nudge the boat along likley looking spots trolling the bait and casting a lure. Can get a bit too much once the wind gets up though.

[The Diamond Geezer]

PW'll be the man to answer this one, but he's gone AWOL (fishing?) at the moment

 

DG

[Newt]

Can't speak to the local laws but the tactics should be fine for the fish. You certainly should't ever deep hook one this way and they are structured so they shouldn't be damaged by hitting a lure moving along.

[Peter Waller]

Bulster, trolling under power is a navigational matter on the Broads, not a fisheries matter. E.A. rules are clear, trolling under power is perfectly legal in the Anglian Region. As the Broads navigation by-law stands at the moment it is illegal to troll under power on the Broads. The matter is under review but pratts like Charlie Bettell at Brundall are throwing spanners in the works and objecting to it. Not that Charlie has never been seen trolling under power so why he is objecting now only heaven knows.

 

Getting a reply from the Broads Authority is liking getting a politician to admit he has lied!!

 

Re the bloke who has been 'done', not so. More like he is telling you that he has been 'done' as a means of stopping you doing it. Funny thing is that when anyone tells you they have been 'done' it's always three times :confused: . I am involved with the BA on this matter, so I do know no one has been 'done'. I can also say that I think it is most unlikely that anyone will actually be 'done' as things stand at the moment, but don't rely on that in court. Truth is that the current legislation is a tad grey!!

 

By the way, none of us troll under power on the Broads, no , no , no , it's called 'controlled drifting' ! Controlled drifting is great at night, when the River Inspectors are tucked up in their beds. If you smell a shoal of bream under you then great, get the lures out and gleefully control your drift around the shoal .

 

In the meantime write to the Broads Authority expressing your feelings and support for trolling under power and suggest that it should be legalised.

 

Before anyone critiscises me of double standards, e.g advocating breaking the law on trolling, but condemning those who fish out of season, or without a licence, just hold you hard. The Fishery by-law allows us to troll under power, so no one is breaking the law from that angle. Since this navigation by-law was drawn up leccy outboards have appeared on the scene, thus rather changing the situation. The BA is being cornered into changing an unpopular law, largely by common consent of anglers themselves. Common sense also dictates that one man trolling under leccy power is far safer, for pike as well, than one man trolling under oars, and facing the wrong way, as is the case at the moment.

 

[ 02. July 2003, 07:20 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]