Summer pikers, watch the float , PLEASE

[Guest Peter Waller]

The start of the season threw up one surprise for me. That was the unusual quantity of summer pikers. What was noticeable was that they were all fishing as they would have done in the winter, even down to the regulation drab green all-in-ones. Winter fishing, on the broads, means using a boat, roaring through ALL the swims, lobbing a mud weight over the side and then lobbing out four baits, one to each point of the compass before settling down comfortably and ignoring the floats for up to thirty minutes at a time. Not good at any time of the year but potentially fatel during the summer. Summer piking is a different ball game to winter fishing. Pike will be in different areas. Pike feed with a far greater alacrity than during the winter. The float needs watching with the attention a match angler gives to his float. How you can do that with four rods and floats dotted round the compass amazes me. A takes doesn't always mean the float disappearing, it might just mean the float going off on a radius or even towards the boat. If you must summer pike fish, especially with lives, then please, WATCH THE YOU KNOW WHAT FLOAT. Otherwise you will become a fish killer, plain and simple. The whole subject then takes me back to my pet hate/hobby horse, the four rod rule, urghhhhh. How can any angler watch a float, both effectively or adequatly, through the back of their head?

 

[This message has been edited by Peter Waller (edited 17 June 2001).]

 

[This message has been edited by Peter Waller (edited 17 June 2001).]

[Guest Steve Burke]

Good advice at all times of the year, Peter!

 

Personally, I'm not happy with bait fishing for pike in summer. With the pike being far more active now than in winter I reckon there's too much danger of deep hooking. This means that the fish is out of the water for longer, and with the higher water temperatures in summer this can prove fatal.

 

Anyway, there's nothing more exciting than fishing topwater lures for pike!

 

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Wingham Fisheries

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham.htm

 

[This message has been edited by Steve Burke (edited 17 June 2001).]

[Guest pikemaster39]

In my opinion people shouldnt bait fish for pike in the summer at all if they want to summer pike they should (IMHO) lure fish to at least give the fish a chance of survival once returned better still dont fish for them at all in the summer, march is when I stop pike fishing until late september early october and move on to other species, my reason for this is due to the only time I have ever summer piked I caught a 4lber on a livebait and once on the unhooking mate it bled really badly and once returned to the water it stayed on the surface for ages swimming around only to die later (I found it a couple of days later dead) I felt so guilty that I had killed this fish (everyone I have spoken to say it happens but that to me is unecceptable) I decided never to pike fish during the summer again

 

 

Tight line all and safe fishing

 

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Andi

 

http://www.sussex-pac.co.uk

ICQ:- 3728327

SACN 0286

 

[This message has been edited by pikemaster39 (edited 17 June 2001).]

[Guest Alan Pearce]

I too disagree with summer pike fishing, lures and all, seen far too many dead fish. This year, like Pete I've never seen so many summer pikers although mainly lure anglers. What amazes me is the ammount of them that don't carry a landing net or unhooking mat. When challenged they say they can safely chin out a pike and remove the hooks without the need to lay the fish down CRAP! Fish of a few pounds maybe, but they hope or might catch a lunker. Unfortunatly youngsters are copying this style which I believe they see as being trendy. What are your views?

 

Alan.

[Guest Steve Burke]

Good points, Alan! The only bit I disagree with is giving up lure fishing altogether in the summer.

 

I hand land small fish, usually unhooking them in the water, but always carry a net for use on the bigger pike. Additionally, how do you hand land a pike down a steep bank?

 

Most importantly of all, a net allows you to land a big pike earlier in the fight. This is especially important in summer when water temperatures are high. Play the pike hard and it doesn't go back exhausted. Also the harder you pull, the harder the pike pulls back!

 

I also always carry an unhooking mat. The model I favour is the Slam Combi by Sundridge which converts into both a weigh bag and a shoulder bag. In it I put my lure box plus food and drink, and sometimes spare clothing. You can see what it looks like in my field test in the Reviews section of Angler's Net.

 

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Wingham Fisheries

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham.htm

[Guest trent.barbeler]

Peters message here is plain and simple.

I personally have no regard for bait fishing for pike in the summer months. When I did a fair bit of pike fishing myself, it was a winter only exercise.

 

Indeed, I can remember when in the old regional rod licensing system, it was illegal to fish for pike in my area until after October the 1st although byelaws changed from area to area.

 

As for summer lure fishing, well, I have to admit that I've tried it in the past but quickly gave it up because I am crap at it.

Nothing ever seemed to follow my lures in.

 

On the other hand, I have watched some real experts undertake this sort of fishing and I hold their methods in high regard.

 

I remember watching Dave Goodrun fish the Grantham Canal near both our homes once.

He was using those surface type lures, a crazy crawler or critter I think they are called.

 

Watching pike surge out from marginal reeds as this hoppity floppity thing went past was quite an amazing sight. I can fully understand how such a method can be quite addictive.

 

Of course, in Dave's hands this method looked on the face of it quite simple but there's an art in this lure fishing.

 

Dave carries all the gear with him for handling the pike safely. Forceps, mat, landing net etc and his array of lures for the days fishing is mind boggling.

 

In the right hands, I believe this method of taking pike in the summer does no harm at all. Like everything else, education is the key. Dave goes to great lengths to show others who are interested just how to go about things correctly.

 

As for me, fascinated I may be but crap I still am. Perhaps one day.

[Guest Peter Waller]

Originally posted by Alan Pearce:

I too disagree with summer pike fishing, lures and all, seen far too many dead fish. This year, like Pete I've never seen so many summer pikers although mainly lure anglers. What amazes me is the ammount of them that don't carry a landing net or unhooking mat. When challenged they say they can safely chin out a pike and remove the hooks without the need to lay the fish down CRAP! Fish of a few pounds maybe, but they hope or might catch a lunker. Unfortunatly youngsters are copying this style which I believe they see as being trendy. What are your views?

 

Alan.

 

Alan's last point is extremely valid. Its a question both of money (can't afford it) and image.Its an image that many of the heros are happy to foster, don't know why though.

[Guest Danny H]

Alan, cool and trendy hey!

 

That explains why I'm always being besieged by all those trendys after they leave the Raves, all fighting to get their hands on my hawg wobblers.

 

Seriously, I Posted last June about the massive increase of deadbaiters in all my fav spots on the River ( on las website), Figured us Lure guys were to blame, people must have seen the success we were having, or maybe until they saw us catching they thought pike were gone in Summer.

 

I don't know the answer, I s'pose they feel the same way when we roam into view with lures in winter.

 

It is impossible to lure fish for Chub or perch in summer ( even with the tiniest lure), and not catch pike at sometime.

The only answer is to ban summer lure fishing,

Not something that makes much sense to a lure angler.

 

If the method is drawing in kids, isn't that what is wanted to keep the sport going?

I know from experience with my kids + nephews that lure fishing is more interesting to the average newcomer than sitting and waiting.

And once into fishing the newcomer will discover the other methods, and pick what most appeals to them

 

Funny enough the last thing I want is for it to become too popular, ( barbel guys must have similar dilemma), The last thing I want is to have every swim cained before I get there.

 

On the 16th I stayed in one swim, caught 6 fish to 24lb 8oz, while around me 6 PAC deadbaiters caught two fish between them.

( This was on a special resi, not river),

so although these guys are pike only anglers, they had their method, and they would not adapt.

But come winter when they are slaughtering me

nor will I. that's fishing.

 

I must admit that all the fish I caught were landed, quickly unhooked, returned, with every fish swimming off swiftly none of them needing any recouparation- (you couldn't hold them back due to strength)

 

But these deadbaiters had all the tools, I got the feeling that if I hadn't they would have let me know in no uncertain terms.

 

All we can do is try to advise, but not lecture , most people probably did the odd bit of spinning when young, can everybody swear that they always had an acceptable trace?

 

 

On the point of summer piking I want to start a new thread

[Guest Steve Burke]

Originally posted by Danny H:

It is impossible to lure fish for Chub or perch in summer ( even with the tiniest lure), and not catch pike at sometime.

The only answer is to ban summer lure fishing,

Not something that makes much sense to a lure angler..

 

Danny, is the problem here the lack of a wire trace on the smaller lures?

 

I fish for perch and used to fish for chub in the summer and agree you can't stop pike taking the lure. However, unless I'm using a lure with just 1 single hook I always use a wire trace in waters where pike are present. I agree it does mean less perch, but it's a price I'm willing to pay. It's also made me experiment with lures such as jigs, which can be deadly for perch.

 

 

 

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Wingham Fisheries

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham.htm

[Guest Danny H]

Danny H

Originally posted by Steve Burke:

Danny, is the problem here the lack of a wire trace on the smaller lures?

 

 

 

No steve, I never fish any lure without a trace except in the sea for bass.

 

What I was referring too was the fact that people criticize summer lure piking, but the fact is even if you lure fish for chub, old esox will make an appearence at sometime, thus the only fail safe way is to ban summer lure fishing.

 

Pretty bad for us lure fishers.

 

By the way Steve my fish the other day were all caught on one of your crocodile rods, a rod that is now one of my favs.