Predator fishing

[norfolkfisher]

I have spent a few days since the start of the season plugging the rivers with a varierty of lures and deadbaits at almost every depth and only had one take and none caught, and no perch,no zander, no pike and no eels. And i usually catch loads of eels and small perch as bycatch when maggot/worm fishing for bream and roach. This is strange as most other fish are still feeding almost pretty constantly and easy to catch, but just not the predators... and theres usually plenty of lively jacks this time of year.

 

So is anyone else catching? If so any tips or techniques would be appreciated because i'm officially stumped for any new ideas.

 

Cheers in advance

[Peter Waller]

No luck whatsoever, but I am benefiting from sheer skill and ability

 

Mind you, the pike fishing is poor.

[dapper64]

had an hour a couple of weeks ago got a perch about a lb and a pike of about 6lb,tried for three hours last night,got a couple of missed bites that felt like something small.

[Neil G]

Had a couple of doubles on livebaits a few weeks ago but that was only after sitting for two hours with deads on with no takes at all till the penny dropped!

 

I've tried all the tactics that worked well last year, especially topwater lures/poppers and it they seem to be useless, also had lots of good pike last year on deads but they won't touch them this year!

 

Predator fishing seems to be so fickle/hit and miss these days that I am throwing in a bit of barbel fishing to keep me amused.

 

My tips would be (if your permitted to) is to give livebaits a go, big ones 5/6 inches if you can. I had both fish within 5 to 10 minutes of putting the livebait in the water, they were obviously there but didn't want to eat dead fish!

[Jeff S]

Had a small jack last week of about 10 inches. Was out until dusk on the yak trolling every lure I own. I can say I saw and heard some huge splashes. I imagine they are there and feeding just not on anything artificial or dead. Didn't start seeing the bigger fish move until right before dark..

[fruitloopy]

Found lots of small Perch around happily getting caught on worm.

 

I have been trying out lure and spinning for the first time and had a bit of success, took a small jack in the River Nene a few weeks ago on a spinner, a 3lb jack on a surface lure on Monday on a small lake and a 4lb jack in a gravel pit Tuesday.

 

Was going out for some Barbel tonight but the bloody weather may have mucked that up for me!

 

At what point does a jack become a pike?

[Dan Dan]

"jacks" are generally the name for the male pike, as they don't grow anywhere near the size of the females.

[pikergonecarpin]

At what point does a jack become a pike?

 

Anything up to 10lbs i call a jack, over that it becomes a pike

 

Well in my mind anyway

[norfolkfisher]

Thanks for the responses! I know the KLAA is clamping down on the removal of any fish dead or alive without special dispensation (those pesky poles again), but i need to get hold of em for a season ticket for some other fisheries, so i'll see whats aloud with livebaiting and whatnot. Seeing as no one seems to be having much luck on deads or lures. But hopefully it'll pick up again when/if it warms up!

[Neil G]

I'd say Jacks are the pike from 1-5lb in weight, they can be great sport on light gear or a fly rod.

 

Tmw I'm going to have another go with the lures as I'm pretty convinced that static baits are a no - go until Sept/Oct and the bait fish start shoaling up, I think the pike are everywhere this time of year and it's pretty hard to find them in numbers.