Pike Gags

[Andy_1984]

Bank fishing and thigh waders. Damned if we do, damned if we dont comes to mind with nets and pike and are risks with either. I wouldnt think any less of someone using a net and its probably best for someone not quite comfortable with chinning out of water.

[Emma two]

It seems that we all want to achieve the same objective, that is to say getting the fish out of the water (or even unhooked IN the water)but our life/fishing experiences have formed us to have different opinions on just how to do that. Circumstances will differ dependant upon a range of variables including our individual strength , or lack of it. For example when in the boat when fishing with my son most pike are chinned out, we have standard operating proceedures the one who hasn't got the fish on chins out for the other, without a rod in my hand I can hold onto the boat with one hand and get the fish with the other, if I think it is too big for me I say so and he hands me his rod to me and he chins it out, He ia a big strong fellow and has lifted out several upper 20s that way (the '30' has eluded him so far). working together we can have a fish out, unhooked, photographed by the non catcher, just before the fish is returned, we each carry a camera so there is no messing about looking for one. We keep an unhooking mat on the deck, but its only used if the fish needs to be laid down to unhook, most times it never goes anywhere near the deck. We have timed it and consistantly have the whole job done in less thn a minute (try it by counting the seconds in your head). Father Xmas brought him s head cam this year so we hope to get some footage to prove this. On my own in the boat is a different matter, four years ago I suffered a stroke which has left my left side weakened, I am right handed and that where the rod is, I would only try and lift out a jack with my left hand, I did try swapping hands once the fish has been played out but found that awkward, so that where the rubberised mesh net comes in (the unhooking mat too) It still requires the swapping of (net) hands and I put my rod down once the fish is in the net. Another great advantage of having a good big net in the boat is that fish can be placed in it and held upfight after a fight to allow recovery, or prepeare weighing sling and scales if it is an exceptional one.

 

In some of the places we shore fish I would defy anyone, regardless of their physical prowess to safely, both for themselves and the fish, chin out a pike, it may be ok on gradually slopeing beaches, or even on canals with the water close to the wall. However try iy (or rather don't try it) on steeply sloping wet slimy rocks where the angle is 45 degrees or worse and the water in front of you plummets down very deep (in fact its just as dangerous to be 7 feet deep as it is 70)thats where a net comes in.

 

Another variable is the condition of the fish and the time of year. I know that many pike anglers see their sport as a winter one, to the extent of an unoffical 'season' for them, usually October to March. For us up here it wouldn't be worth buying the gear and calling ourselves 'Pikers'if we confined ourselves to that period, we would simply have missed the best of it, the late Andy in Scotland affirmed this too, as does Mick Brown in one of his books. We do catch some pike in winter, but they are sadly few and far between on the big lakes at least. It is significant that in cold weather the pike behave very differently to those hooked in warmer conditions, this became startlingly apparent to me years ago when I was living away from this area, when winter pike were more readily hooked, but oh the disapointment of the 'fight'from these fish, large and seemigly well conditioned pike would make a few half hearted attempts at runsthen turn on their side and slide in, we read the Flying Tench's comments on the performance of his recent good fish which supports this case,those fish could be comparitively easily chinned, now compare that with a summer evening fish thrashing and jumping with a facefull of lure, a different proposition altogether, if one played the fish to a standstill until chinning would be easy there ia a danger of exhausting it with potentially bad results, short of skull dragging it out get the job done as quickly as possible.

 

To conclude I suggest flexibility in our approach to landing pike, just as we vary our methods of hooking them in the first place. The only 'do not' I would implore you to consider is not using those big soft meshed nets marketed as 'specimen' ones. I see them as having no useful place in piking.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Emma two

[kirisute]

Picking up slightly OT, but on what Emma has said....

Never did understand the "winter" pike trend....is it a case of them being a species that will happily feed during winter, like chub? Something else?

I don't pike fish often but I do have great fun lure fishing along reed beds or dead baiting under an over hanging tree on a lazy summer evening; and the pike I've caught doing so have been great sport.

Holidays on the Broads mid summer I recall having some superb pike out.

[Andy_1984]

Imo kiri easier to catch pike in winter than it is to catch tench roach rudd etc.

 

I also like the idea of that as it gives us something to do in winter. Might be cold wet miserable but its another experience.

[Emma two]

The reason given for not pike fishing in summer is low oxygen levels in warmer water which is supposed to cause 'gassing' up, that is to say negatively altered oxygen levels in the fish. In the worst case killing the pike. It may be a variable, however I know for certain it doesn't kill every pike because of more than one capture of recognisable individuals. Maybe in some waters which have low oxygen levels to begin with it is a real problem. Perhaps quite not so in our large glacial waters. In any case I shall continue to summer fish for them, in fact top water lureing in shallow weedy bays from a boat, is for us anyway the creme dela creme, of pike fishing, or any type fishing come to that. I rarely dead bait in summer because I have found that the fish take the baits so fast that even with good sensitive bite indication there is the liklihood of deep hooking. Lure fishing is much more fum anyway.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Emma two

[Steve Burke]

For those who don't use a net can I ask what you do if you hook a big perch? Without a net you're likely to lose it or damage it. I speak from bitter experience here!

 

As Emma pointed out, firstly you have to play a pike for longer to hand land it safely. Secondly, high or difficult banks, especially where it's too deep to wade, are a problem. I'd rather ditch the waders and carry a net instead.

 

I've still got the net I designed myself in my days in the tackle trade. It's no longer available, but I've seen good reviews of the Savage Gear one with a rubberised mesh. (I agree with Emma that fine mesh nets are no good for piking). Two versions of the Savage Gear net are available, one with an extending handle like mine.

 

I'd add that I do often chin or hand land pike, especially the smaller ones. In fact these I often don't handle jacks when lure fishing. Instead I clamp pliers onto the hooks and then just twist.

 

But if the hooks are in an awkward place or the pike is big I use a net.

 

In other words you haven't got to actually use the net, just keep it in reserve for when needed. In fact I insist that all those who use lures at Wingham, or the lucky few I invite piking, carry a net.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Steve Burke

[Andy_1984]

Perch hand landed cant say ive lost or damaged any. High banks i simply dont fish if i cant chin a pike.

 

Thats my problem though and it limits fishing a little but im happy with that.

 

Btw them savage gear ones imo are crap its this one a pike rolled up the side and nearly out and if you aint carefull the hinge chews the mesh and known of screws coming loose and falling out.

[Emma two]

Perch hand landed cant say ive lost or damaged any.

 

It just hasn't hapened yet, but if you keep fishing it will and when it does and it is a really good one remember what you have said here. Anglers trying to grab a perch which is thrashing around in the water, and usually taking several failed attempts just look silly to me because there is simply no need for it.

[Andy_1984]

A lot could happen that hasnt happened yet. Know what i say ? Sh*t happens.

[Emma two]

Yes it does, but there is no need to help make it be more likely to happen.