dead baiting for pike

[fisher28]

Hi all,

 

I am relatively new to pike fishing having only been doing it for two and a half seasons now and would appreciate your views and advice.

 

Most of my pike fishing is done on still waters at close range using deadbaits, two of my my most used methods are a straight lead and a deadbait pencil with a lead. Having thought I was fishing correctly another angler suggested that the leads I was using were far too big and heavy leads are only used casting long distances. I was under the impression that a reasonable lead was used so that when a take comes the lead isnt moved with the line being pulled straight through, giving no resistance to the pike and therefore I have generally been using leads up to 3oz. I was told that using just a small amount of shot would give a better presentation as the lead wouldn't pull the bait down into the lake bed, also the cast wouldn't be so disruptive. When I challenged this the angler said that if I fished using my current tactics I would be better off using a stem to keep the bait from being pulled into the lake bed, which isn't something iv used before.

 

Although im sure the advice given to me was sound I would be interested in knowing what you all suggest in terms of weights used for pike fishing on the bottom. Also advice on stems if recommended, which I understand vary in length depending on the depth of weed? If it helps the waters I fish range from 6 to 15ft deep.

 

Many thanks

[Phone]

fisher,

 

Are you catching pike? Just as there is more than one way to skin a cat - there is more than one way to catch a fish. I wouldn't be critical since I'm in the US but 3 oz weight surely cannot serve any purpose? Certainly you don't want your bait to get buried in the mud but there are any number of ways to keep that from happening. Frankly, I've never known pike to be particularly sensitive to resistance.

 

How long a trace are you using?

 

Phone

[Andy Macfarlane]

Rubbish.....I use 3-4oz a rod length out and for the very reasons you described and that took years of active comparison to come to that reasoning.

 

If silt is that soft, then stems might be a good idea but even then, I'd still be using as much weight as I can get away with. In fact, I'd like to see anything lighter than a 3oz lead keep a stem pinned properly. Add a pop-up to the mix and the problem is exaggerated.

 

You can make stems quite easily by the way...

 

Leger stems are expensive and they're....well....crap.
I make my own leger stems with a length of John Roberts rig tubing, 2 metal screw-in curtain
hangers/picture rings and half a cork or 2-3 Fox poppers.
Gently heat one end of the rig tube and screw in your hanger.

Once you've screwed the hanger in, dip that end of the tube in cold water to re-set the rig tubing solid.

Slide half a cork or 2 Fox poppers up the rig-tube and glue into position.

Cut your tube to the length you want and then add the second hanger in the same way as the first.

Hey presto....1 buoyant leger stem with metal rings.

 

[Phone]

All,

 

I'll ask too. Just to show my ignorance. Why not a paternoster rather than a stem?

 

Phone

[Andy Macfarlane]

A paternoster isn't a free-running rig. Once the fish has moved x number of inches, it's essentially a fixed rig. The leger stem remains free-running.

[Phone]

Andy,

 

Hummmm? Ever have a pike move a bait X number of inches?

 

Phone

[fisher28]

fisher,

 

Are you catching pike? Just as there is more than one way to skin a cat - there is more than one way to catch a fish. I wouldn't be critical since I'm in the US but 3 oz weight surely cannot serve any purpose? Certainly you don't want your bait to get buried in the mud but there are any number of ways to keep that from happening. Frankly, I've never known pike to be particularly sensitive to resistance.

 

How long a trace are you using?

 

Phone

I do catch pike but I never seem to have big hauls but then again I dont seem to miss many takes. Standard length traces say 18inches.

[fisher28]

Rubbish.....I use 3-4oz a rod length out and for the very reasons you described and that took years of active comparison to come to that reasoning.

 

If silt is that soft, then stems might be a good idea but even then, I'd still be using as much weight as I can get away with. In fact, I'd like to see anything lighter than a 3oz lead keep a stem pinned properly. Add a pop-up to the mix and the problem is exaggerated.

 

You can make stems quite easily by the way...

 

Leger stems are expensive and they're....well....crap.

I make my own leger stems with a length of John Roberts rig tubing, 2 metal screw-in curtain

hangers/picture rings and half a cork or 2-3 Fox poppers.

Gently heat one end of the rig tube and screw in your hanger.

Once you've screwed the hanger in, dip that end of the tube in cold water to re-set the rig tubing solid.

Slide half a cork or 2 Fox poppers up the rig-tube and glue into position.

Cut your tube to the length you want and then add the second hanger in the same way as the first.

Hey presto....1 buoyant leger stem with metal rings.

 

 

thanks andy, i didn't think I was going that far wrong. it makes sense in my head to use a good size weight to lessen the resistance when a take comes but I just had doubt put in my head regarding the disruption of the cast.

[Steve Burke]

Paternosters can be either running or fixed. See here for details and the advantages of a running paternoster I use for pike: http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/80818-sunken-float-paternoster/.

[Andy Macfarlane]

Andy,

 

Hummmm? Ever have a pike move a bait X number of inches?

 

Phone

 

Yes, it's called a run.