Jump to content

Summer pike fishing


davedave

Recommended Posts

Evening all,

 

I know it's a sensitive topic and i'm not looking to start an argument. But I was wondering whether the anglers on here thought it responsible to fish for river pike at this time of year. From what I've read on the internet lure fishing is the only acceptable method to fish for pike in summer. I was wondering whether to do a bit of spinning next weekend.

 

Thanks for any replies, Dave

As famous fisherman John Gierach once said "I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't."

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 20
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Evening all,

 

I know it's a sensitive topic and i'm not looking to start an argument. But I was wondering whether the anglers on here thought it responsible to fish for river pike at this time of year. From what I've read on the internet lure fishing is the only acceptable method to fish for pike in summer. I was wondering whether to do a bit of spinning next weekend.

 

Thanks for any replies, Dave

Its totally up to you dave. Personally I would have no problems fishing for pike in summer and often spin for them on the canal when I want a change. Its not as often as I prefer trotting when the weather is nice but I haven't seen any issues with the pike being caught in summer when I have done it. If you return them correctly and handle them carefully I don't see a problem. No doubt others will disagree but I say go for it if you want to do it.

For any web design needs check out http://www.chiptenwebsites.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pike fight very hard in the summer. If caught on light tackle they will often be played to a standstill before landing.

With the often low oxygen levels in the water at this time of year fish recovery can be a big issue.

The fish will often need long periods of coaxing before it is strong enough to swim off. Even then they may not be fully recovered and can still go belly up.

If you must fish for them in the summer use heavy enough gear to land them quickly and hold them upright in the water until fully ready to swim off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks ATS.

 

Inderblitz - Basically what Barry said, with warmer summer weather, oxygen levels are lower and pike can go belly up if deep hooked, played for too long or handled incorrectly.

 

Barry C - Thanks for that, I will up my gear if I do decide to go spinning, at the moment i've got 10lb mainline on my pike reel and from what i've been reading that needs to be at least 15lb.

As famous fisherman John Gierach once said "I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't."

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dave,

 

I ordinairly wouldn't be in this thread. I was just surprised by Barry C's comment. I know we bully our fish in al lot more than you do in the UK. I’ve never seen a pike die of exhaustion.

 

Pike tolerate low oxygen levels pretty well and are the least likely predator to become a victim of winterkill (low oxygen and/or low temperature) conditions. The frozen lakes of Northern US and Canada suffer very low oxygen levels because the thick ice and snow block all sunlight. Pike do better in low oxygen than other predators.

 

 

Pike also seek cooler, deeper waters in very hot weather and consequently are harder if not impossible for the angler to reach. Maybe this is not the case in the UK(?).

 

It’s just that with food supplies at a peak in July and August, the pike is generally well‐fed and less inclined to bite. Pike, as sight predators, will NOT feed at all at night in the hottest part of summer. The swing – low, high, low oxygen levels does affect/effect pike.

 

 

A fun side note - - - Because pike bite less frequently in the “dog days” of summer, some (quite a few) American anglers assume pike shed all of their teeth at that time each year. The teeth are not shed entirely at any one time; rather, worn‐out or broken teeth are replaced as they are lost by new teeth, which grow alongside the old ones.

 

Nothing I’ve said about pike applies to Arctic Circle pike. They are extra stupid. (blanked the only time I tried)

 

Nothing I've said is "fact" but it is what I know as "fact". I'm not really a pike guy - I just hang around a few.

 

My comment is just for conversation.

 

As for your question - unless conditions are incredably different - go for it with common sense.

 

Phone

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This time of year I will try to avoid shallow waters where oxygen levels could be a problem as well as water temps which is the big problem with summer and pike fishing.

 

i have no problem hitting big deep lochs and fast flowing waters where these 2 issues won't be much of a problem during summer.

 

If your fairly confident that these are not an issue and you can get a pike in and deal with it quickly then go for it Dave. It is a river after all so id hazard a guess low oxygen won't be an issue

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I fish for Pike during the summer sometimes and the only time I have had to hold pike upright when releasing them is when the unhooking has been difficult due to deep hooking or a weird hook position. I always carry long wire cutters designed for pike fishing with me so I can cut the hooks and unhook it easily and quickly.

 

Also a landing net designed with a rubber mesh should mean that if a pike spins in the net it is easier to untangle everything and you don't spend 5 minutes untangling the fish and then another few minutes unhooking it will also help keeping it out the water for a much longer time than required. If you are struggling with the hooks rest the fish back in the net in the water and sort out your unhooking tools and have a think how best to unhook it while the fish gets some oxygen back into it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thirty pound minimum, braid preferably, unhook them in the water. Squeezed barbs should make that a doddle. Minimum handling equals maximum conservation.

 

P.S. Leave the camera at home, fannying around taking pictures on a hot day does nothing for pike longevity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the replies, I think Phone hit the nail on the head, its common sense, if your fishing on an oxygenated river after a days rain on lures not deads and your unhooking them quickly and making sure they are swimming away strongly I think theres no harm in it.

 

Sorted some piking gear out this evening, got four days off work now so I'm spending all day spinning tomorrow. Put some new line on my reels and decided where i'm going. I'll upload some pictures if I actually catch anything :P

 

Thanks

As famous fisherman John Gierach once said "I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't."

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We and our partners use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences, repeat visits and to show you personalised advertisements. By clicking “I Agree”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.