I'm thinking of taking up pike fishing!

[Peter Waller]

Ditto!

[Andy Macfarlane]

I don't think Carp has anything to do with the increase in Pikers. There's a massive increase in numbers around here and Carp are pretty thin the ground. We are an island though, so.....

I'd say the overall decline in good sea fishing has more to do with it. Learner pikers don't show up with new Carp gear, out of season and decide upon pike as thier next target. That's nonsense IMHO.

Most newstarts turn up with oversized spinning rods, beach rods, big wonky fixed spools, bubble floats and 30Lb line. The gear is basically sea-fishing gear with a few additions here and there.

If most new Pikers were Carpers, we wouldn't be having this conversation and we'd have much less to worry about.

[Peter Waller]

Andy, that carp anglers use rods suitable for piking appears to be a contributory factor down South. The change does not require the purchase of another rod so Budgie's contention does make sense, down here!

[Eddie]

Peter Waller:

Andy, that carp anglers use rods suitable for piking appears to be a contributory factor down South. The change does not require the purchase of another rod so Budgie's contention does make sense, down here!

There are far more carp anglers down south and consequently far more carp rods and reels suitable for pike fishing available very cheaply seconhand down there as well!

[Andy Macfarlane]

I can see exactly what he means. I do realise that the transition from Carping to Piking is no great leap. I simply don't agree that Budgie is wholly correct when he says:

 

quote:

---

The increase in Pike fishing is in my mind down to one thing,the increase in people comming straight in to carp fishing.When the carping slows down in the colder weather the pike is the most logical alternative for the guy whose only tackle,experience is carp related.Not much point in trying to trot the local river for roach on a 3lbTC rod is there? Sadly despite my love of Pike they arnt the hardest of fish to catch.Add to this that their shape alone gives the impression of size and there you go green winter carp.This isnt critisism just (IMO)a fact.

---

I'm sure Budgie is right to a certain degree but that doesn't take the whole of the UK into consideration. What he says is probably correct in areas where Carping is prolific and he's probably just reporting what he sees, so I'm not rubbishing what he says at all. I just think he has to see newstarts Piking all over the UK before he can stand by that comment.

Generally, Budgie makes plenty of sense and I'm not arguing with him....

[Dick Dastardly]

Andy,I was speaking as I always do from my own experiences.Despite the fact that I have fished quite a lot in Scotland my comments were based upon what I see local to me.The comments you make about the decline of the sea fishing and the resulting numbers of "ex" sea anglers turning to piking using their sea gear certainly makes sense to me.You are really making the same point as me just adjusting it for your local situation?And yes I can see that in general converting a sea angler to Piking would be a lot harder than converting a carp angler

[darrell.cook]

Anyone thinking of taking up piking could have no better instruction than from Budgie.

I speak with experience, as Gray Catchpole and I drove up the M4 one snowy morning a few years back and attended the original one!!

That day enabled me to make up rigs, understand bite indication requirements and best of all put my first pike on the bank!

I've since put a few on the bank - no monsters (YET!!) all thanks to a great grounding in the basics.

Would love to attend a weekend session! look forward to more info!!

[malevans]

Can't go wrong with an Argos Carp rod ! My sons has netted him double figure carp, pike and salmon. However back to main thrust of the thread.

 

Piking in particular tends to generate the black art and element of "need to be qualified", which if put inappropriately tends to make the new pike angler rebel against the establishment. I started 12 years ago when I took what was then my one carp rod down the great ouse stuck a deadbait on with some trebles and hey presto I am piking. I had however read several books from the library on Piking, so I knew about fragility out of water, I "knew" what to do when a deep hooking was encountered (it was 4 years later when I encountered my one and only situation of this type to date, but memory served well) Anyway non of these was an immediate issue because I kept failing to hook up ! Lost/missed pike after pike. So i went back to books and then cracked it, I was striking ala float fishing with maggots .

However the key factor was having read about deep hooking and fragility out of water, I actually cared about it. Read or be taught as much as you like if the angler does not care then its irrelevent, if the angler spends 10 mins setting his camera up because he must have pic the fact he is educated in these matters does not matter.

 

One comment I would make is that at times Pike angling comes across in a very pompus manner (due to well intensioned consern for the Pike) and I repeat black art feel, and this is enough to turn many a new pike angler away from engaging with the experienced community. Presentation is 90% of the success of anything. And that is where Piking and Dry fly fishing reach their common ground.

 

So don't tell folks piking is hard, tell them it is easy, explain why its easy. E.g. Deep hooking is not a problem the odd time it occurs because all you have to do is ...... people will take this in. But as they visualise pulling on the trace and hooks appearing (whilst in a positive frame of mind because this is easy ) the impression made upon them will be greater.

[Tony B]

I get the opinion fishing for pike with a beachcaster is fround upon.

 

But, surely having an over strength rod is better than spinning with a £3 travellers telescopic rod - That would snap in an instant.

 

Is it that beachcasters are too stiff and dont give enough flex? A 20lb pike will flex even a beach caster won't it?

 

Reason being I have ordered braid and I would like to start fishing on Sunday for pike. I strongly disagree with trebles, they can do serious damage if you dont know what you are doing.

 

I am going to use single hook with sprats. Safe.

 

What are your opinions on this?

[Nik]

I was pleased to see in this weeks angling times that many of the excellent points on pike welfare raised here have recieved decent coverage and the work of the pacgb was covered too. Did anyone else see the article in the times concerning a certain angling club insisting on members obtaining a certificate in pike fishing before allowing its members to fish for them? I think its a good idea, what do you think?