River Pike

[tim d]

Hi all im new to the forum but have been reading it for a while now and look forward to adminstering and recieving advice with everyone.

 

My first query is about fishing for pike in rivers, me and my dad fished a river close to us ( the sow ) last winter with varied results. We mainly used deadbaits and some days were great others awful. However the quality of fishing seemed to be very much reliuant on the weather and conditions so i would appriciate if anyone could tell me what the best (and worst) condtions would be for these pike in a quite small and fast flowing river?

 

Am i right in thinging that although pike are mainly fished for in winter like the majority of fish they will be more active and so feed more the warmer it is? will the river fish best at a high water level or a low one? when the river is clear of coulored? dropping or rising? cloudy or bright overhead conditions? etc

 

Any feedback would be appriciated and hi again,

 

Tim

 

[ 28. September 2004, 07:58 PM: Message edited by: tim d ]

[argyll]

By my reckoning.

 

Very best conditions. A few days after rain. Water is well oxygenated, relatively high level but not flooding nor running too fast. Reasonably clear with the silt having settled. Overcast sky, low light levels (dawn, dusk)

 

Very worst conditions. Either, immediately following heavy rain. River will be well up, bankside habitats washed away, suspended silt in the water making it coffee coloured (hopeless for lure fishing)and running like a steam train. Under those circumstances, best look for side streams, marinas, boat docks, anywhere were the flow is slowed down or interrupted

Or conversely, after a period of drought, high air and water temperatures, low river, low oxygen levels, bright sunshine. look for weirpools and sluicegates with higher oxygen level and slightly lower water temperature.

Pike are more active and obvious in summer although they dont necessarily eat more, they just seem to.

 

[ 28. September 2004, 08:13 PM: Message edited by: argyll ]

[Peter Waller]

Fish the ebb tide, with low water about 12.00. Ideally new or full moon. Ideally a high pressure for lure fishing and a low for deadbaiting. Preferably just as the weather is about to change for the worse. Backing wind and a bit of brightness. When that lot all comes together its time to take a sicky and go for it!

[fenboy]

Ebb tide on the Sow, Peter? When's the last time you took a seaside holiday in the west Midlands?

[Nugg]

All of the above with the addition of:-

Look for eddy's where the water is slack or even turning a little, or a drop off Pike often patrol these too. If both of these have good cover that's a bonus.

[Peter Waller]

fenboy:

Ebb tide on the Sow, Peter? When's the last time you took a seaside holiday in the west Midlands?

Don't Midlands rivers have tides then? How unhelpful if they don't! How can it be a real river if it doesn't?

 

[ 29. September 2004, 09:11 AM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

[kleinboet]

I have caught Pike in the most unusual places and circumstances. Fishing the Severn at Cloucester (Sandhurst) which is very tidal and fast. I must have caught a small fish because my rod whipped round smartish and I landed a 4lb Jack. Either that or he took maggot!!

[Dick Dastardly]

Just started doing a "mini article" on this same subject that might help-

 

http://www.lodgeparkangling.co.uk/

[Dick Dastardly]

Sorry forgot to say you will find it on the forum in the Predator section

[Nugg]

kleinboet:

I have caught Pike in the most unusual places and circumstances. Fishing the Severn at Cloucester (Sandhurst) which is very tidal and fast. I must have caught a small fish because my rod whipped round smartish and I landed a 4lb Jack. Either that or he took maggot!!

Jacks will most certainly take a maggot, in fact they are likely to take anything they take a fancy too.