A Game Of Two Halves!

[Dick Dastardly]

Well Ive read at lot in the press and on some of the forums about how slow the start to this years pike season has been. Ive not been able to agree with this having found it normal up to the first bit of cold when it has chucked up some great fish through out the country.There has been some right lumps out so far (er sadly none to me though!21lb 6ozs best so far but I dont catch enough 20's not to apreciate this one!) and from a good variety of waters.

 

Ive always thought of the season to be very much split between the pre and post Christmas periods.Much of this is due to conditions,before being normally warmer and more importantly flood free and after cold with more floods.Im obviously speaking about my own regular waters here.

 

So what are your veiws on the "two halves" which produces best for you and how are you doing so far?

[steve17]

i usually do alot better after xmas, but then again i do generally pike fish more after xmas than before it, in the depths of january/february.

[GlennB]

For this strictly occasional piker it's been grim so far.

 

Back in the heat of the summer I was catching 'bits' regularly on deadbaits and lures, on lakes and rivers

Since the cold weather set in I've had 4 sessions - but working *much* harder at it in terms of moving around and changing tactics + baits - and couldn't buy a pike. If I went down the pike shop they'd be out of stock

 

4 blanks might be no big deal in the pike world, and could it be that the lakes I've been fishing have now been vacated by the summer carpers and are getting much more attention from the pikists? Dunno, but I'm going back as soon as those lakes thaw out a bit

[Andrew Burgess]

For this strictly occasional piker it's been grim so far.

 

Same for me! Rubbish

[Dave Horton]

Yep I make you right on "the game of two halves" bit Budgie. I'm generally trying out new waters pre X-mas and often don't get to grips with them until after?

[Steve Burke]

I haven't done much piking yet this season, but so far it's mainly been a succession of jacks. Must have chosen the wrong days as I find that the jacks keep their heads down when the big girls are on the prowl.

[Dave Horton]

Yep I make you right on "the game of two halves" bit Budgie. I'm generally trying out new waters pre X-mas and often don't get to grips with them until after?

 

 

I'm sure there's something in what you say there Steve? Infact I've even moved swims before now when I'm catching too many little Pike.

[chris mc]

Haven't casted a dead baite for about 9 years (Last was a personal best as well 15lb),and haven't chuckt a Lure since just befor Spring,think ill change that this weekend.

[Dick Dastardly]

Steve and Dave,yes I have come to think that there might be something to it as well. Even though I have caught big fish amongst jacks a noticable amount have come by themselves.

[Peter Waller]

I'm finding that quantities are down this year, and a greater proportion of jacks. But I have had one or two nice fish, and they have packed the weight on earlier this year.

 

I agree that the jacks tend to feed when the big ones are less likely to be caught.

 

In general I find that the ebb tide is best for piking where quantity is the issue. But many of my bigger fish have come in the first half hour of the flood when catching a smaller pike, and sometimes any pike, is less likely.