Pike Tips

[KAYC]

Kinder eggs make great floats with the tube from a "swizel" lolley thru the middle, Paint one side orange and the other dayglo yellow.( good excuse to buy the kids candy!)

[Crackin Clax]

always make sure that when you are using deadbaits with double treble hooks, make sure that the trace betwwen the hooks is not tights, make sure it's slack otherwise the bait will circle through the water......doesn't really look realistic!!!

[slodger]

Pictured below is all the kit you need to make your own made-to-measure pop-up sticks.

1.) Carpers Nut Drill

2.) Pencil Sharpener

3.) Balsa Dowel

 

If you prefer you can make them up in advance and store them in a plastic jar full of fish oil. This is a better option than painting them to seal them as the tackle manafacturers do, although to be honest the balsa doesn't get waterlogged anyway, so there's no need really.

 

Another use for balsa dowel. The insert material for this sliding float is a rigid plastic tube bought from a plastic extrusions outlet for a fraction of the price of tackle shop rig tube. You can of course glue a swivel into the bottom for a waggler style pike float. To get the hole through the middle of the dowel, it's often easier to cut the dowel into two halves lengthways, and then glue it back together after making the hole.

[Peter Waller]

I know its not always possible, but don't just fish for pike when you can, fish for pike when conditions are right. On the Broads, for example, fishing on the ebb pays dividends. It might mean fishing on a Saturday morning rather than on a Saturday afternoon. Organise your shopping, car cleaning, wife pleasing etc around your piking rather than the other way around. Am I brave or am I brave in saying that??!!

[Dick Dastardly]

If memory serves me right (Elton?) we used to have a really good "Tip of the day" feature on this site.Be good to see it resurected.

[Guest Jan V]

Organise your shopping, car cleaning, wife pleasing etc around your piking rather than the other way around. Am I brave or am I brave in saying that??!!

Quite brave, and your secret is safe with me, Peter, until we meet next May - hee hee

Edited December 7, 2005 by Jan V

[argyll]

Sardines are easier to use frozen; so keep them that way in a cool bag with an ice block inside.

 

Gerry

got a picture of the North Norfolk floats?

Tony

 

Just got a new camera battery, sorry to keep you waiting Tony. Its just a small polystyrene ball with a cocktail stick glued through the middle. Short length of paperclip whipped on one end and a starlight holder glued on the other. I never got around to varnishing any of these or making the super duper versions that I intended and yet the originals are still going strong from summer 2004.

 

Deadbait float

Edited December 9, 2005 by argyll

[Polly]

Use Fox pencil float and fish waggler style (bottom end only). Brilliantly sensitive, you'll see EVERY touch immediatly. Strike as eraly as possible to avoid deep hooking, this is made simply by using the above. Be carfeul of gill rakers when releasing trebles.

Pike are VERY delicate, handle with utmost care when on MAT. I could go on and on and on about looking after one of the most wonderful species to swim in our waters but all I'm gonna say to conlude is put the pikes welfare before your own ego and look after them.

[Peter Waller]

Got to agree with you Polly. Something magic about watching a well set up pencil float.

[Mc Fudge]

1.Always have a bait in the margins/marginal drop off, number one hot spot on most waters.

 

2.Never fish with the baitrunner engaged unless completly neccasery, always have open bale arm as it reduces the number of runs being droped.

 

3. Always have trebles prominent, dont bury them into your baits.

 

4. If theres 3 of you fishing always make sure you have an end peg.

 

 

 

 

"Detachable traces I put a a snap link at the end of my reel line to which my wire trace is attached. This makes it very quick to change/remove the trace if I need to"

 

I actually always have my main line tied directly onto my trace. The reasons you suggest for doing so a very good ones indeed though Steve. One thing that can happen when using a detatchable trace I have found is that an angler can become complacent and not re-tie the snap link as often as they should. Its very easy to say "Oh it will be ok for another session" and this can result in a snap off when it becomes weak, which it will at some point. I like to re-tie my traces to my main line regularly to try and prevent this. Its very easy to say that I could re-tie my snap link as often, from experience though I know I wouldnt. Its easy to be lazy at times.