Pike gear

[MikeT]

Inspired (hmm) by the thousands of pike which ruin my roach fishing, I want to do try deadbaiting for pike on the Dorset Stour this winter. I have absolutely no tackle for this, so will be starting from scratch. I intend to do this 'on the side' as it were- whilst 'proper' fishing for roach.

 

Given a reasonably sensible budget, what would you recommend for tackle? I don't mind paying for quality, but don't want to waste my money.

 

I shall need everything, from rod to hook. I have a decent strong reel though, which I use for the odd bit of bass fishing off the rocks (sea fishing- yeuch!), which should be perfect for the job.

 

So. Starting from scratch, what would you buy for me if I gave you a blank cheque?

 

(Big thanks, guys).

 

Mike.

[Grandma]

Inspired (hmm) by the thousands of pike which ruin my roach fishing, I want to do try deadbaiting for pike on the Dorset Stour this winter. I have absolutely no tackle for this, so will be starting from scratch. I intend to do this 'on the side' as it were- whilst 'proper' fishing for roach.

 

Given a reasonably sensible budget, what would you recommend for tackle? I don't mind paying for quality, but don't want to waste my money.

 

I shall need everything, from rod to hook. I have a decent strong reel though, which I use for the odd bit of bass fishing off the rocks (sea fishing- yeuch!), which should be perfect for the job.

 

So. Starting from scratch, what would you buy for me if I gave you a blank cheque?

 

(Big thanks, guys).

 

Mike.

 

Presumably you're ok with unhooking them if deep hooked?

 

Handling them:

Large landing net

12" long nosed pliers (£10 ish)

Unhooking mat if banks aren't soft

Large weigh sling

 

Rod / Line:

Rod - Dave Lumb P1 if you want the best (£140) or something by Fox if you want economic but practical.

Reel - Something with a baitrunner is useful - Shimanno are the bench mark, okuma are a budget version that do the job

Line - 50lb powerprobraid

 

Terminal Tackle:

Trace material - 45lb masons multi strand by veals - cheap and reliable, discard when kinks occur.

Hooks - vb doubles or owner trebles

Swivels / links

Floats - sea fishing ones are cheap and do the job

Leads - 1,2 & 3 oz required

 

Bite indication

If you're ledgering, fish a tight line and use a good drop off indicator - the new fox weighted ones are supposed to be half decent.

 

Check out the PAC website for rigs, handling advice etc.

 

http://www.pacgb.co.uk/index.html

[MikeT]

Thankyou, Grandma- an oustanding answer!

 

I will look into all of the above. Thanks very much indeed for your help!

 

 

Mike.

[Dick Dastardly]

Mike may I sugest that you buy semi barbless trebles as these will help both you and the pike.

[Brian Carragher]

All the above is useful and desirable but don't forget the bite alarms. I always use mine even when float paternostering and use the fox drop offs with the slidable weight on the same set up, you just can't have too many forms of bite indication even when using a float ,which for best bite indication must be an unweighted one.

 

Don't have the P1's but do have Dave's baitblasters but if youre not fishing at distance or with heavy gear they may be a bit overgunned for some folk

 

Include a pair of side cutters for those occasions where its better for the fish to snip off your hook points rather than wrestle with a badly hooked up pike

[Anderoo]

May I add a front-mounted alarm? If you're piking 'on the side' you're not going to be looking at the drop-off all the time, and an alarm is essential - even if you're float fishing. (Use a paternoster or deadbait float fished on the deck with a tight line to the rod with a drop-off and alarm if you're float fishing, otherwise leger. Don't rely of seeing a bite, you need to hear it!)

 

Also, always carry at least 2 pairs of forceps because you WILL lose a pair - and if that's your only pair you're stuck!

 

In addition you should have some long-nosed wire cutters for snipping through hooks if a pike is deep hooked. The fox ones are good.

 

Any rod with a tc of about 2.5lb is fine. Line needs to be 15lb at least (mono). If you're piking on the side, only use 1 rod.

 

Finally, go with an experienced piker a few times first

[MikeT]

Thank you very much, all above, for the advice. I am grateful, again, for the fact that a complete novice like me can benefit from the kind help of anglers like you lot on here- with surely tens of thousands of man-hours' experience- to save so much trial and error (and expense).

 

Top class- cheers!

[les middy]

All you need is about 25m of 250 lb test nylon some hooks large ones

 

make some snoods up and tie about 15/20 along the lenght of the line tie a brick to one end

 

bait up the hooks throw it in, tether the other end to the bank and away you go

 

 

 

coming to a place near you soon if you are unlucky

Edited November 6, 2006 by les middy

[DrClaw]

Got some really good tips for this weekend, thanks guys..

[Ken L]

Not a tackle tip but can I sugest that you either fish for roach or fish for pike.

Chucking a deadbait in the side whilst roach fishing is likely to lead to poor results and when you do get a fish, it's likely to get itself deep hooked and you'll just end up with a dead fish and an unhappy angler.

 

Personally, I'd be inclined to ditch the electronics and stay mobile, fishing a floatfished deadbait in a swim for 15 or 20 minutes and then moving onto the next likely holding area.