Piking today.....

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

Just when you thought it was safe to put on your waders.........................

[Leon Roskilly]

Sure is Frank! along with waiting for the second run when piking,pike hiding in the reeds/weeds to leap out and ambush there prey,hempseed "drugging"fish, and God knows how many other "acepted angling facts"!

 

 

Hmmm!

 

 

Lots of my lures have been taken the moment they land amongst the reeds along the far bank.

(mostly along a riverbank)

 

At a teach in for youngsters, I suggested that a lad cast into the reed bed opposite, and BANG!

(that was on a lake, casting a short distance across a small bay - on most lakes the far bank is too far away to cast into, and fish at your feet are likely to have moved out as you approach, why I always try to remember to make that first cast, before I actually get near the water's edge).

 

The thing is that the take is instantaneous upon splashdown, not the result of a follow etc.,

 

The pike must have been laying there, wound up and triggered by the lure splashing down.

Edited December 9, 2006 by Leon Roskilly

[Steve Burke]

Ducklings disappearing don't always mean that they've been taken by a predator, as they'll often dive for safety when startled. And of course even if they are taken the predator could be a mink or even an otter rather than a pike.

 

I have though found a duckling in the grossly extended stomach of a jack pike. Mind you, it could of course been dead when eaten.

 

I therefore always thought that pike attacking adult ducks was an old wive's tale. However I actually almost certainly saw it happen at Wingham (where we have no mink or otters) a few years ago! The victim was a one of the many coots, and it went down squawking. However, the most notable point was the reaction of the other water birds. They cleared out of the immediate area and a deathly hush descended. Those of you who've been to Wingham in the winter will know just how noisy the ducks are normally!

[Steve Coppolo]

Sure is Frank! along with waiting for the second run when piking,pike hiding in the reeds/weeds to leap out and ambush there prey,hempseed "drugging"fish, and God knows how many other "acepted angling facts"!

 

Of course Pike hide in reeds/weeds in ambush. The number of times I've seen pike shoot out from under my feet to hit a lure, or live bait as I've reeled it in, proves that they do. I've also seen them holding station in amongst reeds and weeds in rivers, although you have to be very lucky to actually spot them because they become almost invisible when hidden up like that.

Edited December 9, 2006 by Steve Coppolo

[david t]

yeah, ive lost count of the number ive times you see a swirl by your feet on the river, as you approach it quietly, or so i think, its an often neglected place i think, the reeds near your feet. I think pike are just as wary to bankside disturbance as chub are.

[Dick Dastardly]

Ok then if pike always lay up in reeds etc to suddenly shoot out and grab passing prey (ambush style) then tell me why we catch so many? if it was true then the only time we would catch them would be if we worked a lure past where they were hiding/laying in "ambush" or when bait fishing we would have to be lucky enough to drop a bait right on their noses! Interesting how the lure boys have replied to this first.

 

Yes the pikes anatomy does make it suitable for short bursts.But this doesnt mean it allways lays in ambush to use this physical attribute.I have often seen (surely others must have as well?) pike laying (er in the relative open) still among/near to bait fish then suddenly striking.

 

Come on Im challenging this old and accepted theory as to how all pike feed at least give me your reasons or argue it logically rather than just repeating the age old twadle!

 

I spend time observing pike in the wild doesnt anyone else?

[Leon Roskilly]

Ok then if pike always lay up in reeds etc to suddenly shoot out and grab passing prey (ambush style) then tell me why we catch so many? if it was true then the only time we would catch them would be if we worked a lure past where they were hiding/laying in "ambush" or when bait fishing we would have to be lucky enough to drop a bait right on their noses! Interesting how the lure boys have replied to this first.

 

Yes the pikes anatomy does make it suitable for short bursts.But this doesnt mean it allways lays in ambush to use this physical attribute.I have often seen (surely others must have as well?) pike laying (er in the relative open) still among/near to bait fish then suddenly striking.

 

Come on Im challenging this old and accepted theory as to how all pike feed at least give me your reasons or argue it logically rather than just repeating the age old twadle!

 

I spend time observing pike in the wild doesnt anyone else?

 

 

Who said anything about all or always!

 

 

Pike behaviour is dictated by many things, and not all pike at all times in all places, will be behaving in a certain way.

 

At any time some pike will be nomadic, while others will be territorial.

 

As the pattern of sunlight changes, and the sun moves around a lake, so pike will position themselves to take maximum advantage.

 

In the spring, more are likely to be in shallow bays, in the winter more are likely to be in the deeps, away from the margins.

 

In warmer weather, they can be found everywhere, chasing.

 

In colder weather they are more likely to lay in ambush positions, conserving energy.

 

 

In one lake they will be doing one thing, in another something else (according to volume of water regulating water temperature, how much the lake is shaded by trees, or how much exposed to the wind)

 

Oh! and lots of other things.

 

 

Weighing up all the factors that govern pike behaviour, according to season and the day's conditions, and adapting where you fish and how, gives some anglers the edge, whilst others keep doing the same thing, fishing the same places every trip.

 

It's just sometimes that it's a very good idea to seek out the pike hiding in ambush in the margins

[luckyjim]

Ok then if pike always lay up in reeds etc to suddenly shoot out and grab passing prey (ambush style) then tell me why we catch so many? if it was true then the only time we would catch them would be if we worked a lure past where they were hiding/laying in "ambush" or when bait fishing we would have to be lucky enough to drop a bait right on their noses! Interesting how the lure boys have replied to this first.

 

Yes the pikes anatomy does make it suitable for short bursts.But this doesnt mean it allways lays in ambush to use this physical attribute.I have often seen (surely others must have as well?) pike laying (er in the relative open) still among/near to bait fish then suddenly striking.

 

Come on Im challenging this old and accepted theory as to how all pike feed at least give me your reasons or argue it logically rather than just repeating the age old twadle!

 

I spend time observing pike in the wild doesnt anyone else?

 

But surely Budgie you accept that all fish, pike included, display different behaviour in different conditions and environments? I haven't seen anyone claim that pike always lay up in the reeds. This is clearly disproved by the fact you can catch/observe them in a variety of locations and positions.

 

I'm no expert but I would have thought that, like any predator, a pike's behaviour is essentially dictated by the activity of its prey, and its own condition. So, for instance, if a river is flowing fast and hard, its going to be most efficient for a pike to sit in a reedbed and wait for struggling/disoriented preyfish to be swept past it, and then expend a minimum amount of energy darting out into the flow and grabbing it. Then, when the river is flowing slowly or the pike has a plentiful supply of energy reserves, it can slowly rove around for dead or dying fish that are relatively easy to grab, or sit at the side of a shoal of preyfish and make occasional lunges to try and pick them off. Or, it could slowly drift from position to position waiting for slugs to fall into the river from trees, if its raining. Or, if its desperate (or feeling particularly strong), it can follow a line of ducklings around and when its convinient/expeidient grab one and drag it under. Etc, etc, ad nauseum. Plus, as has been discussed in the perch thread, pike could specialize in what kind of prey they target, so some will spend 90% of the time sitting in reed beds and relying on short, sharp bursts of energy (i.e. ambush) whereas others specialize in stamina, covering large areas searching out their prey.

 

What fascinates me is whether pike target large/stronger prey when they are desperate or when they are dominant/have great strength and ability. That link to the dead, emaciated pike with a large duck caught in its throat would suggest that it is the more desperate - but this might be an anomoly. In fact I suspect this as weaker pike would be more likely to die trying to subdue/swallow larger prey.

 

Which brings me back to the question I asked before - what is the largest/strongest prey anyone has heard a realistic/plausible account of a pike trying to tackle?

 

Who said anything about all or always!

Pike behaviour is dictated by many things, and not all pike at all times in all places, will be behaving in a certain way.

 

At any time some pike will be nomadic, while others will be territorial.

 

Damn it, Leon, you beat me to it!

 

Nice to have an authority confirm my suspicion though.

[Dick Dastardly]

Great replies so far guys keep em comming!

 

I certainly agree with the main points made ie the variation in behaviour in various conditions/situations.Yes I agree that they do sometimes lay up "ambush style" as Ive caught pike of all sizes by as you say running lures along weed beds/reeds etc.

 

I said "always" Leon as whenever the subject of a pikes feeding MO is mentioned or shown on tv etc etc its always the "ambush from the reeds" scenario given as the standard.I would sugest that it is the standard for small pike (by small I would sugest very small ie below a pound) when reality shows me that for 95% (a figure plucked from the air I hasten to add!) of the fish I catch it isnt true.

[Steve Coppolo]

My point was that pike laying in amongst reeds/weeds in ambush isn't an old wives tale. They definately do it, maybe not all the time, but they do it. Therefore it isn't an old wives tale.

 

I agree that most pike caught in these circumstances are caught on lures. As I mentioned before, I've also caught them in the same way when retrieving a live bait. It's obvious why this is if you think about it. The lure, (or retrieved bait), is covering ground that a static bait won't be covering. It will actually pass the place where the pike is laying in ambush, whereas a static bait wont.