Wobbling deadbaits

[Leon Roskilly]

got some nice big sprats for a session tomorrow...going to have a go twitching them along the margins

 

That's my plan for tomorrow too!

[benhben]

Just been out attempting to spin/wobble some deads. Used a smelt then a roach. Had alot of trouble in rigging them up and making them swim properly. How does everyone else rig them?

 

Also they collected alot of weeds as the canal is still extremely weedy, which inevitable ended up ruining the bait.

 

What sort of retrieves do you all use also?

[Leon Roskilly]

I need a rethink!

 

Wobbling and twitching, with a second rod with a more or less static float fished sprat.

 

The float on the float rod dips under, but the pike is gone before I pick up the rod.

 

 

More wobbling and twitching.

 

Later, the float on the float rod slips under away from the margins, but nothing but bare hooks come back when I lean into it.

 

 

More wobbling and twitching.

 

Weed.

 

No it's the bottom.

 

The bottom is moving!

 

It's off!

 

 

More wobbling and twitching.

 

The float on the float rod goes under again.

 

This time I get to land a jack around six pound.

 

 

More wobbling and twitching.

 

Once more the float disappears.

 

I've hooked a torpedo!

 

No, it's a jack that struggles to reach 2.5lbs.

 

But it don't arf go!

 

 

So on the float rod.

 

2 dropped runs

2 fish landed

 

On the wobbling rod

 

1 take that came off.

 

 

Seems that the static float worked best today!

[Craig T]

You certainly are not alone there. When I go river piking there is only one think I do. I float down deads and always work on the retreive if no take on the initial trot. Its dynamite, I have caught countless pike like this. The retreive brings them on when the trot has missed and some of the takes are extatic.

 

I also find that if you miss on the return stay composed as the fish generally come back on to the bait.

 

I dont spin or lure fish on rivers at all, I just use this method as it works every time. During summer I had the pleasure of feeding some pike from a bridge with deads and watching their actions both with static and when a fish was tossed upstream and drifting past their noses. Totally amazing stuff - Its either or some actually prefer th static and some love the flurry of the fish going past

[JV44]

I use pva string/tape around soft baits like sardine to help keep them on during cast also you can go from swivel to eye of first hook but shorter than trace length to help take pressure off hook hold on cast mainly for static fishing of course steve.

[Dick Dastardly]

A bit of confusion creeping in here between soft baits ie sardines for static fishing and their use for wobbling.Casting them frozen/tying them around the wrist to the trace with shearing elastic are fine for static work but get real and as for using PVA

 

Leon,I would be quite prepared to believe it was the fishing of the wobbled baits in your swim that brought you the takes on the static float rod.

 

Benhben,the reason I use a wobbled dead over an artificial is that I can both retrieve a bait ultra slow and leave still for periods of time (ie a minute or two) Cant (or I wouldnt feel as confident anyway) do this with a artificial lure.I mention this as it should give you a clue as how I retrieve them! When left still I keep the rod tip up,leave a slight bow in the line and watch this for takes.I treat these and any takes whilst moving the bait just as if it was a deadbait pick up.

[Leon Roskilly]

Leon,I would be quite prepared to believe it was the fishing of the wobbled baits in your swim that brought you the takes on the static float rod.

 

 

I wasn't wobbling near the statics Budgie.

 

There was just a slight flow along the river, I think that they were hunting by scent, rather than chasing things, so the semi-static was giving a better scent trail for them to follow.

[Tony U]

I will go along with Leon; I managed this fish, a few swims along from him on a Smelt legered hard on the bottom.

 

 

Dont worry the blood is Leon's he manged to get himself raked taking the hooks out, you can see him in the backgroud getting bandaged up and even better in this picture

 

 

 

 

Tony

Edited November 11, 2007 by Tony U

[Leon Roskilly]

Dont worry the blood is Leon's he manged to get himself raked taking the hooks out, you can see him in the backgroud getting bandaged up

 

The bleeding has almost stopped now

 

 

My own stupid fault entirely!

 

Excitment, over-confidence and carelessness - never a good combination.

 

(Note to self: when unhooking a pike it is always better to position the fish beneath you, between your legs as you kneel, thus preventing it thrashing around)

 

Still no great harm done, apart from spoiling Tony's picture of a great catch.

 

And no, I'm not ever going back to wearing a glove.

 

(Better for the fish to be raked now and again, which shouldn't happen if you ALWAYS obey the handling rules and BE CAREFUL).

 

ps My own fish were unhooked in the water without any great fuss, and no risk of rolling up in nets etc

 

pps (Another note to self - replenish the angling first aid kit. It will be needed when least expected and sooner than you think maybe)

[jeff smith]

Dont worry the blood is Leon's he manged to get himself raked taking the hooks out, you can see him in the backgroud getting bandaged up and even better in this picture

Tony

 

Leon,

Get yourself a 'Chad Cains Pike Glove' available from various different sources on the net for about fourteen quid including post.You even get a pair for that!Best bit of piking kit i've ever bought!

 

Jeff