Bite indication when piking

[poledark]

Float set a few inches overdepth...no weight .......bobbins/swingers and alarm. Watch the float if possible (no one can concentrate 100% of the time) In calm conditions you nearly always have a few seconds from the initial pickup (float bobs) before the float starts to move. That is when I strike.

 

In windy conditions or when there is some tow on, then the line will pull up tight and the indicator will stay up. I set the baitrunner so it only just holds (slackened right off on my reels). Several times recently in heavy winds the float has slid away at the same time as the alarm sounding.

 

I usually only pike fish for a few weeks a year, never into darkness or where I can't see the float.

 

Had about 15 pike in the last 5 weeks, up to 14.5lbs and only one deep hooked. This was because I had failed to hook it twice, thought it was a small fish, so left it a few seconds longer. Needless to say it was a 6lber and I needed the long forceps.

 

No method is perfect for pike fishing, I use a large single in the root of the tail (half herring) with a treble in the flank.

 

One of those conscience things again...................

 

Den

[bingbong]

ive had at least one occasion where the pike had taken the dead bait but the only sign i had was the rod tip bouncing , it neither registered

on the front bite indicator nor the drop back , i did check the front was working and the tension of the line clip on the drop back , both fine .

 

i also found that when i have had a straight bite with the bale arm open the line pulls out of the drop back but does not register on the front indicator as there is no longer sufficient tension on the line , im considering using the baitrunner set as free as possible to counteract this . also going back to my modified fox electronic drop backs , surely cant miss a bite now !!

[Guest tigger]

ive had at least one occasion where the pike had taken the dead bait but the only sign i had was the rod tip bouncing , it neither registered

on the front bite indicator nor the drop back , i did check the front was working and the tension of the line clip on the drop back , both fine .

 

 

You must have had your baitrunner set to tight.

Edited January 20, 2008 by tigger

[Grandma]

You must have had your baitrunner set to tight.

 

I was surprised to find that some modern front alarms don't work unless the line is under tension, so they're not suitable with drop off indicators.

 

Delkims are expensive, but they're very reliable in this respect.

[Grandma]

'Running' leads can be a problem, if the're not heavy enough, they don't run, so a fish can move a considerable distance without taking any line off the reel.

 

Some bobbin clips aren't suited to use with braid, they grip the line, rather than taking up slack.

[bingbong]

You must have had your baitrunner set to tight.

didnt have bait runner on , bale arm open as usual

[Guest tigger]

didnt have bait runner on , bale arm open as usual

 

 

You've lost me then bingbong as I can't understand how a fish can pull your line hard enough to bounce your rod up and down and yet not pull line off a spool with an open bail arm.

Edited January 20, 2008 by tigger

[Guest tigger]

I was surprised to find that some modern front alarms don't work unless the line is under tension, so they're not suitable with drop off indicators.

 

Delkims are expensive, but they're very reliable in this respect.

 

 

 

Why not ?

[Brian Carragher]

didnt have bait runner on , bale arm open as usual

 

 

You've lost me then bingbong as I can't understand how a fish can pull your line hard enough to bounce your rod up and down and yet not pull line off a spool with an open bail arm.

 

 

It's quite a common occurence to have a few nods on the rod tip when piking meaning a fish has hold of the bait but not actually taking line or "running" with your bait, more common on rivers than on still water

 

Carpers are also quite used to the same nodding of the rod

 

Whenever you get those nods or pulls or whatever you like to call them, you will usually not get any indication from your drop offs or your alarms and I use front alarms with Fox drop offs and baitrunners set as free as they will go and I've had loads just like that described and so have the blokes I fish with. Some of those have experienced exactly the same but they fish with open bail arms and I fish off the baitrunner

[poledark]

The indicators I use are homemade and simply rest on the line. No clip or little balls which can grip the line (specially braid).

 

Been using them for about 18 years and they are VERY sensitive, showing even the lightest twitch of the line.

 

Even so, the rod tip can move sideways quite a bit without the indicator moving, specially if it is "up tight", and this is where the slackened off baitrunner comes in to play.

 

Den