Bite indication when piking

[wsmlewy]

i had a bad experience the weekend with a mate pike fishing he had droppers and alarms he was sat 4ft away from the rod and heard the run. he struck straight away but unfortunately the fish was hooked deep he was rather upset but what more can you do he could not of physically done anymore! we got the fish back in the water held her tail and eventaully she swam away good as new,

sometimes they take the bait so fast and it cannot be helped no matter how good your indication is a tight line and a good set of alarms with a set of fixed droppers in my oppinion is the best bite detection

[Klaus]

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

No amount of buzzers, bells,indicators be them back front up down sideways, magnifyiny glasses looking for the tiniest twitch. all to no avail today even a 150 yard drifter, not even a snifter, 7 rods between 4 guys I reckon the preds went on holiday

yours well and truly bemused

Klaus

[Neil G]

lol

 

TBH I always try and use floats when I can

 

Buzzers etc seem to turn me into a slack/lazy fisherman

[Dick Dastardly]

The best indication is one that will show you both runs, drop backs and pick ups with the rig/bait on the water you use simple as that .There is no "BEST" as can be clearly seen from the diversity of systems used by good pike anglers.What works for one isnt the best foranother.There are however many bad systems.The worst of these are undoubtedly systems that are meant for other species!

 

Aas I both dead bait and live bait the system I prefer is a rear mounted combined indicator and buzzer such as the ET Backbiter.I use a self modified model and have done for many years.When dead baiting I point my rod at the bait and tighten up asd much as possible.I set the cam on the indicator so that it will sound with the smallest (a few mm) of drops.The ultra tight line ensures that all three types of bite are registered imediately.My standard livebaiting rig isa sunk float paternoster rig.For this I find keeping the rod level and allthough tightening up a small bow is left in the line (this allows for movement of the bait without false indications) and both runs and drop backs are shown clearly.To set the alarm and rig correcetly (ie the rig is upright and not pulled over at an angle but the line still as tight as can be) is important.

 

I always fish open bail arm and so position the indicator head/line clip just behind and below the spool lip with the arm level.

 

Always got to check (especially with braid) that your line clip allows the line to move through it on a drop back.

 

Fishing from boats there is only one type of safe indicator and thats a float.......however they must be watched!

[Dick Dastardly]

i had a bad experience the weekend with a mate pike fishing he had droppers and alarms he was sat 4ft away from the rod and heard the run. he struck straight away but unfortunately the fish was hooked deep he was rather upset but what more can you do he could not of physically done anymore! we got the fish back in the water held her tail and eventaully she swam away good as new,

sometimes they take the bait so fast and it cannot be helped no matter how good your indication is a tight line and a good set of alarms with a set of fixed droppers in my oppinion is the best bite detection

 

As its always a possibility regardless of how much attention you pay/how quick you strike you must ensure you are able to deal quickly and eficiently with a deep hooked fish.Once you can do this there is no need to get upset or panic.

[Anderoo]

I agree with all the posts saying that a float is only any good if you're looking at it, but for deadbaiting in still water my preferred method of indication is a pencil float fished bottom end only, sliding on the line and the depth controlled by a stop knot and bead. I fish it about 2' overdepth and have a couple of swanshot on the top of the trace to keep the bait static. To get the float to cock you have to have the rod in rests and take up the slack, so there's always a tight line between float and rod.

 

In addition, I always use a front mounted alarm (on low volume!) and clip the line into a rear mounted drop-off, so that if I miss the float I'll get an audible alert. Nine times out of ten I strike before the float has even had a chance to move - this set-up is so sensitive that as soon as a pike picks up the bait the float bobs/lays flat.

 

For fishing a deadbait up in the water I'll either use a drifter float (but not often), a sunken float paternoster together with front alarm and rear drop-off, a paternoster with the float on the surface (which I prefer) together with alarm and drop-off, or a leger rig with a popped up bait, also with the standard alarm and drop-off.

 

I'm always much happier while piking to have a float to watch, but backed up with alarms just in case. I don't usually fish very far out for pike though.

 

I remember in a previous topic Steve picked me up on the using a float and alarm at the same time thing - it's worth mentioning that unless it's set up properly, adding an alarm to a float rig won't help, and may even make things worse, as you're not paying attention to the float as much and the alarm gives you a fake feeling of confidence.

[jeff smith]

Steve,

I fish a tidal river both for pike in the winter months and carp in the summer.Due to the depth of water and strength of current drop bites can be difficult to register as any slack line is quickly tensioned by the flow.This summer i was carp fishing a far bank swim using a 'modern' bolt rig with a semi fixed weight.Though i failed with the carp, i did catch a few hefty bream only one of which gave a postive indication on my bite alarm(even using a standard drop off as well),due to the fish picking up the bait hooking themselves and moving either to the middle of the river or even as far as the near bank(does that make sense!)but the line remaining relatively tensioned by the current.

Luckily i WAS paying close attention to my rods,despite using alarms,and it being night time,and could detect the slight slack in the line.

Learning from this,i decided a change of end tackle was in order and this is even more applicable to piking where the need for positive indication of a take is essential.Basically a simple running rig is used,but with a large bore run ring and a heavy weight so the rig is firmly anchored to the river bed.2oz is minimum 3 is better.Line is tight to rod tip which is propped up high,keeping most of the line out of the water, with a bite alarm on the front rest and a baitrunner facility engaged.Whichever way the pike moves with the bait,because the line moves freely through the run ring ,it registers as a positive take on the alarm.Because the line is so tight to the rod and the weight so heavy,even the early indications of a take register,and i rarely wait to strike at a full blown run.

I don't think that these early blips would even show on a float rig.I do sometimes use drop off bobbins(a further safety back up) when the current allows,but these are employed close to the bite alarm and carry much heavier weights than usual.I do believe that standard drop off indicators are rarely heavy enough,even when used on still waters,and need extra weight to be added to be fail safe.

Using the running rig i've not experienced slack line bites and will use it in the summer for carp.Some might say the the resistance caused by the tight line and the baitrunner might cause the pike to drop the bait,but i've not experienced this.If anything,the pike appear to be actually tugging against the resistance.

 

Jeff

[Neil G]

There is another solution

 

Use lures or flies

[Anderoo]

I have to say I've all but given up static deadbaiting on rivers now because of problems with indication. I've yet to deep hook a pike (touch wood) but I'm never happy using drop-offs in a decent flow, when you have to clip them up tight to prevent the flow unclipping them. If I do do it, I stick to my own margin where it's a lot more manageable. Legering deadbaits on the Thames, for example, I'm never happy that a take will be indicated early enough. Luckily (in my experience anyway), static deadbaiting on rivers is about the least effective way of piking there is

[jeff smith]

I have to say I've all but given up static deadbaiting on rivers now because of problems with indication. I've yet to deep hook a pike (touch wood) but I'm never happy using drop-offs in a decent flow, when you have to clip them up tight to prevent the flow unclipping them. If I do do it, I stick to my own margin where it's a lot more manageable. Legering deadbaits on the Thames, for example, I'm never happy that a take will be indicated early enough. Luckily (in my experience anyway), static deadbaiting on rivers is about the least effective way of piking there is

I agree,detecting bites on a river legering deads can be trickey but as long as you're paying close attention,even with using bite alarms(fronts),there shouldn't be any problems.Certainly a lot of times the pike do NOT move off with the bait.The initial indication is a blip on the alarm and then i tend to focus on the nodding rod tip.They seem to munch it on the spot .I tighten up quickly and have never had a deep hooked river fish,and contact most.

As far as the choice of D.B as a method goes,on my tidal in winter,lives ,although allowed,are very difficult to catch on the day.When i have used them alongside deads,i can't conclusively say that they outfish them,especially for the bigger gals.Because the water is generally coloured to a certain extent,lures or wobbled deads,tend not to work so i resort to an oily smelly sea deadbait.Sardine is my choice.Hopping the rods every 15 minutes or so searches out the fish.