The Pikers Pit

I find the take very exciting

And I can't be doing with all the faffing about of static deadbaiting and the freezing and unfreezing of mackerel etc

It's flipping too much hassle

So many methods to catch pike that’s why I enjoy it.
My mate had a hat trick a few years ago of 30’s on bait, lure and fly. I’ll never match that but 20’s on bait, lure and fly is a good target for a year.

Coz I'm lazy and I can troll a big spread and cover a lot of water. Saying that. I'm gonna try dead baiting this summer.

Slug wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 13:19 -

So many methods to catch pike that’s why I enjoy it.
My mate had a hat trick a few years ago of 30’s on bait, lure and fly. I’ll never match that but 20’s on bait, lure and fly is a good target for a year.

20’s on bait, lure an fly would do me for a good few years
I do prefer the mobile, more active side of lure fishing but I like a bait session too, an you can always Chuck lures in between your bait rods !
I’ve taken to mixing the approach, when I go lure fishing I’ll take my little stalking rod to Chuck a bait in the margins while I’m in each swim, it’s done me week so far !

more active, more mobile and easier to store and prepare tackle for a last minute decision.

lures dont need to be kept in a frdge/freezer or kept alive in a tank.

It's all about the hit.
That first thump gives me the same buzz regardless of the fishes size.
Two pound or twenty two pounds, the rush is the same.

That sudden hit & can't be ar*ed lugging too much gear.
Do it for the exercise & even sweeter when catching on own made lure.

i do both , mostly big spinners in-between the bait rods


but if there having it on the bait rods it goes away
been on the canal today for 3 hours........ gone gin clear and not one follow ...... had 6 out last week ..but water was muddy ......

I first starting spinning on a local stream for small trout . I still find it really electric when a fish hits the lure .

Taff,

I don't think I've bait fished in 10 years or more now. Love my lure fishing as others have said the hit. Also the last few years I've been mainly fly fishing for all species. The tug even from a small fish through your hands via the line is great as is dry fly fishing.

Jagermaster wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 14:08 -

Coz I'm lazy and I can troll a big spread and cover a lot of water. Saying that. I'm gonna try dead baiting this summer.

Lazy ? If you’re Trolling correctly and tending to everything as you should - you should be as busy as a Cat trying to bury his crap on a frozen pond.

All the above reasons for me.
I soon get bored sat behind baits and want to wander off with lures - hunter, not trapper, I suppose.
Enjoy the variety in lure fishing, and ease of short sessions.

Get a far bigger buzz from a decent fish on a lure, than bait - extra level of deception, I reckon.

you should be as busy as a Cat trying to bury his crap on a frozen pond.

Monts wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 19:37 -

Taff,

I don't think I've bait fished in 10 years or more now. Love my lure fishing as others have said the hit. Also the last few years I've been mainly fly fishing for all species. The tug even from a small fish through your hands via the line is great as is dry fly fishing.

The only down thing with lure fishing is the dead zone in the depths of winter

Taffypiker wrote: ↑Wed Jan 12 2022 10:09 -

Monts wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 19:37 -

Taff,

I don't think I've bait fished in 10 years or more now. Love my lure fishing as others have said the hit. Also the last few years I've been mainly fly fishing for all species. The tug even from a small fish through your hands via the line is great as is dry fly fishing.

The only down thing with lure fishing is the dead zone in the depths of winter

I've often had some of my best lured pike in the depths of winter.

But surprisingly slow this time, given mild (favourable?) conditions - bar coloured waters.

Lure fishing is not my preference but its is something I spend time doing for a variety of species.
Wherever Ive been in the world Ive always always fished with lures first for all the reasons mentioned above. Nothing prospects a place quicker than a lure.

As skipper Ive trolled hundreds if not thousands of miles for tuna and marlin and although its never boring the hours spent waiting for the clip to fly back can seem like a lifetime and as an angler the hit is missed unless your holding the rod and even then you can often see the the fish following the lure so your pre-warned something may happen.

For those that live for the hit, and what lure angler doesn't, you must try at least once in your lifetime vertical jigging, in the right situation it is like a hit from a pike on steroids! Ive been slammed against the gunnel by a hit hard enough to raise bruises and had a friend dragged across the stern by the sheer impact of a hit. Like someone dropping a car onto the line is how its been described.

.

1) Feeling the hit
2) More active
3) Less boring
4) Cover more water
5) Hate the smell of fish

All of the above and more. I like the convenience and challenge of lure fishing as well as the variety of options and challenges. I pursue all sorts of species with lures.

Slug wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 13:19 -

So many methods to catch pike that’s why I enjoy it.
My mate had a hat trick a few years ago of 30’s on bait, lure and fly. I’ll never match that but 20’s on bait, lure and fly is a good target for a year.

In one season, Slug? Some going if so!

(I've done lure and bait face)

LB wrote: ↑Wed Jan 12 2022 14:47 -

Slug wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 13:19 -

So many methods to catch pike that’s why I enjoy it.
My mate had a hat trick a few years ago of 30’s on bait, lure and fly. I’ll never match that but 20’s on bait, lure and fly is a good target for a year.

In one season, Slug? Some going if so!

(I've done lure and bait face)

In one calendar year. Certainly a tricky one to repeat

Slug wrote: ↑Wed Jan 12 2022 21:27 -

LB wrote: ↑Wed Jan 12 2022 14:47 -

Slug wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 13:19 -

So many methods to catch pike that’s why I enjoy it.
My mate had a hat trick a few years ago of 30’s on bait, lure and fly. I’ll never match that but 20’s on bait, lure and fly is a good target for a year.

In one season, Slug? Some going if so!

(I've done lure and bait face)

In one calendar year. Certainly a tricky one to repeat

Some year that is!!

Slug

ace result well done - exceptional season!

Most of the waters I fish a 20lb is an excellent result - mist fish are high singles/low doubles which respond well to lures. I know I could be more efficient with bait but love thr challenges. Also lure fishing is such s vast subject always something to learn

Oldskoolfool wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13 2022 10:13 -

Slug

ace result well done - exceptional season!

Wasn’t me my mate had them. I did net two of them can I claim some credit

Minimal gear cover large area can go on drop of a hat , couple hour sessions and of course the hit be it perch or pike , and even if you don’t catch good for the soul and bit exercise to boot

Rammer223 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14 2022 07:22 -

Minimal gear cover large area can go on drop of a hat , couple hour sessions and of course the hit be it perch or pike , and even if you don’t catch good for the soul and bit exercise to boot

Yep , me too

Static deadbaiting is not good for my arthritis , great to keep mobile

many reasons!
mobility is #1
carry less than full on sessions, tho tbh i carry as little as possible dead baiting these days.
no smell of deadbaits! massive bonus!!
more fun when you find the fish, theres nothing like a good fish coming up and engulfing the lure
dare i say it...its too 'easy' to drop a live on there head, its just not as much fun or as rewarding.
then there's figuring out little tricks and diff way to fish lures.
so many reasons, i am glad i made the effort to get into it a bit, along with surface fishing for carp its my fave way to fish.

Steve Le maitre wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 19:54 -

Jagermaster wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 14:08 -

Coz I'm lazy and I can troll a big spread and cover a lot of water. Saying that. I'm gonna try dead baiting this summer.

Lazy ? If you’re Trolling correctly and tending to everything as you should - you should be as busy as a Cat trying to bury his crap on a frozen pond.

100% spot on - if you're on point, trolling lures is bloody hard work most of time.

Why lure fishing? To be honest, I enjoy bait fishing just as much - depends on what I want to do... sometimes nothing beats sitting behind the rods on a big pike water waiting for the bobbin to clank the rear rests... funnily enough, today of all days (bloody freezing), I chose to have a day off the baits and lure fished a couple of big pits... and had a good day I might add

Taffypiker wrote: ↑Wed Jan 12 2022 10:09 -

Monts wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11 2022 19:37 -

Taff,

I don't think I've bait fished in 10 years or more now. Love my lure fishing as others have said the hit. Also the last few years I've been mainly fly fishing for all species. The tug even from a small fish through your hands via the line is great as is dry fly fishing.

The only down thing with lure fishing is the dead zone in the depths of winter

dead zone ....... there still chasing pal just keep casting ..........up until today but was mainly deadbaiting , i have raised a pike on most outing ....jacks mind but who cares.....
but you could be having colder weather them me pal ..which does slow things down a bit

Deadbeating can be very boring I Aalways bring my lure rod as well .

they've evolved to ambush prey. you can tell this just by the looks of them. yes you can get them to scavenge off the bottom but only sometimes and it's not as exciting I'd say. A bit like fishing for barbel on creature lures; yes it works, but is it the best way?