As the weather gets cooler, there are a few dark days before Spring so instead of hanging up our rods, maybe it’s time to leave the lures or flies at home and head out with deadbaits and a brolly chasing Pike all the time.
Unhooking:
Pike are fierce in the water but they need careful handling on the bank, if you are new to fishing for them try to go with someone who knows how to strip them properly. There are many great instructional videos to watch, check out the PAC Pike Anglers Club or PAAS Pike Anglers Alliance for Scotland groups for Pike angling guidelines and information across the UK. There’s nothing like having a calm head by your side, however, fishing with an experienced angler there when you’re dealing with these toothy beasts especially if one is going to drop deep is very important and you’re close to it get
No matter what method you use to catch Pike, you need tools to land and unhook your catch. Hopefully you will land a specimen so prepare to hope for the best and make sure you at least get them in your kit.
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| The right tools and techniques are essential to handling Pike |
If you’re going to weigh the fish, you’ll want a suitable sling or non-attached mat that doubles as a sling. If you are measuring or weighing keep the fish wet and limit the time out of the water. Quickly picture the fish low on the ground or just above the water and let them recover in the shallows before swimming hard.
In most lochs you will use a 12ft rod with a test curve of 3 to 3.5lbenough backbone to deal with casting leads and baits, with a tip section capable of cushioning and dealing with hard runs and lunges up close. You can specialize later but the standard Deadbaiting the setup will cover you anywhere.
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| Drop Back Indicator Set-up |
Bite Indication
You don’t want to let a Pike swallow the bait, strike as soon as they take the bait and usually they are clipped which makes it easier to unhook and release. Most ledgered deadbaits have a top hook at the root of the tail and the other hook does not extend past the dorsal fin making hooking the scissors more likely. A balanced bite alarm and drop-back indicator that your rod is set up on a pair of banksticks will let you know in no time. Don’t wait for a second run, you might miss the odd fish but you will avoid deep hooking your catch making unhooking easier for you and your catch.
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| Mackerel is a classic oily deadbait, well worth trying in many UK Pike waters |
Trace
You need a quality trace wire long enough to keep your mainline away from the sharp teeth, there are loads available but the most common are twin trebles, semi barbed which allows you to put a barbed end on the bait but leaving the other barbless point free to hook the Pike. If you are using a fully barbed hook crush the barb down you will not lose the fish but it will make unhooking easier.
If you’re not sure where to start or need some specific advice, pop into one of our stores chat with us on the phone or via email and we’ll point you in the right direction. We have decades of fishing experience and you can use our brains to pick where to start.
