Is it me......

[Wagtail]

....or have they become extinct

[Snape]

I hope not. I'm going fishing for them in a couple of weeks.

[Santiago]

I'm going fishing for them this weekend but cannot decide how!

[Kingfisher]

It may explain why I've never caught one.

[Mario]

I've only ever cought them spinning and while roach fishing and once one tried to snatch a tench i had to fight it off with my landing net

[Wagtail]

I'm exaggerating, as there is one pike still around.....

So far this winter I've had three and a half days of fishing, for one seven pound pike. Admittedly this is on a hard-ish water and using (look away now) modern gear because the traditional stuff could not cope with the conditions there.

After another blank yesterday the old expression 'I'll be glad when I've had enough of this' came to mind!

I have a few days free next week and I think the cane and pin might come out to try the local river. Nothing ventured and all that....

[Aquaerial]

First find the Roach...they will be there but I agree it's not like the old days and they are not a fish to take continuous pressure particularly now summer lure fishing has become so popular. Chew is still producing some big fish but the pressure on that place is now enormous. It holds no interest to me as better a small river fish that one has worked for than pursuing known fish under pressure...the latter only leads in one direction.

[Santiago]

Where I plan to go is full of small fish in a place out of the main flow for the winter, and the pike hide up there as well, so I'm optimistic. Regardless, tightlines Wagtail, you'll possibly have a pike snatch one of your trotted roach; that's how I nearly catch pike!

[Sion]

....or have they become extinct

I know what you mean.

Nothing yet for me either (a few takes, so they are there)

However, my first pike last winter did not arrive until the final weekend of season!

[Santiago]

We went roach fishing instead and just the light began to fade we saw a couple of pike attacks on smaller fish at the surface. Reminded me the best time for pike this time of year is first and last light! You chaps may well be fishing when they're laying up on the bottom!