A river Pike

[Catfish.017]

After catching some nice Roach on the upper Trent a couple of weeks ago I was keen to return. Today I was fortunate to bag the same swim and was soon 'lurching' float tackle and Breadflake through the near bank eddy. This was the method that worked last time though today, arriving much earlier, all was quiet. My seating position was around three foot above the water and after a while I became aware of a vague shape in the water very close in. The glare hampered my vision but gradually the form of a decent Pike took shape. I dropped a bunch of worms in front of it causing it to back away and go for a leisurely circuit of the eddy. I dropped the worms a bit further out and a few minutes later hooked a little Jack about ten inches long. As I reeled it up the bigger Pike propelled itself across the eddy and the Jack leapt from the water assisted by a swift lift of the rod! I put the Jack in the landing net right in the margin and the Pike had another go at it! Back to the car for my old JW Avon which lives there permanently. Mitch 300 with eight pound line attached . I thought I had a wire trace in the bag but was wrong so I doubled the line over the last foot to a size 2 barbless. Gingerly I lifted the net and nicked the little Jack through the skin behind the head. Dropped in it was literally seconds before it was taken violently. They say Summer Pike don't fight well. This one bucked the trend! It just woulden't give in and it was several minutes before I managed to squeeze it in to my rather inadequate net. A lean fighting machine around nine pounds and the hook fell out of its lip as soon as the line went slack. Later despite Roach rising everywhere I only got one around ten ounce.

[Tizer]

I have never heard it said that summer pike don't fight well, they do fight well almost to exhaustion sometimes and that is why a lot of people , me included leave our pike fishing till the water temps have dropped, pike don't do well in high water temps, the water temp is still 64f at the moment and as for not using a wire trace, I thought we had moved on from them days a long time ago

[Catfish.017]

I have never heard it said that summer pike don't fight well, they do fight well almost to exhaustion sometimes and that is why a lot of people , me included leave our pike fishing till the water temps have dropped, pike don't do well in high water temps, the water temp is still 64f at the moment and as for not using a wire trace, I thought we had moved on from them days a long time ago

Hello Tizer, I must assure you that Pike fishing was furthest from my mind when I set off for the river yesterday, I'm only a very occasional Pike Fisher anyway. However since moving to Staffordshire the Pike and I seem destined to cross paths in mutually unintended ways. I've been 'bitten off' several times whilst Tench fishing and would be very interested in knowing how you set up for Pike if you don't use wire?

[Tizer]

Re read what I wrote, I am saying that you should never fish for pike without a wire trace...Most club rule books will tell you that if you fish for pike you must have the right equipment ie 15lb line large net unhooking equipment mat etc truthfully how many of those things did you have.?

[Tizer]

You say you was bitten off while fishing for tench so didn't you stop to think that you might get bitten off while fishing for the pike and leave a big size 2 in its mouth or worse down its thoat.? And who in the world would use 8lb line for pike fishing.?

[AllRounder]

Generally speaking I’m not one to cause a fuss but this post has left me very disappointed.
Other than perhaps a weir pool I really think that river pike are best left alone until the onset of cooler weather. To sacrifice a small live pike to catch a fish of just 9lbs or so that you had already seen in the water seems a little unnecessary. Not only that but there was a very real chance that you could have caused the death of two fish in just a few minutes. Eight pound line even doubled up gives you no real protection against a pikes set of teeth and of course a much bigger fish could have taken it leaving you without an adequate landing net.

I do hope that this response is taken as concerned advice and not outright criticism.

[Catfish.017]

All advice taken on board chaps. I'm afraid I just got caught up in the moment. As I said I have rarely targeted Pike and I realise now perhaps I shouldn't dabble without a better understanding of the fish itself and the methods and equipment needed. Happily yesterday's fish, hooked lightly outside the mouth, swam off strongly none the worse for its encounter.

[Liphook]

That's a good honest answer Catfish. Lesson learned by the sounds of it

[Catfish.017]

Re read what I wrote, I am saying that you should never fish for pike without a wire trace...Most club rule books will tell you that if you fish for pike you must have the right equipment ie 15lb line large net unhooking equipment mat etc truthfully how many of those things did you have.?

Just to reassure you Tizer, my net was only inadequate in terms of the frame size at 22". The mesh comfortably accepted the Pike once I had manoeuvred it through the frame. I always carry a large unhooking mat, frequently sitting on it folded up and I always have good sized forceps. Wire trace and strong line will be employed should I decide to fish for Pike again and my big Efgeeco net!

[Olly]

Just one Society's Rules & Regs:-

s. PIKE and PREDATOR FISHING. To protect Pike and other predatory fish in the society waters, a number of special Bye-laws have been drawn up to cover fishing for these different species. These are::
s.i Only members and guests who are in possession of a special 'PIKE FISHING STAMP' will be allowed to fish for Pike in Society waters. These permits will be available free of charge to all members who attend a 'Pike Teach-In' and satisfy Society Officials that they are in possession of the minimum suitable equipment to fish for and handle Pike when caught. Suitable equipment will be detailed in the Bye-laws below. Dates and venues of the 'Pike Teach-in' can be found on the inside cover of the handbook.

s.ii Suitable equipment will include:-
s.ii.a. Monofilament main line must have a minimum breaking strain of 15lbs. Braided main line must have minimum breaking strain of 50lbs.
s.ii.b. Traces must be a minimum length of 24 inches (60cm) and not less that 25lb breaking strain. No more than two treble hooks may be used on any one trace, these must be semi-barbless or barbless.
s.ii.c. Large knotless landing net with a minimum of 36 inch (90cm) long arms.
s.ii.d. Large unhooking mat.
s.ii.e. 12in (30cm) long artery forceps.
s.ii.f. Side cutters able to cut problem hooks when caught in the soft throat tissue or gill rakers.
s.ii.g. An adequate Carp/Pike weigh sling.
s.ii.h. A sensitive and effective bite detector system which shows ‘drop back’ as well as runs.
s.ii.i. Wire traces for lures, plugs and spinners must be used, no less than 25lb breaking strain, a minimum of 24 inches (30cm) long and all lures, plugs and spinners must be barbless when Pike fishing.
s.ii.j. Fishing for Pike with live or dead baits is permitted from the 1st of October to the 14th of March on all society waters. Lures, plugs and spinners may be used from 1st April to the 30th March.