mick brown tip question

[the_ bandit]

i was watching this video on you tube of an early mick brown piking session ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAV5ALexGxc

@ 4mins 20 secs on the video he has a elastic band onthe rod butt and clips the line into it with his bite indicator set up ,

can anyone tell me the reason for this??? he doesnt actually say in the video nut iv also seen john wilson do the same ??

cheers folks

[fishypaul]

you use that when you fish with an open bail arm,the line is just nipped into the elastic band to keep the line taught to the reel.otherwise it will just fall off the spool'
as soon as a pike takes the line is pulled from the band and hey presto no resistance.

[the_ bandit]

so is it comman practice to leave the bail arm open until a bite, then strike ?

[fishypaul]

you can do that mate,others use the baitrunner

[the_ bandit]

so is this a method of when the pike strikes it takes the line a bit , then the strike?

ps , i am taking this in , a just am a novice

[fishypaul]

yes mate,the pike takes the bait and more often than not runs with the bait,if it feels any resistance it might drop the bait,that is why you only want the line just slightly tucked under the band,its merely used to keep the line from falling off the spool when the bail arm is open

[the_ bandit]

cool , thanks paul ! i will use this method now i understand its use !!!

[fishypaul]

best of luck mate,you will find a wealth of info on this forum about pike fishing or failing that use the link below which will take you to the pike anglers club site which is a great help

[the_ bandit]

paul just another question mate , on the video on "you tube" he uses polystyrere to float the dead bait , how do u go about doing this? iv been told the balsa wood is also used for this that u can attatch to trace , any other pike anglers tips??

[fishypaul]

yes mate the polystyrene or balsa is used to give you a pop up,it makes the bait bouyant and it pops up enticingly just off the bottom,that is providing you put enough lead on the trace to sink it in the first place,otherwise the bloody thing will float