preparing for the pike season and the winter ahead

[fishypaul]

7 days left and the pike fishing starts for me,i'm getting rather excited

preparation for the winter is vital and in the end helps put extra fish on the bank

have a recce of your chosen water to sort out the possible hotspots and to find any new ones,( any trees been felled since your last visit ? ) the pike will soon move in.
make sure you reels are filled with new line,- 15lb minimum is usually required for standard piking,make sure the reels are loaded to the lip of the spools to ensure smooth casting,
ensure your treble hooks are sharp,i look at every point to make sure there are no turned over points,
test your traces,i put one end in a vice and pull as hard as possible,you don't want a dodgy crimp giving way as you are landing your first 30 do you ?
make sure you have all the necessary unhooking gear,no matter how quickly you strike you do occasionally get a deep hooked fish and you need all the right dentistry gear to sort it,a couple of pairs of forceps,long and short,and some long handled wire snips are a must,
a good quality unhooking mat is essential to ensure the fish is kept in tip top condition ,couple that with a spacious weigh sling,

don't forget your own comfort,
plenty of warm clothing is a must,many people like thermal suits,i prefer seperate jackets and trousers,you can always peel a layer off when its too warm ( not so easy with a suit ! )
i also prefer to wear waterproof overtrousers so i can kneel down whilst unhooking fish and stay dry underneath.
thermal boots are essential kit,there is nothing worse than cold feet,
a good flask as well but i recommend the old faithful stove,you can brew up hot drinks and even cook a hot meal in sub zero temperatures that can be the difference between enjoying your fishing and enduring your fishing
don't forget your shelter as well,i don't think the standard fishing umbrella is up to the task of keeping the winter weather off you,
i invested in a large oval brolly which is that much bigger you can get all your gear behind it and give sufficient shelter to keep the stove from blowing out which is vital on a sub zero january day
why not take your bivvy ? , i intend to take the bivvy ,bedchair and sleeping bag this winter,i intend to stay warm and dry in the coldest of weather

all these things i believe are essential bits of kit to ensure you enjoy your winters piking ,
if you are comfortable and warm you will not hesitate to go again and again not worrying what mother nature will throw at you
i am looking forward to another winters pike fishing and if i can help any of you don't hesitate to ask.
above all enjoy it !

[Twiddler]

Good luck with your pike hunt, I know you have been waiting for the season to begin again......may the gods bless you with a new PB toothy critter

[BaggieRich]

So you're looking forward to it then yeah?

Good post mate, and here's to a great winter!

[Norfolkboy]

Great post Paul, hope you get that 30!

[mithrandir]

Good luck Paul, looking forward to some more of your wonderful reports filled with great pictures and tales of your quests.

[pingu]

bet your moist with anticipation there mate

hope all plans come together


dave

cheers for reminders, must buy some long handled snips(left mine somewhere last year)

[pingu]

bet pauls really got the shakes now 2 full days of torture left mate

[fishypaul]

Originally Posted by pingu

bet pauls really got the shakes now 2 full days of torture left mate

i have mate,trouble is,i can't make it till next weekend,i'm not in the best of health at the moment either so i'm not confident

[ANT0308]

oh i love pike fishing there so great and put up a good fight but the one i caught last week nearly took my finger off lol well have a good winter mate.

[Wilza]

Hi, good info, I use my carp gear for pike, a 2.75 tc rod is ideal for chucking or swinging out dead baits, all my pike fishing is done on the broads from a small boat that can get into the boat Yards. tight lines...