Pike fishing using only single hooks (noob)

[Blister69]

Hi,

I'm a total noob at this pike fishing malarkey, and could really do with some help.

I have searched the forum but can't really find what I'm looking for as it's quite specific. I live in Rhyl, North Wales and the local waters are only around the corner from my house, so thought I would get back in to coarse fishing. I started up last week just fishing small for Perch/roach etc and had a great day. In fact I enjoyed it so much I went back the next day. That's when it happened.....I hooked a small fish and was reeling it in when this beautiful creature of the deep decided it was going to be his lunch and took it off me. As I was only fishing light the pike easily went through my line and it was gone as quickly as it had arrived. But that was enough for me to want more.

Here lies my problem.... The waters I'm fishing only allow single hooks to be used (Brickfields Pond), and there is not enough info out there about fishing for pike using single hooks. I have read Blackwaters post on using a Heir rig, and I would like to try the same only I don't know where to start.

I prefer float fishing, so what type of float would I need? How do I attach the bait (probably mackerel)? I have made a simple trace with a swivel at one end and a single hook at the other using wire, but what other options do I have? Pictures would be a great help.

Thanks in advance,

Blister

[blackwater]

I will get you a diagram drawn up and some photos after I get back from a session tommorow to help you. I reckon that the hair rig would be the best rig to use if it is only single hooks allowed.

BW

[Blister69]

Thanks BW.

[blackwater]

I will take you through making the hair rig for the pike and also show you a few rigs for float fishing and ledgering,

Making the Hair Rig

(I use a vice in the instructions but that is purely only to help you see what is going on, it is much easier just using your hands, just incase you tried using the vice and found it difficult) :

1) Take a piece of mono (in my case 25lbs) around 6 or 7 inches long, tie a loop in the end like so:



2) Put the piece of mono with the loop through the eye of the desired hook with the line running along the shank, around 4inches from eye to loop is adequate:



3) Now take the end of line with out the loop and begin to wind it around the loop end and also around the shank of the hook(Do this until you are parallel with the point of the hook) like so :



4) Once you have whipped it up the shank to parallel with the point take the loose end and once again pass it through the eye of the hook, like so:





5) The next part is too place a small piece of heat shrink over the shank of the hook just to hold the knotless knot together and then trim back any waste line, like so:


Before Heatingand trimming


After heating and shrinking

6) Now complete just clip it to the trace:



That is the hair rig Complete, now onto adding the bait to the hair:

1) Take a normal baiting needle and place the peices of fish onto it, i would say that 3 pieces would be max( i am using the foam to represent the fish) :



2) then place the hook on the end of the baiting needle through the loop on the hair, and then slip each piece of fish on the the hair:





3) i usually place a piece of foam through the loop to stop the fish from coming of during cast and also to pop it up off the bottom, Here is on i used a couple of sessions ago ( you can see the foam through the loop at the end):



Now on to the float rig you were looking for,



Its self explanatory

It isn't really possible to use the hair rig while float fishing and its not something i have done with a single hook , but if i was doing it i reckon i would put the hook through the area just under the dorsal fin, just so the fish sits horizontal in the water, although casting could prove difficult.

Here is the rig to use while ledgering with the hair, it is extremely simple, so all you need to do is attach the hair rigged hook to a wire trace, this wire trace will then be tied on to the line, the line will also have a 2oz weight freely running on it:



Hope you can understand everything, if you dont understand something dont hesitate to ask ,

BW

[toomanyhounds]

wow!

any chance you want to write my posts for me in the future BW?

TMH

[blackwater]

Originally Posted by toomanyhounds

wow!

any chance you want to write my posts for me in the future BW?

TMH

Haha I had plenty of time considering I'm off on school holidays, and was just back from a session in which I blanked so I thought I would be creative and put in a bit of effort.

BW

[Blister69]

That is Awesome BW!! Thank you very much for all your effort, it's very much appreciated.

I thought I would go out for few hours today and try a few things (before your post unfortunately), needless to say I blanked too.

This fishing with a single hook is virtually unknown, I've been to 2 tackle shops for some advise and to spend my hard earned cash on something that would be helpful and both didn't really know where to start.

However, while I was fishing I got talking to someone who knew someone who fishes for Pike on singles. "Infact" he said "he has a website". He uses a tag gun to bait the hook. I haven't had a chance to look at it properly yet but the site is Here. The water that I'm fishing is actually featured in the forum quite a bit (The Pond)

I think I'll stick to your method for now, and start making some traces up tomorrow.

So just to get this right, you ledger with the hair rig with a small bit of foam for boyancy? What indicator do you use to know you have a bite? Alarm, swivel tip or just rod action?

Thanks again,

Blister

[blackwater]

No Problem,

Yea that's right use a small piece of foam for bouancy while ledgering with the hair rig. For bite indication I usually use a bite alarm and swinger and I always engage the freespool mechanism on my reel if you dont do this you end up getting your rod pulled in

BW

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Cracking post mate

[Blister69]

I Popped my Pike cherry!

Thanks to your help BW I caught my very first pike today! Using pretty much the same rig as you, Ledgering with perch as my bait. It was a 5.5lb beauty.....




It went back good as gold, and the hook was so easy to take out. I honestly think I would have struggled using trebles.

Can't seem to get images working. I'll try again later.

Cheers