Beginner Pike fishing - Scotland

[fifer]

Hi all,

Hope someone can help........I am looking to try Pike fishing for the first time. I am sea angler at heart but looking to broaden my horizons and hopefully learn a different part of our sport. Like I say I have never fished for pike so any info will be gratefully recieved. From what I can gather there are two places close to me that hold pike. Lochgelly loch and Swan's pond both in Fife, if anyone could give me a few pointers it would be much appreciated.

On a more general point - I'm not sure if I will have to buy new gear, I have a light spinning rod that I use to catch mackerel and I have a 3lb T/C carp rod that I use for float fishing - Is this set up suitable for pike? If not can anyone recommend a basic set up?

Thanks in advance - Craig.

[Norfolkboy]

Your spinning rod will be fine for lure fishing for pike, maybe only spinners and small spoons instead of jerkbaits and heavier lures etc.


Your 3lb t/c carp rod is also fine for ledgering deadbaits, so i wouldn't recommend buying new rods as you don't really need to.

For deadbaiting: On your reel have 12lb minimum line I think 15lb is the preffered line for most anglers. Then you'll need some snaptackle, this is a piece of wire, normally with 2 treble hooks attatched, 1 hook going into the tail of the deadbait, the other roughly in the middle of the body (take a look at an article by fishing forum admin, shows in clear pics)

Best bait seem to be anything from mackerel, herring, sprats, to roach, perch or bream.

If you're fishing from the bank, try and find reed beds, overhanging trees etc and cast to them as this is a likely hiding spot for pike where they'll hold up and wait for preyfish to passy by.

Not to keen on spinning, but what I do: 12lb mainline, have a wire trace attatched to the end and attatch your spinner to that. If you're on a boat have a look at the fish finder and if you pass any shoal fish cast your spinner over the top of them and spin through them,. could be pike hiding and waiting.

The others will have a lot more tips too, goood luck with it

[fifer]

Thanks Norfolk boy - appreciate you taking the time to reply. I will be fishing from the bank to begin with. When dead baiting do you use a float or just ledger it on the bottom? Is it worth fishing for them at this time of the year and if so is there a best time?

Thanks - Craig

[Norfolkboy]

Best times seem to be from October to March, when they seem to put on weight.

I normally just ledger the deadbait with a free running rig, so there is no resistance.That's when you have your weight so it isn't locked in postiiton, so when the pike runs the weight is staying on the ground but the line is moving (providing your reel is a bitrunner, or you're bail arm is open)

Although a lot of people use floats, it's up to you. I think a good time to use the float is when the flow is quite strong and it drifts about, cover more ground.

Seems quite a good time to give them a go, in the past few weeks round here people have been having pike to 36lb (well 1 bloke had a 36lber, but others have been catching quite a lot and quite a few 20lb+)

[Old Smoothound]

Hi Fifer,

Good info from Dan which just about coversit. But all I can say is always use a wire trace and make sure your crimps don't slip. If a Pike bites through mono or your crimps slip the hooks will not come out and eventually they "lock" the Pikes jaws together and they die from starvation

For Spinning with lures I use 30lb braid. I reccommend it as although it's strong, you can "feel" every movement of the lure ...even when it touches bottom.

With spoons...try the Abu 40grm Pike spoon..its awesome for deep lying winter Pike. It has to be retrieved very very slowly to get it to work the way intended.

When spinning its best to fan cast the swim, but a little info on Pike behaviour. They like to sit "Down Sun" next to weed beds or other kinds of structure. Why? Its like a fighter pilot coming out of the sun.... the enemy...(bait fish) find it difficult to spot the Pike until its too late...and the bait fish show up much better for the Pike to aim at.

Understand Pike behaviour and this normally equates to catching more Pike.

At this time of year they are getting ready to spawn...females packing on weight and the smaller males trying to do the same, but they are very lethargic as temperatures drop, they won't "chase" a lure like they do in summer.

Hope this helps.

[fifer]

Thanks, every bit of info helps.......really good of you guys to take the time.

[mikey-1001]

Carp rods can be used for pike as well , 12 foot carp rods have the power to launch a big deadbait and the strength to play and land a pike Essox ! If youre just starting i wouldn't reccomend spending hundreds on a pair of rods-- 60-150 quid would be plenty for what you need mate and 2 pound to 3 pound t/c also !