Methods..... Rigs and Things

[Old Smoothound]

This question may have already been asked...but here goes anyway.

If you had to narrow down the types of rigs that you take with you and the fishing methods that you employ during your Pike sessions, along with the must have bits of kit what would they be and why would you choose them?

It has been a long time since I seriously fished for Pike so I am a bit of a novice when it comes to new types of fishing rigs and methods / set ups, so any help would be gratefully appreciated.

[Old Smoothound]

So where's all the Pikekies Gone then?????

Ah well just go back to ledgering and float fishing with a broom handle then

[Fishing Forum Admin]

LOL must admit Im in the same boat as you mate but in jan will start getting back into the old pike

My favourite method is to just trot a sprat under a float down the river peg by peg

Ok sprats do get smaller pike but I have got 4 - 10 in a couple of hours trotting and that great fun

[baitmaster]

ok if i could only use to methods one would be sink and draw to search out as much water as possible in front of me and the other would be to employ a static method that could search out different layers of water using a running rig with a poly ball on the bait so i could pay out a bit of line to allow the bait to rise vertically up through the water layers both are very simple to use and are very effective , bait wise i would favour lamprey ,smelt ,sardine mackerel .

tightlines
baitmaster

[Old Smoothound]

Cheers Fellas

I'm off Pike fishing again tomorrow and I am going to try the foam ball method to search out the layers as Baitmaster has suggested. Also as its a slow moving drain i'll give the float a go with Lamprey and Smelt.

Thanks BM and Rich much appreciated.

[fishypaul]

sorry old smoothie,i've been on nights recently ,(don't get a lot of time).
got to agree with baitmaster,the polyball is a wonderful rig and so versatile as well,i don't use a polyball,i use a sunken float and sometimes a bubble float,the principles the same though,
if you were to nail me down to one bait it would have to be the half herring with the lamprey a close second.
best of luck today mate,i'm off to bed

[mikey-1001]

I like to keep it simple mate......Pikes my main quarry and i see no reason to complicate things. Float fished deads on the bottom (or suspended above a weed bed) would be my most productive method or if im fishing really deep (over say 20 ft) i would switch to the old ledger although i do this reluctantly as i love to see the float slide away or swerve about on the surface.

I know alot of pikers who love to keep right up with the newest rigs (i think it gives them more confidence!) but i find that as long as you use the best of baits ie fresh as you can or at least blast frozen, it doesnt matter how many bits of lead or beads or swivels or booms etc etc.......if the fish arn't feeding you wont land any!!

The patternoster rig (with boom) can be an advantage if the wind is really up, just to anchor the bait away from the lead really and to stop your whole bait drifting ,but if i do feel i need to use this rig i put on a VERY weak link so as not to snag the fish if it passes a tree root etc.........hope this has been a bit of help mate but i would try and ignore all the technicalitys and just keep it basic.....you wont catch any less fish!

[Old Smoothound]

Thanks Mikey

I am still learning on the Pike front, I have an objective to reach and I'm gonna give it a real good go this season.

My Shore fishing may suffer a bit but I still have next year to do that.

I have heard a rumour that there are big doubles on the King's Sedgemoor Drain and Huntspill River so I'm going to try and target them over the next few weeks.

One question I have for you all is how much gear do you take with you?

I normally take 2 x 2. 3/4lb TC Carp rods and a Tamar Trophy spinning rod plus a Mustad rucksack with Shimano bait runners and a shimano spin reel plus a few bits and pieces, my rod quiver BIG landing net and a lightweight folding Carp chair.

But is this too much to take or should I go lighter and keep really mobile to search for these big Pike?

Also what tactics should I employ to try and locate these big fish.

Any help would be really appreciated by an apprentice Pike angler like me

[baitmaster]

ok i will try and relate my mobile approach
when i go on a leap frogging session on the drains of east anglia i put a lot of importance of taking the basic kit just so it easy to carry and if you got a long walk you do not want 5oolb of gear ect i take a bit bit of terminal tackle in a box but will take my main box but leave it under the seat in the car just incase i do accidently leave something important. so my ruck sack will contain scales ,small box of tackle, forcepts wiegh sling camera,fold away tripod, flask, rag and smallest unhooking mat i can get away with and a small cool bag containing my dead baits ,also all rod will have floats for indication so if i needed to i can do away with rod rest but with night tactics i have my fox indicaters so they are a must at night for me anyway i will not take a chair as i would normally sit on the unhooking mat (but thats not for every one )
i also will have a tendancy to put my 3 rods together with landing net handle so i do not have to carry a rod bag and slip my landing net and rod rest across the inside top of my ruck sack now you are ready to go i would suggest you start the furtherest point from the car as possible so you don,t have as far to walk back course this can be tiring and you will not fancy along walk back to the car again most method can employ the float so keep it simple ie: float ledger can be effective which can be employed as an on the bottom bait or pop it up of the bottom use sink and draw as i said before to search water, as mikey said you do not need all them extra bit they are for tackle tarts
hope it helps

tightlines
baitmaster

[Old Smoothound]

Spot on Baitmaster great info and I am with you on keeping the rigs simple and travelling light.
At the age of 50 I need to sit on something comfortable when fishing.

On the drains in Somerset a lot of stretches are featureless, i.e. no usual Pikey looking swims with overhanging trees etc.

So what features are you looking for when trying to read the water to find likely looking Pike holding areas?

Are we looking for drops offs, the far or near bank shelf etc?

Sorry to ask so much but I used to do a lot of coarse match fishing and its in my nature to be inquisitve to find fish anyway.

Many thanks for your help guys.