what bait?

[big guy]

i'm pretty new to piking (only started last year) and i was just wondering if the pike in the waters you fish seem to preffer 1 particular bait.

i ask this as last year the fish/ bites i had was all on garfish. this year (the same water) all my fish/ bites have come to joey mackeral and nothing on the gar bait.

[Norfolkboy]

Where I fish the best baits seem to be Smelt, Mackerel and Herring

[fishypaul]

some waters do seem to go like that mate,where do you fish,on the canal ?

[mikey-1001]

If i was you bigguy i would start with the standard pike bait of smelt,mackerel or lamprey. If the pike in your area still dont pick anythng up stick on a course fish.......roach a perch or rudd work well when twitched or wobbled. I occasionally use trout but to be honest in all my years piking i havn't had much success with them for some reason,they should work on my club water at least as i know for a fact there are some wild brownies in it. Coming back to your point though, Pike can be very particular feeders on some waters which is probably why they take your gars on occasion but not others........sorry i cant be any more help but honestly as you will know every water is different and so are the fish in it.