Blanking

[denzinho]

Hi guys,


This is probably the first time I have posted into this area as I have not really needed advise till now. I have done 2 sessions with my River fining down, a little colour but fishable with regards to finding slack water.


I have used both float and ledger rigs over both sessions and not caught a single pike, or even had any indication of a bite. Is this normal?? do you have to wait a little like carp fishing? I waited roughly 20 minutes before recasting twice into 2 areas I thought would hold fish so that's roughly 1 hour 20 mins per peg.


any help on identifying areas would be great... the particular stretch is under predation from EE's btw. I don't have proof but I know names etc

 

[rubio]

Usual wisdom is that when pike get targeted regularly they get moving somewhere quieter. Why not try moving more to find them. 20 mins in a swim is usually enough if they are hungry but you might have to try more than one method to tempt them. Whilst they remain active a trotted livebait is often the quickest way to prompt a strike. Most probably from any jacks present.
Personally I recommend a small maggot feeder. Not for the pike obviously but find the roach......................etc
I think when a river is fining down as you describe roach seem to move into areas still flowing strongly but steadily. All fish can handle moving through a current or tide. They're designed for it. Gills however don't like the gritty suspension that gets carried downstream. Once the colour drops the finer particles are dropping lower in the water leaving cleaner water thro the main channel. Rivers go slightly green and pike, I believe like to sit on the inside edge and ambush from below as soon as any roach is stupid enough to drift close. I cast a livebait across as far as is feasible and trot it much as I might for roach with my hooks set around 2 thirds depth. I expect a bite not so much on the way down but when I zig-zag it back and across bit by bit until I'm fishing under my feet. Don't be too quick to lift out at this moment. In fact leave it where it is and pour a coffee while you ponder whether to go a little deeper and further next cast. This is more an approach for opportunist pikers like me who are happy catching pike of all sizes. If it's a big grandma you want others on here will have far better advice i'm sure.
Hope it all comes good soon.

 

[denzinho]

interesting method, I did in fact think of trotting for them but thought it was a stupid idea as I have never seen it being used as a conventional way. There was lots of activity through the middle like you said. I will be giving this a try hopefully on the weekend.

I was using a sliding stop knot float setup, can you trot with that? can I get some more details on setups?.

Thanks for the advise

Steve

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

If you hold back a float locked by a sliding stopknot (at the top) then (if the flow is high enough) the float can be pushed down the line towards the trace by the flow.

There are floats available that can slide, but lock when held back - I think the through hole is curved as it passes through teh float so that it locks on a tight line but slides on a loose line.

Hope thsat makes sense.

 

[rubio]

The floats mentioned are trolling floats. They lock just as described thro the curved stem. Personally I use much smaller floats for this method but then I typically use smallish livebaits around 3 inches or smaller, and on rivers that are relatively slow flowing when not in flood. I don't have an issue with the bait rising and float sliding towards the bait as I expect more response as it drops again anyway. Rigs are very straightforward with a couple of swan shot just above the trace. Hook is most often a single circle hook, or a pair of trebles set in dorsal and pectoral fin. All fairly ordinary. Braid can be a benefit to set the hooks on the strike but this is short range generally and mono is fine. As for rods 90% of the time I use a tele spinning rod that can easily be carried along with my roach gear. I prefer something that bends and particularly dislike 3lb plus test curve pokers unless I want to hurl six lugworm into the north sea. My favourite(currently without a tip ring from yet another car boot stuff up) is a six footer that telescopes down small enough to fit in an old school style seatbox. It's landed many many pike to just shy of 20lbs. Usually without a landing net.
Get out there now and catch a few for fun. Go back in the new year and see if the big girls want to play.

 

[greenie62]

....
There are floats available that can slide, but lock when held back - I think the through hole is curved as it passes through teh float so that it locks on a tight line but slides on a loose line.....

There are a few of these around from the main 'names' in the biz including Fox, but the more resilient one seems to be Grey's Prowla: Greys Prowla Troll Grip Float | HarrisSportsmail.com
It's almost got me tempted to buy one - but I'll stick with the normal slider for now!
Tight Lines!

 

[law]

You should be physicaly knackered after a pike session.
I never leave my float still for more than 10 mins. Ill reel it in a coupke of turns, or even just lift it out the water and drop it back down.
Always fiddle with depoth too, then if you havent had a fish in half hour or so, move.

I do really well with pike and regularly have 4-5 in a session well into the 20's

 

[rubio]

I confirmed the level of my piking prowess yesterday catching 5 to nearly 5 lbs!
Guess that shows the difference between a proper specialist and a general numpty like me. I had fun tho.

 

[denzinho]

I to am just looking for jacks at the moment for the fun factor I guess. Going to have a go monday and travel light as possible.

Thanks for all the sound advise.

 

[jimlad]

I wouldn't worry too much about a couple of blank sessions after pike. Keep at it and they will come


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[medway man]

Im also blanking at the moment denzinho. The river was mud coloured after the recent rain but has cleared in the last few days so I went this morning expecting something even if it was just a jack or 2 but nothing.

Found a couple of interesting features to try on my next trip so hopefully ill get a couple next time. I haven't fished for about 10 years I don't remember it being this hard.

 

[rubio]

Met another gent fishing for pike today a little upstream from yesterdays spot. He had 1 dropped run. I had a single jack. Same one as yesterday.
Maybe there aren't any others!

 

[denzinho]

Is it possible that they just arent in that feeding mode yet? The weather here isn't as cold as it's ment to be. I dunno just a theory, I popped out on my local little river and the fish were feeding up in the water which is not that odd seeing we havent had a frost yet.

 

[keora]

I've been pike fishing recently and had 10 fish in three trips, although one trip was biteless. You do get blank days, but with experience things improve and I usually get 1 or 2 fish a day in winter.

Is the water you are fishing any good for pike? Have you see other anglers catching them?

I would take the minimum of tackle, and move swims regularly. I'll normally fish between 4 and 10 pike swims in a day, depending on the venue - some have more pike holding areas than others.

Look for slow moving water, behind willows, places where streams enter the river etc.

Cast out, leave a few minutes, twitch the bait towards you for a foot, leave a couple of minutes then recast to a new area of the swim. Being impatient and active results in more bites. When I float fish deadbaits, about a fifth of takes are immediately after twitching back the bait.

For this active style of fishing, I believe float fishing is more versatile than legering. You don't need to fiddle around with bite indicators and you can get away with just one rod rest, or even lay the rod down on the bank.

If you use big deadbaits, it can be hard to judge when to strike. I suggest you use medium smelts, sprats, and half sections of bigger baits, up to about 6 inches in length.

 

[mick b]

I to am just looking for jacks at the moment for the fun factor I guess.

mg:mg:mg:
Oh aren't you in for a shock one day

Whatever you please don't fish 'fine' - keep your gear strong enough for the biggest fish known from the water.......and then some!

.

 

[robertroach]

As mentioned by someone, the best thing to take pike fishing is half a pint of maggots. Sit down in a nice slack, dribble some them in and get a shoal of small fish feeding. The pike will soon come around.

 

[denzinho]

This is some smashing advice guys, I use 15lb line and 2lb TC rod so I am ready for that bigger fish if it decided to take. The stretch in question is full of pike, many anglers get bit off when trotting etc.

Come to think of it! using maggots as a baiting technique is fantastic!. I spoke to an angler trotting and he said he had seen pike taking his catches and they had ruined his day. He also mentioned that whenever he go's to the river to deadbait for pike they never turn up. So I will grab some maggots and let you guys know.

 

[denzinho]

Ok decided to completely go against the dead bait as it just smells and I dont like the smell of "dead" fish. going to pop to the local tackle shop and pick up a couple of lures and spinners.... will post results if still interested.

 

[law]

Ok decided to completely go against the dead bait as it just smells.

Thats the idea!
Although when the river runs murky, I often inject my deads with blood, or fish oils too to make it smell even more

 

[symonh2000]

I don't like the smell of dead fish either, but I know the Pike certainly do.

So it doesn't really bother me too much.