Your thoughts on summer pike fishing?

[O.C.F.Disorder]

So i only started fishing last summer and had some good fun but at the start of my fishing adventure I did lose a (tiny) pike by hooking it in the gill I put this down to inexperience and carried on fishing. I caught quite a lot of pike through out winter and never had a bad hook set. I was fishing an old quarry recently, it was hot weather so i gathered some people and went camping/fishing/drinking and we had a hell of a session! 7 pike out and six of them by me! but I lost another pike.. A nice 10 pounder and a horrible hook set. This has got me wondering.. Is it because of the hot weather? All fish were caught on a savage gear 200g line through roach. Only one hook but a rather large one located on the bottom of the lure. I would really appreciate some opinions guys. I dont want to hurt any more fish. Many thanks.

 

[steve2]

There are those that say summer pike fishing shouldn’t be allowed and they should only be fished for after September. Me I would fish for pike all year round if I could but some waters don’t allow it. I appears to be a rule that is buried somewhere in the mists of time because I have never read anywhere about an official separate close season for pike.
So keep pike fishing, lure fishing for pike is at it’s best in summer.

Your last line ‘I don’t want to hurt anymore fish’ it’s something that happens. It’s part and parcel of fishing. You have to accept it or give up.

 

[peterjg]

Personally I don't fish for summer pike because then there are other species to go for. But otherwise why not fish for pike? Pike are about the earliest to spawn and therefore recover.

 

[terry m]

My view is that lure fishing for pike - with appropriate tackle - is fine. Perhaps even livebaiting if you are that way inclined.

I would not deadbait in the summer. I have read that pike have a propensity to engulf deadbaits in warm weather without moving away - and therefore no bite indication - resulting in deep hooked fish. I have no experience of it, but happy to abstain because lure fishing in warmer months is so much fun.

Try surface lures in shallow pools and streams. You will jump out of your skin when the surface explodes in a savage take!!

 

[wetthrough]

The Pike Angling Cub should know what they're talking about - Summer Piking Guide - The Pike Anglers' Club of Great Britain

 

[David Rogers 3]

Back in the 1960s, nobody much seemed to consider fishing for pike during the summer months. But then Fred Wagstaffe and Mike Prorok published a series of articles in various angling mags about using surface lures on shallow weedy lakes and maybe this changed the minds of some. Fred J Taylor also wrote quite a lot along similar lines. Of late, most anglers seem to have gone back to thinking of pike fishing as a solely autumn and winter pursuit, but it does appear to vary a lot from place to place. On one of my club waters, the pike are very active during the summer and seem to go right off the feed after Christmas, but as the only method allowed for them is deadbaiting (with sea fish only), nobody catches them in the summer except by accident. And a lot of feeders get lost through bite-offs!

 

[S-Kippy]

Not interested.....in pike and lure fishing generally and in the summer particularly. Far too many other species I'd much,much rather fish for. No particular problem with the concept where the rules allow but its not something I have ever done or will ever do.

 

[nottskev]

Pike are the bane of a roach angler's life in summer on the middle Trent. It's not unusual to have several in your swim, split between some taking hooked roach of the line you're feeding and others trying to pull your net in. They appear fighting fit and hyperactive - can't imagine why you shouldn't fish for them if it's your thing, but personally I don't fish for things with teeth!

 

[stillwater blue]

The cynical part of me thinks the traditional pike season came about because they will feed through the winter and more importantly they are at they're at heaviest for the year rather than for conservation.

 

[rich4930]

It’s already been said but it’s 100% my view too. Go lure fishing instead. It’s more fun and tactically makes lots more sense too, when the pike aren’t moving around too much.

No first hand experience but it sounds logical enough that pike will gorge a deadbait in summer, without moving very far.

 

[David Gane]

The argument that I've heard most commonly used against pike fishing in summer is that in warm weather warmer water contains less dissolved oxygen. Accordingly, pike (which require a lot of oxygen) are more quickly exhausted when exerting themselves after being caught in summer and this harms them.

The same though obviously should apply to all other species. Barbel for example require a lot of oxygen, yet I've never heard a similar argument in respect of fishing for them.

Personally, I've never seen any evidence of particular harm to pike when caught in summer. Much more harm arises when they are caught by people who don't know how to unhook/handle them or who take too long about it. I fish a lot with lures in the summer; I carry all the right equipment - pliers, forceps, wire cutters(usually used for cutting hooks, not traces) and an unhooking mat; I use a latex coated net; I often manage to unhook fish without removing them from the water at all and I'm quick getting them back in without being slapdash. In short, I care about the fish and I take care of them. I'm certain that in those simple ways I do a lot less harm than many winter pikers.

 

[O.C.F.Disorder]

(Bear with me i'm technologically retarded)

Steve2: "Your last line ‘I don’t want to hurt anymore fish’ it’s something that happens. It’s part and parcel of fishing. You have to accept it or give up." I completely get you, im not naive enough to think i will never hurt a fish.. I can deal with occasional loss of a fishy life but I just feel so raw about killing a (large) pike, I know the delicate role a big pike plays in the eco system and honestly I just love them.

Terry m: I have never caught on a surface lure, sounds really fun. Im pretty sure i have a few vintage norman frog lures buried somewhere!!

David rogers 3: My best pike action has been in the warmer weather on scorching hot days with no cloud cover.. this is quite simply the opposite to what everyone tells me is good for pike.. Very confusing. I found the pike turned right off the feed on my stretch of the Avon right after Christmas too! Very interesting stuff.

S-kippy: in the nicest possible way you sound very closed minded.. I truly feel you are missing out if you have a passion for angling and enjoy adrenaline pumping through your body. Its definitely something you should try. Like Terry said, lure fishing in the warmer months is so much fun.

Nottskev: That sounds like heaven to me chap.

Rich4930: I was lure fishing....

I appreciate all of you guys offering your opinions and advice, its really warming to be able to talk to people who share my passion.. No one wants to hear about my fishing **** in day to day life haha! I got a few pictures from my aforementioned session i had if anyone is interested? Imgur: The magic of the Internet

 

[Keith M]

Every water can be different and if there’s any doubt about the Pikes welfare in a water where summer fishing for them may cause them harm then the rules for that water can and should be amended.
Otherwise I don’t see anything wrong in being able to target them all year round unless they are spawning.

A well oxygenated river can be vastly different to a muddy lowland match lake during prolonged hot periods, and as long as anglers realise that pike (just like the barbel) like a well oxygenated environment during the heat of the summer months if they are to be targeted, then it should be fine.

 

[keora]

So i only started fishing last summer and had some good fun but at the start of my fishing adventure I did lose a (tiny) pike by hooking it in the gill I put this down to inexperience and carried on fishing. I caught quite a lot of pike through out winter and never had a bad hook set. I was fishing an old quarry recently, it was hot weather so i gathered some people and went camping/fishing/drinking and we had a hell of a session! 7 pike out and six of them by me! but I lost another pike.. A nice 10 pounder and a horrible hook set. This has got me wondering.. Is it because of the hot weather? All fish were caught on a savage gear 200g line through roach. Only one hook but a rather large one located on the bottom of the lure. I would really appreciate some opinions guys. I dont want to hurt any more fish. Many thanks.

There's evidence that fish mortality increases when they are captured during periods of hot weather, but some species are more sensitive than others. Over large hooks can also increase the risk of fish mortality.

We've not yet reached the hottest period of the year, so I think the experience you've had is more likely to be caused by deep hooking or over large hooks.

There have been scientific surveys about the effect of high water temperatures, hook sizes and fishing methods on fish mortality. See this:

http://www.anglingtrust.net/page.asp?section=1016&sectionTitle=The+River+Close+Season+Debate

Look in the first section referred to in the report by the Angling Trust - it's called "1. Literature review of evidence around the close season".

I don't start pike fishing until late September when water temperatures is falling after the summer peak. I'd rather fish for other species in summer - carp, trout, barbel etc.