River Pike.....damn nuisance you mean...grrrr!!
Only kidding, its just when they invade my Roach swim..
mg:
My standard rig goes like this....
Cheapo cigar float, the type sold for sea fishing, Roberts sliding bead, swivel and trace.
Onto the bead add a section on light mono and hang whatever weight you need onto that, lengthen the mono if you want a paternoster, short if you want to swim the float.
For snaggy swims I use old nuts or bolts, or bits on concrete tied on the light mono and sections of dried and varnished Bullrush stem with rubber bands as floats.
I never go out to far, much preferring the 'cast out and drift into the bank' method.
I actually know the lie of a 30+ and its less than a foot out from an old bankside stump..
These days I much prefer Roach and Chub to Pike, perhaps its something to do with age, tho I doubt Derek will agree