''No one's laughing now''

[Derek Gibson]

Lure fishing has always been the ''Cinderella'' in predator fishing, apart from the odd enthusiast. By far the greater majority of pike anglers preferring to live or dead bait, perhaps it will always be that way.

But, in the last twenty years or so there seems to be a new appreciation of the role lures can play in the capture of big pike. I suspect this may be in part due to the opening of certain trout waters to predator anglers with some astonishing results. This was no surprise to a few of us that had been ''quietly'' going about our lure fishing for many years, putting an end to those old chestnuts of ''lures catch anglers'', or ''lures only catch jack's''. What a load of old shoemenders.

No one's laughing now are they!!

 

[Derek Gibson]

`

. . . . . . . . .threads merged at request of OP

 

[peter crabtree]

Re: `

I think the popularity of lure fishing has come about because the E. Europeans have shown us all how to do it over the last 20 years.....

 

[S-Kippy]

I never was laughing. I'd love to be a decent lure angler but I'm afraid it defeats me utterly. Its probably the one method I've never,ever come to terms with. I've tried several times but I'm rubbish at it,I know I'm rubbish at it and I will always be rubbish at it. I've accepted that.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Neither have I ever laughed at lure fishing or the anglers who use the method.

I spent many years in Norway catching some lively Pike and Zander on lures, usually around late September to early October or just before the lakes began to freeze.

Perfect time to land some of the larger specimens on a lure.

 

[binka]

Lure fishing for me has always represented a credible and often better way to locate and catch predators, I give it a go every now and again but have never really been that enthusiastic about it.

It's just too much like hard work for me and like Skip I reckon I'm rubbish at it.

 

[sam vimes]

I long ago came to the conclusion that I'm rubbish at lure fishing, that undoubtedly colours my perception of it. It, along with predator fishing in general, is simply not my game. However, I'm also of the opinion that it suits some waters more than others and, unfortunately, the waters I've tried it aren't particularly suited. Such is life.

 

[barbelboi]

I've always enjoyed my lure fishing from a basic floating plug and some Devon minnows in the late 50's - 60's to the slightly larger choice in later years.....

The only downside is that since my shoulder injury, some seven years ago, it's the one aspect of angling I've unfortunately had to restrict the most.

 

[chub_on_the_block]

My plugs, spoons and spinners have not seen the light of day in decades. I had many winter sessions after Pike or large Perch back in the day, even once on a lake in Sweden.

I had a fish take once, but at the time i put it down to weed. It never got any better than that and thats why they are still buried in a cupboard somewhere.

 

[john step]

I never was laughing. I'd love to be a decent lure angler but I'm afraid it defeats me utterly. Its probably the one method I've never,ever come to terms with. I've tried several times but I'm rubbish at it,I know I'm rubbish at it and I will always be rubbish at it. I've accepted that.

Me too. I get terrible back ache lure fishing. I have tried to stand differently but always the same result.
However I wobble deadbaits sink and draw a lot and this doesn't happen.
I don't know why. It may be that I can pause for a few seconds change my posture and relax a bit more as the bait is still working whilst I can feel any take through my fingers.
Not pausing long enough to be called freelining for predators I must emphasise.

 

[thecrow]

I am one that has been guilty of not using lures much even though I have watched my lad catch using them, I actually caught my first Pike on a spinner that I found in the mud by a pool, it weighed about a pound and I still cringe when I think about not having a trace but I was only around 10 years old, the chance to redeem myself has gone now as I am in no state to wander about lure fishing, its a loss I regret.

 

[symonh2000]

I enjoy a bit of lure fishing, but I always seem to catch more pike on sink-draw dead baits.

Whether that is because I am not much good or whether the fish around here prefer deads who knows?


I catch plenty of other fish on lures though.

 

[Harvey]

I have just taken up lurefishing, i.e. jig- and dropshot fishing for perch. It's a great addition to my coarsefishing. I love it.

As a kid I fished a lot with spoones and spinners, and metal lures in general. But then the float got me.

Next step will be lurefishing for pike. I'm not there yet, but will be next year.

 

[terry m]

I have had the odd purple patch lure fishing but nothing to get too excited about.

However this summer I have spent a lot of effort on the rivers lure fishing and the results have been exceptional. I am a convert, at least for the warmer months.

 

[Derek Gibson]

A somewhat surprising response so far. It goes without saying that a proportion of the membership will have no interest in Pike, that's to be expected. But what I find difficult to understand is when otherwise competant anglers state, ''I'm rubbish at lure fishing'' when those same anglers can stand in the river and trot a stick float whilst feeding the swim with complete mastery. Same with the fly angler who can present a fly with deft accuracy and lay down the fly like thistledown.

No one is born with these skills, they are honed over time with the inevitable cock ups along the way. And so it is with lure fishing, and all other diciplines.

I along with several others can testify that lure fishing can be, and is equally as effective as soaking dead baits, both in terms of numbers and size once mastered.

As always, the choice is up to the individual.

 

[greenie62]

A somewhat surprising response so far..... the fly angler who can present a fly with deft accuracy and lay down the fly like thistledown......

I think you've hit the nail on the head there Derek!
Many coarse anglers find 'spinning' contra-intuitive - in that they are taught to fish static baits in still water and moving baits in rivers that 'go with the flow' - and to make as little disturbance as possible.

To start flinging lumps of wood/plastic/feather/metal in the swim then hauling them back against the current just seems 'wrong' to some of a more delicate disposition - not quite so much to us 'fluffchuckers' admittedly - and goes against the good sense of angling that is instilled in us from the start.

Perhaps that's why some just can't get on with it - it's too different!
Tight Lines!

 

[Derek Gibson]

The truth is that modern lure fishing, ''well at least for the last thirty years'' bears only a passing resemblance to the days of, chuck it out and wind it back.

There are lures available now that can be made to do things that the old timers couldn't have dreamed of, although much larger. The splash they create when hitting the water (which seems to concern certain individuals) is in reality the pikes dinner bell.

 

[pickwick]

It also fits in with how many anglers fish these days owing to time constraints. No need to dash off to the tackle shop on Friday after work to get some bait.I've got a few set ups and rucksacks in the spare room, Pike lure gear and ultra light stuff and the in between. Go home think about what you would like to fish for the next day and pick up up the set up you want.

The last few years as well as the main predatory species, like Pike, Zander, Perch and Chub. Roach, Rudd and Dace have also graced the net. Not an awful lot you can't catch on lures these days with the modern lures for sale.

You can't beat floating cranks for Chub in the summer for explosive hits. Or gently working a bait along a near bank weed bed and that jolt up your arm as the lure get's whacked.

Just good sport.

 

[steve2]

I way I became a better lure angler, not just pike, was to leave all my other tackle at home. Caught plenty of other fish apart from Pike and Perch.

 

[binka]

There are lures available now that can be made to do things that the old timers couldn't have dreamed of

Derek, when I was out on Sunday I was fishing a Savage Gear lure for most of the day and my mate was fishing a dead roach sink and draw.

We both agreed that my lure looked far more attractive and life like.

However...

We split up for a short time and I had a follow from a low double pike three times before it disappeared without taking the lure.

Being a sporting fella (!) I told my mate about it and told him to have a go in the same swim and sure enough after several casts the fish reappeared and took his roach right under the rod tip.

I think that's one of my hang ups and mistakes with lure fishing, I'm not really doing it to incite an impulsive reaction and give the fish too much time on too slow a retrieve to be able to make its mind up?