Lincolnshire Pike venue

[toby843]

Hi everyone,

I did my pike fishing last year at Haverholme Park lake but this year it's gone syndicate only which is a shame for me, but if it's better for the fish then great as it's because of poor handling I believe.

So that means I'm looking for a new winter pike venue. I popped out today to the drains around Boston but I'm lost really around there, I have no idea which ones are good and they all look the same to me lol. If there worth a shot though I'll invest a bit of time in them.

I'd love a stillwater to try and I'm happy to travel a bit, maybe an hour although closer is better for obvious reasons.

Anyone have any good ideas? Is there much pike sport at Woodland Waters in Ancaster, that's my closest place really but I can only find one story of a big fish a couple of years back but no other reports or talk of it. I'd happily be a one venue guy for the winter if it was worth the investment.

Also thinking the Trent at Newark could be ok but again, I'm not much good on rivers.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

---------- Post added at 18:59 ---------- Previous post was at 18:37 ----------

Having read through the forum posts I'm fairly certain I won't get much response and that's understandable. lol.

I think then, I will try woodland waters and alternate between there and the drains and the Trent and see how it goes for a while. Frisby lakes looks like a pretty good place to try as well so I may find the time for a drive out there.

 

[flightliner]

Toby, I,ll assume you are near Lincoln,, if so you're spoilt for choice. If its drain fishing that rocks your boat there are plenty close by. Rivers not your thing then ignore the Trent but there are plenty of gravel pits to choose from, all of which have good fish to pursue, and at most thirty minutes from lincoln city centre.
Maybe a good idea to join the local branch of the pac, some top pikers there that I,m sure will be very helpfull.

 

[thecrow]

Drains around Boston are not what they once were, a lot have received attention from our EE friends over the last 10 years with many seemingly devoid of fish never mind pike.

I know you said that you don't fish rivers for them but they really are worth a go and once found spots with predators can keep producing as long as you keep them quiet and don't fish them to death.

 

[toby843]

Drains around Boston are not what they once were, a lot have received attention from our EE friends over the last 10 years with many seemingly devoid of fish never mind pike.

I know you said that you don't fish rivers for them but they really are worth a go and once found spots with predators can keep producing as long as you keep them quiet and don't fish them to death.

It's not really that I don't fish rivers, I'm just not very good at them. For instance I've been down to Newark maybe 3 or 4 times since June for barbel, chub or anything really, and I haven't caught a single thing lol. Saying that I had one small pike from Bobs Island way back in Feb.
I'd like to be better at them and I reckon there is enough water around Newark on the Trent to keep me going all winter really.
I'm thinking of heading out this weekend but I'm not sure if it's really cool enough for deadbaiting, maybe it is.
I might go down woodland waters instead and try for an October carp and pike the bailiffs brains on whether it'd be a good winter pike venue.

---------- Post added at 07:45 ---------- Previous post was at 07:42 ----------

Toby, I,ll assume you are near Lincoln,, if so you're spoilt for choice. If its drain fishing that rocks your boat there are plenty close by. Rivers not your thing then ignore the Trent but there are plenty of gravel pits to choose from, all of which have good fish to pursue, and at most thirty minutes from lincoln city centre.
Maybe a good idea to join the local branch of the pac, some top pikers there that I,m sure will be very helpfull.

Yeah I'm in Cranwell near Sleaford so not too far from Lincoln. I'd thought about the PAC and you know you're probably right about joining.

The only gravel pits I'd heard of were A1 pits really and I tried them a few times for carp and blanked.

Good call on the PAC.

 

[old school]

Drains around Boston are not what they once were, a lot have received attention from our EE friends over the last 10 years with many seemingly devoid of fish never mind pike.



100% agree,not just the boston fens,the whole of the fens IMO,I see a few clubs are investing in otter fences now.........good news because its not just otters that the fence will keep out

 

[gaznotts53]

that's a real shame about the drains, used to fish the Glen quite a bit and pinchbeck. is it the same around there does anyone know? very little info and can be quite difficult to find a decent water that has known big pike. I was thinking about A1 but heard some duff reports. I live right next to West lake in Notts but scant information even from the ****head of a bailiff at the hut (don't ask). keep walking around, have the occasional chat with the carpers, I have seen some predator strikes around (will keep spots to myself lol), but its bloody expensive £13 a day! for a bit of a punt. may give it a go. I'm thinking of planning a trip after Christmas either Scotland to one of the lochs or Norfolk, anywhere to do a bit ok Piking on a budget. also to get away from day ticket venues, anyone interested in give me a shout.

 

[toby843]

I gave the Trent a bash for about 4 hrs on Saturday morning on the stretch behind Aldi. I walked right up and down putting time in each swim with float fished dead baits and lures and spinners while I was waiting. No a single hit or take. Disheartened to say the least but hey ho, onwards and upwards. I'm going to try and finish early on Friday and get to A1 pits and bag a river swim through til Saturday evening. Will try for barbel and predators.
I lived up the North of Scotland for 13 years and wish I'd got out more on the lochs, some of them were really difficult to get access to and so massive it was a lottery where you fished. Some of the smaller or more popular further south would be a good bet. Loch Ken produced a few for me boat fishing with a guide once. I wouldn't pay for it again though.

 

[toby843]

I gave the river stretch of the A1 pits a go at the weekend as well. Friday night into Saturday morning overnight. I set out for barbel for the afternoon Friday fishing a heavy groundbait feeder with halibut pellets hair rigged. I was up the end passed the A1 bridge as it seemed a bit quieter. It was quiet alright...I had nothing. I had a deadbait rod out overnight as well, and in the morning. I tried single hooks on mackeral tails for zander and a standard double treble hook rig for pike with small whole mackeral on. Nothing either. Complete blank on all fronts. lol I have fished the Trent probably ten times for barbel, chub or basically anything and had one 5lb pike from Bob's Island back at the beginning of the year.

Thinking of selling all my fishing kit and giving up lol.

I'm going to head to Woodland Waters on Friday after lunch and stay until saturday morning. I will try for carp in the afternoon and evening and switch over to pike fishing once it's dark. Fingers crossed.

 

[old school]

Just a thought mate,why not do it the other way round,pike fish in the afternoon and fish for carp thru the night?

 

[toby843]

Just a thought mate,why not do it the other way round,pike fish in the afternoon and fish for carp thru the night?

Yeah I think I might this Friday. I did have my deadbait rod out on the river from about 1530 onwards last weekend. I reckon it was just bad swim choice to be fair.

 

[old_school]

Mate give the trent a go with deadbeats. Soon we'll be getting the long overdue rain that'll flood the rivers and we'll be forced onto the still waters anyway so get on the trent while the going is good.
I've put the carp stuff away now until spring and just started piking on my section on the trent (derby/notts end) and they are crawling up the rod at the moment with runs on every trip out. A 19 and a 21 in a week!
Nothing fancy, deadbait roach work well and can usually be got from the tackle shop in the freezer under the 'luce' baits brand, they do a course fish selection pack that contains about 8 baits - roach, peach and silver bream. I'm getting just as many runs on spats too. I get mine from sainsburys fishmonger counter at £1.84 a kilo! thats about 25 baits, I split them up and freeze them in 5 packs so I'm only taking what I need for the day.
I just fish a paternostered bait and fish 2 rods, leapfrogging them every 15 mins or so. I find that you'll get a run within 10/15 mins if there are fish in the peg so if nothing doing i'll quickly move on. Can cover a lot of water this way. Look for slack areas next to a bit of flow.
Good luck!

---------- Post added at 17:04 ---------- Previous post was at 17:00 ----------

By the way, I think I'm a different 'old_school' to the one that has posted earlier! I've got an underscore = old_school