Trotting deadbaits

[Andy M]

Tomorrow I intend to give dead baiting for pike a go along a stretch of a small river I have not fished before. It seems to be fairly featureless; long straight stretches with few bankside trees. I am told it ranges in depth from about 3 to 6 feet. I plan to try trotting a dead bait to cover as much water as possible but read recently that this is not a very productive method and letting the bait rest on the bottom for 20-30 mins in each swim is better. The only problem with that is of course is that I will cover far less distance and distinguishing likely holding spots might well be difficult because of the nature of the river. Grateful your thoughts.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Coincidentally, I've just been reading a book by Graham Marsden (founding father if this website, a good all round egg, and great angler), his Angling Essays. He says this of river piking:
1 - present your baits at varying depths in each swim
2 - top make the deadbait look live, the leading hook should be in the base of the pectoral and teh upper treble in the dorsal.
3 - Fish the very slack waters, but don't ignore the flows when pike are hunting food.
4 - for flowing water try a pencil float with the line coming from the centre and set it over depth. It should also be overshotted for you will be holding back against the flow. Use a deadbait only as a livebait will soon die with casting. Mount hanging tail down with the upper hooks in the lip and the bottom hook down the flank, but secure in the middle with some fine elastic thread. keep holding it back and letting it flow to simulate it swimming, but falling downstream.

There's also a bit in the book on stret-pegging a bait. Well worth a read and with tips on catching other fish too... ANGLING ESSAYS. By Graham Marsden. | Coch-y-Bonddu Books

 

[john step]

Sounds like a perfect place to use the deadbait sink and draw method. You can still cover good distances. I like to use a small float running up the line and held at a depth desired by a bead and stop knot. Very variable.
I dont use snap tackles but prefer a large single through both lips and a treble or double in the flank.
Small castable baits and enough weight above the trace to give the sink and draw effect.

Best to start at the upstream of the section and working downstream. Cast downstream and draw it back often stopping and then lifting.
Let us know how you get on.

 

[Andy M]

Many thanks for tips! Will report back!

 

[Philip]

I used to fish deadbaits under drift floats which is basically trotting on the stillwater and that works well enough. As others have suggested imparting some "life" into the bait from time to time in the form of a twitch or jerk can't do any harm.

 

[laguna]

When trotting you can let it go with the flow, cast from where you are to the far middle and nearside banks to cover as wide an area as possible, also hold back and change depths. You can retrieve using the sink and draw method but for a nice and steady retrieval you could use a 'wobble stik'.
The 'wobbled' action accentuates movement at the business end - causing vibration and noise in the water which predator fish home in on.

 

[naxian62]

Fox Rage/ Julian Chidgey have an excellent you tube vid on trotting deads. Using this approach has caught me numerous fish. Now, if the bloody river'll clear up I can get back out!