When is it ethical to fish for Pike

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Matt Brown

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As a relative newcomer to predator fishing I have been reading articles and talking to people, as you do, in order to learn and catch more.

My limited experience is mainly of lure fishing in Winter. I mainly dig out the spinning gear in order to keep warm - more like a walk along the river than proper fishing and blanks are commonplace.

Back in September I went lure fishing for a few hours and caught loads of Pike and Perch and that had me wondering that all these years I had been fishing the hardest time of year.

I've had it explained to me that Pike are at risk from the hot weather in summer and that the traditional start of the Pike season has always been from October.

Bearing in mind that with lure fishing, deep hooked fish are less likely how do people feel about lure fishing through lare summer and autumn?
 
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Stevepike

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Hi Matt, i lure fish for pike all year round and have found the summer months to be far more productive than the winter months.
provided the angler has the correct tackle to get the fish in as quickly and safely as possible, and returned to the water asap i dont see a problem with it.

i tend to play the fish harder in the summer to get them in quicker.
i normally give scorching hot cloudless summer days a miss, i tend to fish in the evenings as its cooling down.
 
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Paul Mallinson 2

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No problem at all with lure fishing through out the year Matt, I only deadbait in winter though. You have been making the same mistake I made untill last year, I only ever lure fished through the winter and never tried very hard at it and as such caught very little. Spring is in my experiance the best time of year.

Regrads deep hooking, believe me you get them deep hooked when thee avin' it in summer, fantastic fishing!

Only thing I would say is, I wouldn't fish for them in the midday sun in summer, on cooler days and in evenings/mornings, thats when I go
 
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stevepike

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in nine years of lure fishing i have never had a deep hooked pike.
 
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Paul Mallinson 2

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Suppose it depends what you count as deep hooked but I have had them where the lure has been right at the back of the mouth. near the entrance to the stomach, I suppose deep hooked is probably classed as a hook inside the stomach, which I have seen, but I am not responsible for, if thats the case I have never deep hooked one either.
 
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stevepike

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i class deep hooked. at least one treble inside the stomach sock.
 
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stevepike

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summer pike fight alot harder than winter pike, please make sure you have all the essential equipment, especially an unhooking mat, as pike tend to thrash about alot more during summer.

if this is your first attempt at lure fishing, i recomend you go with an experienced pike angler.
 
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davestocker

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Start lure fishing in May and knock off in mid-July when their feeding periods in any given day seem to reduce in length.
 
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Paul H

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I have fished for pike many times Steve only during the colder months though as dead baiting as you know results in deep hooked summer pike.

ure fishing I have done (see the jack above) just never a concerted effort on a decent water.

I am aware of the equipment required and have it all.

Dinnae worry.
 
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stevepike

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wasnt getting at you mate.
just general information if there are any newbie pike anglers lurking the forum.
 
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Matt Brown

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It has surprised me that more people aren't against fishing for Pike when it's warmer. That's made me feel better. I reckon taht if I can apply the same levels of care to Pike as I do to Barbel then I have nothing to worry about. Cheers folks.
 
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stevepike

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if you are fishing rough ground or concrete banks etc.
many clubs stipulate that unhooking mats must be used for carp and pike.
they are compulsory on some of the waters i fish.
i use a nash sling/mat which you can carry over your shoulder, and i put my lure bag, grub etc in there.
 
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Chris Bishop

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I just use my hands on rare occasions when I lure fish in summer. If you've got the right tools to hand, it's easy.

Seven out of 10 fish can be unhooked without even taking them out of the water as long as you don't use big lures with multiple large hooks.

If you have to lift one out learn to suss where the hooks are and chin it.

You do the fish far less damage this way.

Anyone ever thought they thrash about because you've just stuck them on a mat that's probably 10 or 15 degrees warmer than the water you've just hoicked it out of..?
 
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stevepike

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complety agree, i very rarely use my landing net or mat. but on the rare occasions i need to lay a fish down to remove awkward hooks, i still think the mat is the safest way of protecting the pike from damaging itself when thrashing, better to thrash on foam than hard ground.

besides if i dont take a net and mat, i cant fish the waters.
 
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davestocker

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I'm with Chris Bishop re. not handling thefish. Use spinnerbaits (they're great attractors) and de-barb the big single hook. You do get a few fall-offs, but as the years pass I'm less bothered than I was about losing fish.
 
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