A
Andrew Thomas
Guest
I've decided to restart piking again after a gap of more years than I care to remember. This has been rekindled as much as anything by noticing how many barbel I have caught from the Teme have had pike attack scars. Also many pike have been landed this season from my local stretches of the middle Severn.
I've been delving into the darkest recesses of the garage to see what I can come up with as regards suitable tackle. I've got an old ABU salmon spinning rod rated 0-80g casting weight and a 2.5tc 12' rod for deads under a float.....I don't intend to livebait and I prefer a mobile approach hence no static deadbaiting [and, more to the point, I don't possess any alarms etc!}
Baitrunner fixed spool with 15lb mono and I've found some Drennan 7 strand in 20lb plus some slim crimps. I also have long forceps, pliers and wire cutters [but no bolt cutters] I understand that there is a tool for opening split rings but I don't know what it is or where to get it.
I also have a small selection of lures aquired and not lost over the years: 2 Tobys, 2 Atoms, a Reflex spinner, 5 plugs of various types including an ABU Hi-Lo, and red/white striped spoon.
Add to this a bait needle, 2 Drennan 10g pikebob floats and one Middy semi-barbed deadbait rig which I bought some years ago with the intention of copying.
I have garden gloves, unhooking mat and large landing net.
Now come the questions.
Obviously, firstly, are any of the above not up to the job?
What lures should I buy as a basic kit for river piking on the Severn and Teme?
Some of my old lures need new trebles, what should I replace them with?...I would prefer barbless or at least microbarb if these are available.Does size matter and what about deadbait traces/hooks?
What size swivels should I be using? I use 10's for barbel.
What's a good float rig for deadbaits?
What's a good book to buy or site to visit if you lot get fed up with all these questions?!
As usual , all advice gratefully received.
I've been delving into the darkest recesses of the garage to see what I can come up with as regards suitable tackle. I've got an old ABU salmon spinning rod rated 0-80g casting weight and a 2.5tc 12' rod for deads under a float.....I don't intend to livebait and I prefer a mobile approach hence no static deadbaiting [and, more to the point, I don't possess any alarms etc!}
Baitrunner fixed spool with 15lb mono and I've found some Drennan 7 strand in 20lb plus some slim crimps. I also have long forceps, pliers and wire cutters [but no bolt cutters] I understand that there is a tool for opening split rings but I don't know what it is or where to get it.
I also have a small selection of lures aquired and not lost over the years: 2 Tobys, 2 Atoms, a Reflex spinner, 5 plugs of various types including an ABU Hi-Lo, and red/white striped spoon.
Add to this a bait needle, 2 Drennan 10g pikebob floats and one Middy semi-barbed deadbait rig which I bought some years ago with the intention of copying.
I have garden gloves, unhooking mat and large landing net.
Now come the questions.
Obviously, firstly, are any of the above not up to the job?
What lures should I buy as a basic kit for river piking on the Severn and Teme?
Some of my old lures need new trebles, what should I replace them with?...I would prefer barbless or at least microbarb if these are available.Does size matter and what about deadbait traces/hooks?
What size swivels should I be using? I use 10's for barbel.
What's a good float rig for deadbaits?
What's a good book to buy or site to visit if you lot get fed up with all these questions?!
As usual , all advice gratefully received.