big pike waters?

I live in Yateley north hampshire and fish a small club water at which i`ve recently set my pb at 16lb , ok it`s not a record but it`s a start but next season i`m hoping to target waters that hold larger fish , whilst i understand no one`s going to spil the beans on thier secret water holding monster pike can anyone give me some waters that have say twenties in ; many thanks

There can't be many waters that DON'T hold a 20, especially the gravel pits round your way, Glider. The fact that you've 'only'# caught a 16 (and that's a damned good fish, by the way) doesn't mean there are no 20s in the water.

I don't know if Broadlands is still a goer - old Bloater Simmonds used to stuff it with culled grayling every year, and the pike got as fat as he was.

But seriously, choose any gravel pit and ring the changes - drift some deads, leger big baits, sink-and-draw at dawn, do the lot. Piking has always been a bit of a numbers game, but the usual form is - as with most specimen fishing - to do what hardly anyone else is doing, and at different times.

You'll get your 20 if you persevere instead of dipping into a different water each day.

I must admit that is my thinking as well the lakes i fish are about 15 years old and have been told by a regular that he`s seen pike he estimates to be around 25! lb cruising in the summer. What i was looking for was actual confirmation of bigger fish rather than hearsay and i`m well pleased with my 16lber

If you look at all the great modern pikers like Ed Turner and Mick Brown, Nige Williams and Dave Phillips, what sets them apart is doing their own thing; Browny's five 30s in the 1990s came from an 'unknown' pit, so did Ed Turner's, when 'Tescos' was just a blue patch on the map with no name.

If you really want to enjoy your fishing, do a bit of pioneering. It involves a few miles of walking, exploring the OS maps, a little bit of sneaking around, but you'll get so much more from your fishing and you WILL get your 20.

Pike thrive on neglect. When they've been caught a few times, they just disappear. Where there are plenty of small fish but very few anglers, that's where you'll find a 20.

Glider , Try and find a good carp water with plenty of silver fish in and a few pike,the chance`s are that ,being a good carp water ,it is in the main fished only by carp anglers ,less pressure on the pike ,a few pike and a lot of silver fish should mean a fair chance of a couple of unknown big girls .

IM WITH U LES

Thanks guy`s where i fish is a bit like that already ,i`ve only recently returned to fishing after a few years break and since joining the club in december i`ve seen about 7 people fishing the lakes; granted i`m not there all day every day but most of the time the ones i`ve seen are carping