Piking outfit.

Howdy,

as a complete and utter beginner when it comes to piking, I'm looking for some help on rods, reels etc.

I'm looking to get a baitcasting type outfit, you know, 6 to 7 foot rod, thumb control baitcaster reel, braid etc.

I'm looking to fish either lures or sink and draw deads, on the move with short accurate casts to overhangs etc etc.

So, some advice please and don't get too bloody technical.
URL links to stuff would be good as well, so I'll know what you're talking about.

Harris Angling (there's a link on the right of this page) isn't the cheapest place around, but their gear is good and the service is absolutely fantastic. They stock loads of choice of rod and multiplier. Look for a rod built to cast up to 60g or thereabouts, and any of the small multipliers. At the same time, buy some Powercable there - not everyone likes it, but I think it's excellent. Make sure any braid you buy isn't the wiry coated stuff, which just doesn't like multipliers. I usually tie on a few feet of 15lb or 20lb fluorocarbon leader at home - it's easier to knot with cold hands. Either use a direct knot to conjoin it, or use the smallest Drennan ring, which goes through the rings easier than you'd think. No doubt plenty of other advice will follow. Welcome to some truly fun fishing!

How much have you got to spend? OK, one rod and one reel to do 90% of the lure fishing available in the UK. All good stuff not too expensive but no bargain basement gear. The reel is easy, the much loved ABU 5500(or 5501 if you are not cack-handed like me) Good VFM, rock solid, won't give you problems. If you fall in love with lure fishing then you can update it with clever gearing, bearings, level wind etc. Line ?
50lb Power Pro, a little heavy for small lures but not too light for biggish lures, and you are looking for one solution...... Rod ? it's a little tricky to find a 'cover all circumstances' pole but again depends on the pot. From the 'all rounders' I'd go for a Fooler from Dave Lumb or if you're feeling flush an RT5 from Brundall Angling Centre. Both of these command a great deal of respect on the circuit, will last forever and cast everything from small spoons to medium jerkbaits. They'll also handle sink and draw deads up to around
4ozs. If you intend to fish heavier baits than that often, then an ABU 6601 might be a better choice, although its' a little heavy for small to medium lures.
A Fooler from Dave is ?90 at www.dlst.co.uk, RT5 from BAC is ?130 at www.tackledirectory.com, ABU 5501 from www.nimpopo.com is ?73 (much cheaper from Bass Pro Shops particularly if you need Power Pro too). If you were looking for something cheaper then BAC do an excellent (for the money) Cortland CTR Baitcaster at ?55.00 and will probably have a Marado/Badger/Rozemaijer cloned reel for about ?35. Tim Kelly has been playing with some of the new Harris Angling lure rods and was impressed at the price, you can find them at www.harrisangling.co.uk (Personally I'd have a Fooler, That's my own 'only got room for one rod' choice)

Rik, I'd look at the sort of lures you want to use and work back from there.

There are some perfectly good spinning rods around made by Daiwa, Shakespeare etc which come in around ?30 - ?40 and will cast 20 - 40g, which covers you for most lures in the Big S - Shad Rap size.

The beauty of this is while they haven't got the trigger grip, you can also your fixed spool reel to start off to avoid shelling out on a multiplier straight away.

I'd agree Harris is a good place to window shop and learn about lures.

If you want to progress into the baitcaster stuff, the ABU 5500C (ie left-hand wind...) is a great little reel for casting around an ounce or more, spooled up with 50 or 60lbs braid so you reduce the risk of casting crack-offs and losing lures on snags etc.

For sink and draw deads, you really want a longer rod because you're generally allowing a fish a foot or two of slack before you whack the hook in to avoid bouncing them off, I just used a bog standard pike rod for this, with 30lb braid and a trace with a couple of size 4 barbed trebles.

You don't need a lot else but a net with proper lure mesh makes it far less likely you'll get hooks snagged and end up ruining a goodd landing net, also less chance of damaging a fish which spins up in the net; as they often do.

Go for it mate - it's a truly fascinating way of fishing, even if you don't often catch a monster.

Chris,
I agree that we may not always catch monsters mate but you got me remincsing! the late John Sidley did a lot of sink and draw ( when his big chub livies kicked the bucket!) and dispite countless days catching big bags of pike on "standard" methods his dream Severn pike came to a S+D goby!

Look at Ron Thompson rods also, a steal at the price, and they double as good stalker rods too

.....and runner bean poles.

i bought the john Wilson six shooter road and multiplier and whilst its not the best on the market, it does me. I only use it when the river is unfishable and I go down the canal with a box of lures. Mind you I've been out about 5 times with and haven't had a sniff.

Hi Carp Angler,

I can't offer much advice as I'm a bit of a novice myself with the lures.

But if you end up deciding on one of the A.B.U reels mentioned I bought one recently from www.nimpopo.com
It was as cheap as I could find in this country and the service was excellent. I think it's run by a guy called Tony Lelliot. Definitely worth a look.

Regards Chris.

Sorry C.A,

I've just noticed Gerry's already mentioned them.

Regards Chris.

Take it you had a bad experience Gerry?

Just kidding Eddie. I would rate the Ron Thompson stuff as good value for money but their rods are too soft for my liking and the only time I used one (borrowed on someone elses boat) it made a meal of a decent size fish. I also found them a bit heavy. But I couldn't make one for the money they cost so I wouldn't grumble too much. I have a couple of their fly reels and they are excellent.

I'll have to catch a fish first Ron