M
MarkTheSpark
Guest
...infuriatingly, GM's always right!
I've come to very similar conclusions about dropped runs and whther pike feel resistance.
Pike do drop baits after giving them a mauling, but I'm not sure of the reasons. One thing I do know is that keeping terminal rigs really simple - and I agree, Graham, that freelining is always best, when feasible - is always the best policy.
I'm a drop-off alarm devotee, mainly because of the faff involved in getting running-line alarms adjusted to perfection to avoid the endless bleep - bleep - bleep that drives you mad (and makes you complacent about what could be very tentative 'bites')
That said, I take great care to get all the slack out of the line when freelining and set the adjustable line clip at its most sensitive, and ensure that it only takes an inch or two of drop to set the alarm whining.
In the round, the more sensitive the set-up, the more likely you are to detect runs. I would add that I attend to every bleep, manually pulling the line from the clip (open bale arm) and then using touch and watching the line at its entry point to the water to work out what's going on.
I have had my share of baits dropped then picked up a second time. If you're holding your rod and watching the line, you are much more efficient than the alarm at detecting the fish on the other end.
And of course, when you think the pike has the bait in its mouth - as opposed to waiting for it to eat it - strike right away. If you can't reach your rods in two seconds, try the single hook, 'hair rig' approach I outlined in the original thread. I can only reiterate that it works - you may rethink your strategy with trebles when you've tried it.
Like Graham, I've been up and down on hook sizes. I've settled for 4s on Irish loughs where things can get pretty hairy, 6s for all livebaiting and big deads, and size 8s or 10s for small deadbaits... semi-barbless.
I've also tried a big sea-sized single and small treble at the end for livebaiting with small baits, and it's superb. What will interest you is the number of pike hooked on the bait-holding single (which goes through the root of the bait's dorsal). You should use a nice, thick, short-shank single and you'll find you cast off far fewer baits. The small treble also reduces livebait damage.
I've come to very similar conclusions about dropped runs and whther pike feel resistance.
Pike do drop baits after giving them a mauling, but I'm not sure of the reasons. One thing I do know is that keeping terminal rigs really simple - and I agree, Graham, that freelining is always best, when feasible - is always the best policy.
I'm a drop-off alarm devotee, mainly because of the faff involved in getting running-line alarms adjusted to perfection to avoid the endless bleep - bleep - bleep that drives you mad (and makes you complacent about what could be very tentative 'bites')
That said, I take great care to get all the slack out of the line when freelining and set the adjustable line clip at its most sensitive, and ensure that it only takes an inch or two of drop to set the alarm whining.
In the round, the more sensitive the set-up, the more likely you are to detect runs. I would add that I attend to every bleep, manually pulling the line from the clip (open bale arm) and then using touch and watching the line at its entry point to the water to work out what's going on.
I have had my share of baits dropped then picked up a second time. If you're holding your rod and watching the line, you are much more efficient than the alarm at detecting the fish on the other end.
And of course, when you think the pike has the bait in its mouth - as opposed to waiting for it to eat it - strike right away. If you can't reach your rods in two seconds, try the single hook, 'hair rig' approach I outlined in the original thread. I can only reiterate that it works - you may rethink your strategy with trebles when you've tried it.
Like Graham, I've been up and down on hook sizes. I've settled for 4s on Irish loughs where things can get pretty hairy, 6s for all livebaiting and big deads, and size 8s or 10s for small deadbaits... semi-barbless.
I've also tried a big sea-sized single and small treble at the end for livebaiting with small baits, and it's superb. What will interest you is the number of pike hooked on the bait-holding single (which goes through the root of the bait's dorsal). You should use a nice, thick, short-shank single and you'll find you cast off far fewer baits. The small treble also reduces livebait damage.