Monday Top 5 - Pike Fishing

This entry was posted on 22nd January, 2018

Pike are a species synonymous with winter time. Targeting these predators can sometimes be a little tricky, so here are a few tips to help you hopefully have some success when targeting these fearsome freshwater predators.

Lure Location

Using lures to locate pike has been a major part of having success over the years for me. Whether you are fishing a canal, river or lake, move around, having a few casts in each spot, until you manage to get a hit or follow with your lure. This will often tell where the pike are held up waiting to pounce on bait fish shoals. Then you can target this area with deadbaits or other methods, and hopefully help yourself to multiple catches.

Freshen Up

Often, just smashing out a deadbait and waiting can work; however there are days when you need to make sure you recast often, not only to freshen up your deadbait but also to increase the chances of a lethargic pike seeing your enticing deadbait flutter to the bottom, prompting a take. There are certainly times where I’ve suffered a blank by not being active enough with my recasting and freshening my deadbaits.

Twitchy Takes

Pike being predators not only feed by scent but also by movement. A great tactic when deadbaiting is to twitch the bait back and then reset the indicator. This can often spur a pike that may be sat near the bait to grab it. This is very effective if your deadbait is popped up off the bottom, and you can move it as much as you want by pulling the line with your fingers until you feel that distinctive bang of a pike take.

Make Your Selection

Variety is the spice of life. No matter whether you are deadbaiting or using lures, make sure you have a selection of different options. Some days pike can be caught using one particular bait or lure, and something completely different will work the next day. Don’t limit yourself by only having one bait or lure. Always change baits and lures until you get a result. It’s amazing how many venues I’ve fished where fresh water deadbaits outfish sea deadbaits, and I’ve only found this by experimenting with a good selection of deadbaits.

Bait Up

Speaking to a very well known pike angler, a great tactic which they have employed in the past is to bait an area and then fish it. Much like prebaiting for carp, but instead use a groundbait with small fish chunks, which attracts smaller fish and, in turn, pike and other predators. If done regularly in the same area this can help keep pike and prey fish in the area you have targeted, resulting in you having your own little secret spot brimming with ready to catch predators.

I hope these tips help you make the most of this pike season and bring a few more specimens to the bank for you.