Mick talks through how to fish a suspended deadbait under a float. As well as Mick giving out plenty of tips and catching a few fish, some underwater footage of pike behaviour will also really get you thinking!
Pike fishing basics done to a professional standard. Calm as you like when handling the fish too, used to be a bit nervous while unhooking and got a few scars. Mick is a fine example of how to fish for pike!
Not sure if it's been mentioned in the comments already or not, but notice how Mick 'strikes' to hook the fish. When using braid there is no need to do these huge athletic-type strikes, whipping the rod back over your shoulder to set the hooks (how many times have you seen anglers doing that?). That can rip the hooks from the pike's mouth causing damage to the fish in the process. As Mick has done, lift into the fish only, the lack of stretch in the braid will set the hooks for you without damaging the pike. Well done Mick, great to see an expert do it properly.
Yeah good comment, to be honest I have never found the need to strike hard even when using mono either when pike fishing. The most important thing for any new piker to learn is strike early. I remember as a kid being taught to wait for a take and then sit back and chill for a little while (sit back and have a smoke was the exact phrase used).. The problems that caused were endless and now I am more experienced I think It is madness that I listened to that stupid advise when I was young but I did... Another great tip for people starting out is to make sure the trebles are hooked rear end, like in the tail and mid section of a deadbait and not in the head and mid section because pike take baits head first. I know it sounds stupid advise but I see countless youngsters or new pikers hooking dead baits the head end and all this will do is give them deep hooked pike or at very best deeper hooked than need be! Lift into the take using just the pikes weight to hook it, strike early and hook deadbaits to the rear. Easily hooked pike and most importantly easy to unhook pike!
+BarmyTwubble you can actually watch the bobber in such cases. it depends on the behaviour of a pike that catches deadfish. If the pike catches the fish, it first swims of to a safe place, turn the fish into swallow position, and swallows then the fish. If the pike is aggresive however, it runs into the deadbait and directly tries to swallow it. the same reason that a slowly reeled in swimbait can sometimes be swallowed. so check, the behaviour of the bopper...(dont mind grammar, im dutch)
Nice video good to hear u caught one over 30 pound in the comments and belive it or not i was fishing for trout , pike and after i caught a trout i cut the whole tale of and put it on a single pike hook with a buble float and caught a 23 lb pike on 15 lb line the fight was unreal
Mick this is an old video now but still relevant as pike fishing doesn't change. How would you fish a water 8 miles round would you plumb the depths as you go around?? I'm going to give this method a go at Alton Water near Ipswich as it has some monster pike in that Water. Hate sitting around waiting for nothing to take my dead bait would rather just go find the pike.
I know what you mean, I'm the same, I followed the same example as mick shows here, it's working wonders for me.... And recently my best pike to date.. Hopefully in winter it works...
I'm just starting out Piking again since i was a kid (40 years ago) and have been watching all these videos for tackle, rigs and kit .. but the one thing I cannot find is where to fish. I'm looking for a day ticket type, still water, where i can have space to set up and experiment with ledgering and floating. A fishery that isn't too demanding with weed/trees/underwater obstacles etc where I can gain confidence setting up and maybe even catch a couple. I'm 15 Miles East of Birmingham (Atherstone) so anywhere around Nuneaton, Coventry, Hinkley, Tamworth or Leicester area would be good - can anyone help please? Thanks
It only takes one lucky time man, I used to think the same way as you and when you do that, you wont do well. Change your attitude. My best pike now is over 38lb. Itle happen for you if you believe it will :o)
