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Winter Pike Questions



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 31st, 2003, 06:54 PM
Harry
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Posts: n/a
Default Winter Pike Questions

I assume lake Pike tend to be in deep water in the winter because that is
where the food is? What's the best way of locating them, except for
spinning?

Does plumbing/feature finding scare them off. The reason I say this, is
because whilst watching Pike from a bridge over a local river, I found they
are actually quite shy, and will move off at the slightest sign of
disturbance. Maybe they only move off temporarily though? Or maybe they
find another ambush spot?

Alternatively, instead of going to them, can you get them to come to you?
Especially in featureless lakes. Are there any flavourings which you can
inject into a dead bait to draw Pike in, except fish smelling flavourings?
I was just thinking. Having a deadbait in the water, you would think the
Pike would smell it and come rushing. But can a Pike really tell the
difference between a dead fish and a fresh deadbait by smell, or do they
just come across them? To me, they smell the same.

Maybe PVA friendly 'Blood' or 'Decaying Fish' flavouring or something. If
you look at people Shark fishing, they empty bucket loads of blood and guts
around their bait, and it works.

Someone said that Rod Hutchinson 'Shell Fish Sense Appeal' boilie flavouring
works for Pike, but I am not sure.




  #2  
Old December 31st, 2003, 10:06 PM
Derek.Moody
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Posts: n/a
Default Winter Pike Questions

In article , Harry
URL:mailto
I assume lake Pike tend to be in deep water in the winter because that is
where the food is? What's the best way of locating them, except for
spinning?

No they will be close to their prey shoals - in slack water and cover,
probably on the bottom but not necessariy deep.

Does plumbing/feature finding scare them off. The reason I say this, is


It can do; otoh sometimes they'll just sit there while you bombard them.


Alternatively, instead of going to them, can you get them to come to you?


Te single best attractor for pike is a keepnet full of lively roach. Put a
bait out next to your net when fishing for small silver fishes and you've a
good chance of a take.

Cheerio,

--


  #3  
Old January 1st, 2004, 10:27 AM
Pepperoni
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Posts: n/a
Default Winter Pike Questions

Pike *do* like deep water at times, but their main depth determinate is
water temperature. In winter, the difference in temp across the lake is
much less than in summer. At times, you will find them in very shallow
water (3-5 feet) under the ice. They often tend to school, especially in
large bodies of water. They can cover a large hunting area when active, but
even when in quiet cover, they are always ready to snatch an easy meal.
They prefer to hunt with stealth, and will quietly stalk their prey. The
long stalk leads to a lot of missed strikes as the lure is pulled from the
water--- the pike follows for 20-30 meters and only rushes when the bait
seems to be escaping.

Know your water, and you will always find pike. Weedy edges of drop-offs
are a favorite pike ambush point. I prefer to fish the bottom of a drop-off
from 5 to 15 feet. Pike will often travel the bottom of the drop, and
ambush prey from below. On overcast days (and early morning), pike may tend
to move shallower.

I prefer to fish live bait. A chub, sucker or large shiner 6-8 inches long
is like candy to pike. I fish them about 10-15 feet deep under a 3 inch
sliding bobber (using a bobber stop), and either use a short (6 inch) wire
leader, or lately the new braided superlines. use only enough weight to
slowly carry the bait deep. I prefer to use a strong treble hook about 1/2
inch across; this seems to improve the catch rate.

Some fishermen here like to use frozen smelt for bait in cold water. They
rig up treble harnesses with 2 or 3 hooks. (depending on bait size) The
bait is rigged to ride head down, and fished under sliding bobbers. This is
usually called a "quick-strike" rig. The folk who use these rigs like to
start as soon as the ice begins to break, and they fish around the edge of
the ice. Warm water discharges from power plants and shallow bays (which
warm faster) are favorite fishing sites. Pike spawn very early in swampy
areas, drainage ditches and weedy shallows. By February or March, the pike
will be in very shallow water.

When bait fishing, toss the bait and forget it. You have that huge bobber
to watch (it doesn't seem to bother the fish) and not much else. When he
takes the bait, he will stop his rush and slowly sink deeper to turn and
swallow the bait. On the strike, I usually give a slow 10 count before
striking. This gives time to gather the slack line and prepare yourself for
a firm hookset. Be careful when using the new braided lines; they don't
stretch, and a too- hard strike can pull the hook free. On the strike, the
pike will make usually a short fast run and then settle into a bit of head
shaking. They aren't really known as determined fighters, but the large
ones can tow the boat around with no problem..

Pike are not hard to find. Put out a lively bait in the right spot, and
they will find you. Nothing attracts pike as well as a struggling chub.
Action will be unpredictable, pike will move in and out of your area, but
they will not ignore a live bait. They may hold a few feet away for a very
long time before striking; your bait knows this. Often the bobber will
begin to bounce as the bait tries to flee. The bobber being towed around by
the bait is a good sign. Another good sign is when the smaller fish quit
biting suddenly; pike may have moved into the area. Your bait cannot sink
your bobber; when the bait begins to fidget, don't be tempted to recast.
Place the bait and forget it until the bobber moves off and sinks.

I generally fish two rods; one baited for pike, and a smaller rod for
smaller baits. The strikes can be far apart on some days, it's nice to
have something to do while you're waiting. It works out well. The pike
seem to be attracted to the splashing of the smaller fish, and the smaller
fish seem to quit just before the pike makes his move.

A live bait is as "natural" as you can get; the pike see them every day. I
don't place much faith in scents and attractants.

Pepperoni


"Harry" wrote in message
...
I assume lake Pike tend to be in deep water in the winter because that is
where the food is? What's the best way of locating them, except for
spinning?

Does plumbing/feature finding scare them off. The reason I say this, is
because whilst watching Pike from a bridge over a local river, I found

they
are actually quite shy, and will move off at the slightest sign of
disturbance. Maybe they only move off temporarily though? Or maybe they
find another ambush spot?

Alternatively, instead of going to them, can you get them to come to you?
Especially in featureless lakes. Are there any flavourings which you can
inject into a dead bait to draw Pike in, except fish smelling flavourings?
I was just thinking. Having a deadbait in the water, you would think the
Pike would smell it and come rushing. But can a Pike really tell the
difference between a dead fish and a fresh deadbait by smell, or do they
just come across them? To me, they smell the same.

Maybe PVA friendly 'Blood' or 'Decaying Fish' flavouring or something. If
you look at people Shark fishing, they empty bucket loads of blood and

guts
around their bait, and it works.

Someone said that Rod Hutchinson 'Shell Fish Sense Appeal' boilie

flavouring
works for Pike, but I am not sure.






  #4  
Old January 1st, 2004, 11:34 PM
Harry
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Winter Pike Questions

Cheers Pepperoni. A lot of good tips there.



"Pepperoni" wrote in message
...
Pike *do* like deep water at times, but their main depth determinate is
water temperature. In winter, the difference in temp across the lake is
much less than in summer. At times, you will find them in very shallow
water (3-5 feet) under the ice. They often tend to school, especially in
large bodies of water. They can cover a large hunting area when active,

but
even when in quiet cover, they are always ready to snatch an easy meal.
They prefer to hunt with stealth, and will quietly stalk their prey. The
long stalk leads to a lot of missed strikes as the lure is pulled from the
water--- the pike follows for 20-30 meters and only rushes when the bait
seems to be escaping.

Know your water, and you will always find pike. Weedy edges of drop-offs
are a favorite pike ambush point. I prefer to fish the bottom of a

drop-off
from 5 to 15 feet. Pike will often travel the bottom of the drop, and
ambush prey from below. On overcast days (and early morning), pike may

tend
to move shallower.

I prefer to fish live bait. A chub, sucker or large shiner 6-8 inches

long
is like candy to pike. I fish them about 10-15 feet deep under a 3 inch
sliding bobber (using a bobber stop), and either use a short (6 inch) wire
leader, or lately the new braided superlines. use only enough weight to
slowly carry the bait deep. I prefer to use a strong treble hook about

1/2
inch across; this seems to improve the catch rate.

Some fishermen here like to use frozen smelt for bait in cold water. They
rig up treble harnesses with 2 or 3 hooks. (depending on bait size) The
bait is rigged to ride head down, and fished under sliding bobbers. This

is
usually called a "quick-strike" rig. The folk who use these rigs like to
start as soon as the ice begins to break, and they fish around the edge of
the ice. Warm water discharges from power plants and shallow bays (which
warm faster) are favorite fishing sites. Pike spawn very early in swampy
areas, drainage ditches and weedy shallows. By February or March, the

pike
will be in very shallow water.

When bait fishing, toss the bait and forget it. You have that huge

bobber
to watch (it doesn't seem to bother the fish) and not much else. When he
takes the bait, he will stop his rush and slowly sink deeper to turn and
swallow the bait. On the strike, I usually give a slow 10 count before
striking. This gives time to gather the slack line and prepare yourself

for
a firm hookset. Be careful when using the new braided lines; they don't
stretch, and a too- hard strike can pull the hook free. On the strike,

the
pike will make usually a short fast run and then settle into a bit of

head
shaking. They aren't really known as determined fighters, but the large
ones can tow the boat around with no problem..

Pike are not hard to find. Put out a lively bait in the right spot, and
they will find you. Nothing attracts pike as well as a struggling chub.
Action will be unpredictable, pike will move in and out of your area, but
they will not ignore a live bait. They may hold a few feet away for a

very
long time before striking; your bait knows this. Often the bobber will
begin to bounce as the bait tries to flee. The bobber being towed around

by
the bait is a good sign. Another good sign is when the smaller fish quit
biting suddenly; pike may have moved into the area. Your bait cannot

sink
your bobber; when the bait begins to fidget, don't be tempted to recast.
Place the bait and forget it until the bobber moves off and sinks.

I generally fish two rods; one baited for pike, and a smaller rod for
smaller baits. The strikes can be far apart on some days, it's nice to
have something to do while you're waiting. It works out well. The pike
seem to be attracted to the splashing of the smaller fish, and the smaller
fish seem to quit just before the pike makes his move.

A live bait is as "natural" as you can get; the pike see them every day.

I
don't place much faith in scents and attractants.

Pepperoni


"Harry" wrote in message
...
I assume lake Pike tend to be in deep water in the winter because that

is
where the food is? What's the best way of locating them, except for
spinning?

Does plumbing/feature finding scare them off. The reason I say this, is
because whilst watching Pike from a bridge over a local river, I found

they
are actually quite shy, and will move off at the slightest sign of
disturbance. Maybe they only move off temporarily though? Or maybe

they
find another ambush spot?

Alternatively, instead of going to them, can you get them to come to

you?
Especially in featureless lakes. Are there any flavourings which you

can
inject into a dead bait to draw Pike in, except fish smelling

flavourings?
I was just thinking. Having a deadbait in the water, you would think

the
Pike would smell it and come rushing. But can a Pike really tell the
difference between a dead fish and a fresh deadbait by smell, or do they
just come across them? To me, they smell the same.

Maybe PVA friendly 'Blood' or 'Decaying Fish' flavouring or something.

If
you look at people Shark fishing, they empty bucket loads of blood and

guts
around their bait, and it works.

Someone said that Rod Hutchinson 'Shell Fish Sense Appeal' boilie

flavouring
works for Pike, but I am not sure.








 




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