The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Evening Gents

it's that time of the season when my thoughts turn to pike fishing.This season I think I will try and get afew more outings in pursuit of this hard fighting fish.

I have nearly finished tidying up a Sharpes Breamar 8 footer and also have a nice Farlow's 9 footer (fibreglass),I plan to match these with Mitchell 300's.
However as all my pike fishing is done at close range float fishing in the quite bits of water behind the many willows on the banks of the Trent.I do have thoughts of matching a rod with a centrepin by the way of a change on some of the outings.

I have a couple of Aerialites which have good rachets and are smooth running and also a nice 4" wooden Nottingham reel .All reels are robust and I think would be up to the job.

I just wondered what other TFF members may be putting together for their piking adventures.

Always interested in hearing what everyone is using in pursuit of all species.

Regards
Nige.

A Grice and Young Avon Royal Eagle or DAM 330 with a North Western Blanks fibreglass rod for deadbaiting and the DAM 330 with a Hardy LRH 2 for lure fishing.
I had an hour or two with a small spoon the other day and the Hardy and DAM seemed a nice combination but unfortunately no pike ......
Trevor

i fish small baits close in using a g and y big piker and a millwards pikemaster

I am using a Hardy LRH No 2 and a Gildex at the moment . As the fishing is from a boat . I will be swapping to a centrepin for close in fishing and hope to use a GY Sea Jecta 111 . I have just got hold of a Dennis Pye Pike rod and hope to get it fit for use later in the season . If I need to cast any distance then the DAM 330 or ABU 66 comes out .

At the risk of derision this is my long session big water set up when confronted by these stupid platforms. I will not fish for big cats on them as its too risky for the fish but using the Gardner pod it gives me lots of room to play a pike under the tip as they are so high. I can place the tips over top of reeds etc as well which is common on this water.
The pod fittings for the night alarms are now available from the Billy Backbiters alarm manufacturers http://www.billysbackbiters.co.uk/ - for those of you not familiar with this alarm system these are the old versions but they are legendary for their robust and long serving integrity. These link through to a receiver which vibrates enough to wake me up should I fall asleep. Whilst I overnight for Pike I never fish for them through the night and usually bring my lines in around 9.30pm and then recast an hour before sunrise. The simple fitting £12 is brilliant as it can be used with cane bank sticks regardless of diameter.. worth consideration if you use drop back alarms.
The rods and reels vary depending on what I'm doing but in this case its Dennis Pye 2 piece and a 700 3 piece with Exaltas for casting big baits distance

I use dawsons of bromley burley and Fred crouch wide drum

I like my Burley too Loop

Good on a stalk around

Love the combination especially when the pike picks up the bait and moves off..........click click click click click click then screams on the strike

What a magical creature- they are so special Loop ..I love how after all these years I get excited by Pike this time of year and then the same with Tench in the spring and a milder version of the same fever for Chub when the opportunity arises or roach and bream on the tidals in January..so magical. My G&Y reel looks rather brash next to your lovely Crouch...hmmmm..