The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Good day,

I go pike fishing a few times a year and have not used live baits since the 80s. My baits are Dead Coarse or Sea baits brought from the tackle shop. When I was walking back from my swim the other day, another angler was lure fishing. I told him I did not have a Pike on Deadbait or Lure that day, apart from the Pike I had on a bit of Perperarmi intended for chub and which resulted in our only Pike! explain that?

He suggested that Deadbaits are no good at this time of year, but all my Pike have been caught since I started Pike fishing again a few years ago, on deadbaits, and in Oct and November as well.

Any thoughts chaps.

I'd wait till the first frost have been and gone and the water has cooled down... I've pretty much stopped pike fishing these days, but I did it in me yoof.... I was taught that during really cold weather Pike will scavenge rather than hunt, as hunting takes up energy that they don't want to burn...
I don't know if this is correct but it seems logical to me

Dead baits work all year round!

Pike will take deads all year round - it is food! Whether it is best in cold winter conditions? I have caught on deads under the ice and in a warm late September! Eels are more active in the warmer weather and can to some be a pest - 17 runs = 1 eel - when piking!

The choice is yours, try 1 deadbait whilst ledgering/float fishing adjacent to the dead cast away from your swim either to right or left! The activity of fish being caught (hope you are catching!) is well know to attract pike.

Big pike like deads, being lazy scouring by them on the bottom. But this all goes to pot when looking at a big trout reservoir where in some cases only lures may be used.

Big Eels...on deadbaits!!if only for me. I have not caught an Eel for other ten years and would love to catch a big one, always have. Eels seem to be very thin on the ground around my Part of Wiltshire.

May be worth checking your club card,mine don't allow dead baits until October 1st.

Two 8lb eels caught recently, both on waters I can fish --- and very near me!

A shame Kevin if you have the following in your waters:- eels; Wels catfish; zander; perch; chub; etc. Limits your fishing for some species almost entirely.

No EA rules that I know - but I stand to be corrected!

I think that this time of year if the rivers are running fairly clear then pike can become a bit preoccupied with chasing the roach shoals around. My recent float fishing trips have all resulted with problem pike activity. Once the weather cools and everything slows down then I'm sure dead baits become more effective. I generally start fishing for pike late October as I'm not a live bait fan.

Santiago wrote:Dead baits work all year round!

^^this^^

Pike take dead baits all year round.time of day is more important as is type of dead bait.early in the morning and last hour of light on calm sunny days and any time on windy overcast days.this time of year is a bit better as they feed up for winter.I would use a dead trout on loch Lomond as sea baits are not so good as they used to be and a dead perch can be deadly.