The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I wonder if anyone can help with advice please ?
I will be taking the boat to the Broads in March and we will be based in Horning . Has anyone experience of pike fishing in that area ? Any tips ?
The Dennis Pye rods will be getting an airing which will be great and I rather fancied having a go with the Pye " Dumbell" type float , but we will be mostly fishing the river rather than the stillwaters of the broads so I am not sure the float is very suitable . The float was designed I think for a free roving livebait on a greased line , which might work on the river. But any views anyone ?

Have you read Dennis Pye's book - The Way I Fish? The opening chapter is about his Pike fishing mostly on Hickling Broad and the River Thurne through Heigham Sound if I recall correctly. As the Broads are an integral part of the river network I suppose they aren't really still waters.

The dumbell float you mention is described in the book and I believe Dennis Pye favoured a Roach of around half a pound as bait. Not for me to be honest but each to his own I guess.

Thanks PershoreHarrier , I have read the book . I am not sure the float gives much advantage over a " normal" pike float , but just wondered if anyone had used one ?

I lived on the river at Horning, near the shops. I had my pb tench, bream and pike from that stretch. During the winter the pike move into the boat yards and dykes off the main river. They follow the shoals of Roach and bream. They spawn early. In March if you drift down the main straight at Horning and fish a large livebait you should have good sport. Alternatively fish a deadbait under moored boats. The owners of the boatyards are a bit touchy about fishermen. Good luck:-)

Thanks Sofasurfer very helpful ! Much appreciated .

I have no first hand knowledge but I read two books dealing partly with the broads, Bill Winship's Pike Waters and A pikers progress by John Watson. Both make a good read. Bobby

I know this is an oldish thread, but rather than start a new one, I fished the Broads a lot from 1954 through to the late 70's, then occasional holidays on a hire boat with the family. I used to fish with Len Spence and Arthur Walsh, these two "gents" were the guys who took Peter Hancock out to Horsey the day he caught the old record 40lb'er. They introduced me to Dennis who at the time was involved with trapping the Coypu in cage traps, he had a Bittern in it and brought it to Martham Ferry to show us before letting it go alive.