Where do I start?

[Santiago]

Not too Kinky is a robust trace to use, although expensive it should prove cheaper in the long run. About 18" long should suffice. And it can be knotted so no crimps! I use a three turn knot on their promo YouTube video.

[BreadFlake]

If you have never fished for pike I’d suggest you tag along with someone who has experience. They are delicate fish. Dead baiting is proven to catch the bigger specimens.

I have to agree with every word that Peter has said here, dead baits are a proven option to live baits which i do not personally approve of when piking. mackerel, sardine, sprat...there is an endless choice and all quite deadly. may l also suggest using a large single barbles hook and a fairly early strike once your float moves..you will not miss many and this also stops the dreaded "gut hooking"
good piking

Yes, I'll be making my own traces to avoid using trebles. I personally detest the things.

[Tizer]

I will start my piking in the next month or so ,I look forward to it more than than any other sort of fishing, all the advice so far has been spot on, I use sensor as well but in 18/20lb, You said you hate trebles,so do I,I now use one barbless circle for all my piking,as for reels if you want to use a pin you can get a Grice and young Orlando 111 sidecast reel for 20 quid or less,I use them all the time,if you want to cast 70yds you can,great fun ,good luck

[BreadFlake]

I will start my piking in the next month or so ,I look forward to it more than than any other sort of fishing, all the advice so far has been spot on, I use sensor as well but in 18/20lb, You said you hate trebles,so do I,I now use one barbless circle for all my piking,as for reels if you want to use a pin you can get a Grice and young Orlando 111 sidecast reel for 20 quid or less,I use them all the time,if you want to cast 70yds you can,great fun ,good luck

Thank you Tizer, I shall take a look at the reel and circle hooks

[Tengisgol]

Good pike care is an imperative.

[Olly]

Hence big pike are rare!

[JAA]

Good pike care is an imperative.

These days of course, one stuns the pike with a blow using the soft end of the revolver.

[Tizer]

Good pike care is an imperative.

Hope no one takes any notice of that,pike have enough problems at the moment.

[Tengisgol]

Good pike care is an imperative.

Hope no one takes any notice of that,pike have enough problems at the moment.

It is so extreme it can only be taken as a reference to how things used to be and how much progress we have made in recent decades around fishcare.

So for contrast here is the PAC page link for pike care:

https://pacgb.com/fishing-for-pike/

[Tizer]

Thanks for putting that up. To this day I still meet people when pike fishing that say to me...you have to wait for the second run or count to 100 or you don't need a net for pike or a mat. It seems some people don't progress