Big pike by Geoffrey Bucknall

[Tizer]

Yes

[Jeff Smith]

Sorry mate, I didn’t realise it was you until I put 2and 2 together after reading your previous posts
I know your thoughts on trebles very well from ‘that’ other forum and respect your views.Guess we’ll just have to agree to differ.

[Tizer]

[Mr B]

I am so confident in using a circle that I even crush the barb,I use Mustad demon circles in sizes 4/0 5/0 or 6/0, my bait is on a hair which comes of the bend and 99% of my pike are hooked in the scissors and I can unhook them with my fingers,the smaller pike are unhooked while they are still in the water, It scares the life out of me when I see what some people use for a fish that if you are lucky in this day and age might just make 20lb

I like the sound of a single hook hair rig.. I have seen them but yet to try one.
I will he getting a few short sessions in before the close so I'll give it a go.
Mr B

[Grumpy]

As mentioned in other posts I have made the switch to circle hooks on a hair rig.So far this winter,over 10 sessions I have landed 21 Pike,lost 4 and missed 4 runs.As fish are also lost/missed with trebles I am pleased with results so far.All have been hooked in the scissors making unhooking a doddle.
I cannot ever see myself going back to trebles when deadbaiting.I have yet to try them on lives due to the fact I very rarely use them.
As Pike welfare is paramount,in my opinion circles are the way forward.

[Mr B]

As mentioned in other posts I have made the switch to circle hooks on a hair rig.So far this winter,over 10 sessions I have landed 21 Pike,lost 4 and missed 4 runs.As fish are also lost/missed with trebles I am pleased with results so far.All have been hooked in the scissors making unhooking a doddle.
I cannot ever see myself going back to trebles when deadbaiting.I have yet to try them on lives due to the fact I very rarely use them.
As Pike welfare is paramount,in my opinion circles are the way forward.

Thats really good! ...So far I have had a tuff one..
How are you fishing your dead baits... on the bottom or midwater?
I have just stuck to one water and as yet haven't cracked it but.... still got some time and I love a challenge!
I lost a good Pike last week but got my hook back.
Mr B

[Grumpy]

Hi Mr B.All the Pike bar two have come to baits hard on the deck.The other two came to baits a foot off the bottom.
The waters I am fishing have switched off since Xmas.Tough going at the moment.Nearly all my Pike have come to half sardine,the head section so there's plenty of scent.I also inject mackerel oil into them.I really think this helps.
All the best.

[JPC]

Wasn’t he linked to Sundridge? I think it was him that presented me a rod as a prize for winning a casting accuracy competition on a Kingfisher Guild trip to Denmark. All those days flicking leads around little rivers did the trick for training!

Yes, he ran Sundriidge lakes as a trout fishery for several years, he did however stock some of the smaller pike that were netted from Bewl Water in to the Sundridge Lakes and did let one or two well known Kent anglers fish for them.

[Ouse Wanderer]

Do I understand you rightly JPC? The idea of the manager of a trout fishery stocking pike into the water is intriguing. Does anybody know more about this?

[Hovis]

Do I understand you rightly JPC? The idea of the manager of a trout fishery stocking pike into the water is intriguing. Does anybody know more about this?

There's a fairly lucrative market for winter predator tickets at plenty of established trout fisheries. There's a fairly small investment for your return. Anglers will always be seduced by the trout eating monster, even if it doesn't exist.