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On October 1st 2011 the PAC Annual Convention returned to Kettering for the third, and perhaps final, time. The number of speakers for 2011 was reduced from the usual four down to three. Was this a brave move by the current committee and conference organiser Colin Goodge? Would fewer headline names have an impact on the numbers of pikers willing to make the trip? If anyone was sweating on the turnout they needn’t worry. It was all smiles as numbers appeared to be considerably up.
The trading hall bustled with bargain hunters seeking out books, tackle, lures and even cuddly toys from the plethora of traders. Familiar names such as Fox, Eddie Turner and David Miller Art were joined by emerging names like Chico’s Lures and DGFishing and Dilip Sarkar.
Books on pike fishing were once thin on the ground. No convention these days seems complete without a book launch or two. Mick Brown Professional Pike Angler and Graham Booth A History of Pike Fishing Volume 1 were on hand to chat, sign and sell copies of their new books. Mick even sold out of the copies of he’d brought with him.
The boost to book sales given by attending the convention must be well worth the effort. I can’t imagine anywhere better to launch and promote new pike books, paintings, sladles, and other products than at this busy annual event. Surely there is nowhere else that sees so many pikers in the same place on the same day.
The excellent lecture theatre hosted slide shows by Dave Horton, Micky Jones and Stephen Harper. Dave ran through his astonishing list of personal highlights with more than a little humour thrown in. Wearing full highland dress, Micky showed what can be achieved in the Scottish highlands with large doses of dedication and optimism. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see Stephen’s show.
A most welcome new feature for 2011 were the Junior Teach-in sessions organised and hosted by Eric Edwards with support from Mick Brown, Julian Chidgey and Micky Jones, amongst others. Surely this type of event is long overdue at the convention. The next generation of pike anglers will need to carry the torch for pike preservation and welfare.
Next year the whole show will move north to Pavilions of Harrogate at the Great Yorkshire Showground. If this year’s event is anything to go by it will be a great success and wonderful chance to see top quality speakers, grab a bargain, chat with well known anglers and catch up with old and new friends from the fishing banks, forums and Facebook.
Andy Webster
On a recent visit to Makro in Sheffield I happened across the fish counter, on the look out for baits. Pitched at the front of the display was a selection of pike.
This is the first time I have seen pike for sale at Makro, but with a rapidly expanding European population it could become a popular and profitable line for our local retailers. It is certainly encouraging to see that there is a legal method to obtain pike for the table. These pike were farmed in Denmark.
But what about the price? RRP is £9.99 and I guess the ones on sale here weighed seven or eight pounds each, placing them at £30 to £40 per fish. Fresh Salmon fillets are £8 to £10 per kilo at the supermarket making £9.99 per kilo of pike quite an expensive outlay.
I wonder how long it will be before pike is a regular sight when we do our weekly shopping. If there's a profit to be made then surely it will happen.
Perhaps pike will catch on with the British public, but where will that leave or beloved prey?
Poaching is a threat to our freshwater fish. Will the poachers target pike in greater numbers if the market expands? You can be sure of it.
Aquavision, a fish farm rearing Carp for the table, opened in 2008 in Cullompton, Devon. As well as supplying restaurants and retailers with Carp for the table, Aquavision provide a full range of services and products for the backyard fish farmer.
Goodlifers have long been growing their own vegetables and keeping chickens. Now you can add carp rearing to the list.
Does this mean that pike rearing will soon follow? Wouldn't that be ironic! Imagine the uproar if a hundred thousand twelve inch pike escaped from a fish farm into a river during a flood. You can be sure that the pike sport would improve in the following years.
Or perhaps the keen piker could try a self service pike farm for use in illegally stocking the local fisheries.
Whatever the future, we can expect to see more pike on our supermarket fish counters.
Andy Webster
One of the better blogs to come to my attention is James Hinley's Fishing Days.
James is a pike and coarse angler from the North East of England who entertains his followers with tales about his catches, nice clear pictures, and some interesting thoughts on his methods and tackle.
PikeAngler.co.uk Forum regulars will know James as JIMLAD.
www.jimmysfishing.blogspot.com
Andy Webster
Pike Angler goes on Facebook
Last night I added Pike Angler to Facebook and as I speak, 45 of you have become friends already. Thanks to everyone who has befriended me and sorry for pestering those that may have received a request but have no interest in joining Facebook.
I created this website out of a curiosity and desire to learn about web design and a passion for spending my winters outside in the freezing cold trying to catch pike. A passion which I share with many of you.
The events page lists pike fishing meetings, fish-ins, teach-ins and conferences and one of the reasons that I have added the Facebook page is to make it easier to keep this page up to date. If you want your events adding then please get in touch.
Also, if you would like to add a fishing photo the gallery please send it in, remembering to add a few words about the shot.
Finally, why not try the Forum for a bit of a chat.
Tight lines
Andy Webster
The latest addition to the pikeangler gallery comes from prolific blogger and pikeangler forum member Paddy Swift.
Paddy Pike is an excellent blog, charting the exploits of Paddy and his mates in the North West of England. Paddy shared a good days sport eel fishing with Eddie who snapped up a nice three pounder. Paddy has not been in the best of health recently I wish him a good recovery and hope to read more about his fishing soon.
Eddie the Eel in the pikeangler gallery
Andy Webster
I've been meaning to revisit this particular section of river for a couple of years, ever since I winkled out a nice double during on a reconnaissance visit.
The weather forecast predicted the first warm, sunny day of the year. And although rain hung around for most of the morning, it cleared to reveal the expected sunshine.
Tactics were to use float ledgered deadbaits to search a stretch of water, with a recast to a new spot every 20 to 30 minutes. Roach and Mackerel tail starting things off.
The morning passed without incident or action.
During a visit to the Tackle Shop at Gainsbrough I allowed Ian Swannock to talk me into buying a pack of frozen Bluey's. He also promised me a twenty three pounder but that's another story.
Suffice it to say that, after four runless hours, a change to the new bait was ordered. And guess what happened next...
In 75 minutes the Bluey's produced four runs. Nothing large, a couple between 7lb and 8lb and couple at around five pounds, but an instant result on a new bait.
I don't know if you find this, but when my confidence is high I am more likely to try something a little different. And on this occasion the river was pushing though nicely so I thought I'd try a lure.
There is nothing unusual in catching pike on lures. But for a long time I have toyed with the idea of using a lure on a static rig in place of a deadbait.
A floating, diving lure was the obvious choice and the Shakespeare Big S seemed to fit the bill. After testing it out in the margin I could see that it could work. The lure diving and lifting to the tune of the river and giving off a nice rattle for added attraction.
On a day when things were going right, well, they kept going right. Within 5 minutes the float tapped and then disappeared and line started peeling off the spool.
Although the result was a small jack pike, it could not be a more significant capture. My first, static, float ledgered, lure caught pike.
I can't wait to give it another try.
Andy Webster
I stole an afternoon on the banks of a local reservoir. It's venue that I have neglected for a number of years, a recce was long overdue. However, anticipation turned swiftly to dejection. A battalion of Cormorants were defending the reservoir from my one man attack. It was a battle that I had little heart for. My retreat to a local stretch of river came just three hours later.
The reservoir was a popular match venue and may still be home to decent stock of bream and silvers, a bit research is required on that front, but how demoralising it is to see these greedy sea birds on our local waters.
Andy Webster
We have an upright freezer at the Webster home, the bottom tray is given over to my modest stash of deadbaits. A distinctly fishy odour has persisted for the past few months and it has not gone unnoticed by management.
I have always wrapped my deadbaits in plastic bags, but a new approach is required if I am to keep in the good books. I've bought a few clip-it style plastic lunchboxes which I'm hoping will solve the problem. And the freezer has had an early spring clean too.
Andy Webster
Wow what contrast from the last time out. An easterly wind greeted me and it brought with it spells of cold rain that turned the fish off completely.
Three banker swims were tried without a hint of a pike. The silver fish, which usually betray their presence through dimples and swirls, were in hiding too.
Winter brings changeable weather patterns that really mess with the fishing. Last Saturday I felt quite strongly that the mild drizzly conditions would be favourable, and so it proved. Eight days on, and with the wind this time coming from the continent, I was equally sure that I was in for a grueller.
Here's hoping for another mild spell before March 15th.
Andy Webster
The winter of 2009/10 was considered one of the worst for fishing in recent times with still waters frozen for weeks. In 2010/11 we have already seen more snow and an even harder and longer freeze. Even the rivers have frozen. The winter has been so interminably long that the squirrels must be running out of nuts. My favourite venue froze during the first onset of snow in late November. It finally thawed this week.
The family had a busy Saturday afternoon planned and this proved the ideal opportunity. I couldn’t wait to wet a line.
With steady rain and a warm breeze blowing I arrived at my chosen spot just before midday. The first rod was baited with a whole mackerel about 8 inches long. As usual with mackerel and herring I slit its throat to let the juices flow out. Before I could get the second rod in the water a screaming run took me by surprise. To my frustration, a swift strike only succeeded in pulling the bait out of the culprit’s mouth. The small area of teeth marks suggested a small pike, so the mackerel was returned to the same spot and it was joined by a dead roach about 5 yards away.
Twenty minutes later the float ledgered roach was away and this time the strike was met with solid resistance. A brief tussle resulted in a short yet portly 16lb 14oz pike in the net.
The afternoon passed without incident until a couple of pike started swirling at the surface. It seemed like an invitation so I removed the weight from the float ledger rig, set the depth to a couple of feet, and allowed a roach to drift in the breeze. It’s a method that I have had very little success on, but on this occasion it worked a treat. The last hour seeing two jack pike fall to this method. I am sure I would not have caught those fish if I hadn’t changed tactics.
Andy Webster
Lamprey have tough skin and leak vast amounts of blood, making them the first choice bait for many pike anglers. Did you also know that this primitive species have existed on earth unchanged for millions of years?
Scientists now believe that they played a major role in the development of humans. Find out how by reading the full article at www.eurekalert.org
Andy Webster
Another day spent soaking deadbaits and another blank. Although the sun was shining, I was sat on the shady bank and I was freezing. After a couple of blank sessions where I tried a mobile approach I decided this time to sit it out in an area where I have had success in the past.
I've heard many anglers suggest that pike fishing is easy and if they are on the feed then it can be. But when you are on a run of blanks it can leave you feeling lost. At the momemnt I can't buy a fish.
There is a recurring dilemma that I tussle with every time I go piking. Do I sit it out in one area, or keep moving and searching for fish?
More often than not I keep moving every 30 - 60 biteless minutes. If I start to get some action then I will stay in one place for longer, but again, if I am runless for an hour then I get twitchy and usually move.
Does a mobile approach provide better results? I really don't know. There are so many other factors to consider that each situation should be taken on its own merit. Some pegs will have form for either yourself or others, or even a major feature, which will tempt you to stay put. Lakes on a weekend can be busy places restricting a roving angler.
The rivers and drains offer more room to wander, leap frogging, where the last rod is moved ahead of the first rod every 20 minutes or so, is quoted by many well known anglers as a successful method for finding the fish.
The eighteen pounder (above) was caught after I had moved 400 yards during a session of leapfrogging.
This technique can be useful in finding new spots which can be targetted on future sessions.
To sit behind a couple of deadbaits in the same swim is to put all of your eggs in one basket. That's exactly what I did today. The baits were cast, alarms set, book read, and I had the most relaxing days fishing. But I also blanked.
On another day I could have caught. I have taken pike like this in the past so why not today? I really can't explain it. But what I do know is, next time out, the book will stay at home and I will be moving; roving; leapfrogging, or whatever you like to call it. I'll be searching for the fish.
Andy Webster
Some of the forum members met up at Cellers Clough fishery near Huddersfield for the first fish-in of the season. Only one pike was caught, as seems to be the norm, although a few others were hooked and lost including a big one for Tootall.
Many thanks to Bas and Sue for feeding the masses and welcoming us to their fishery.
Andy Webster
A roving approach brought a couple of tentative runs but no fish in the net. Still early in the season though.
Andy Webster
The weather promised a sunny day, not what I was expecting in mid October, and boy did we get one. A couple of deadbaits were soaked in a few swims without the slightest sniff of a pike. By 2 pm I was on my way home, strangely hoping for colder weather. Pike Anglers are never happy unless its freezing cold and blowing a hooley.
Andy Webster
Much of the drifting weed has settled at the upstream end, strangely. Fishing is easier and although the sun is out the is a gentle ripple too.
Tried all round the lake and finally saw a pike swirl at the upstream end. Next cast produced a small pike to a 7cm firetiger Salmo Slider.
The first pike of the season is always welcome.
Andy Webster
Much brighter and flat calm today. There is loads of drifting weed spoiling the presentation. One swirl and a miss was the total interest.
Andy Webster
One of the places I work has a shallow estate lake in the grounds and I have had a few pike out over the last couple of years. This week sees me here again and, as it is September, temptation got the better of me and I packed a lure rod.
Tonight the wind was blowing and I was confident of a bit of interest from the pike. An early swirl and a miss was followed by a solid take from a 5 to 7 pounder. The pike won this round as it dropped off the hook after about 20 seconds.
It was completely my fault as I used an old favourite lure and the hooks need replacing.
Try again, Webster.
Andy Webster
Imagine my delight on Friday night when the missus asks if I am planning to go fishing this weekend. "I am now" thinks I. So I set out for first light on Saturday morning full of hope for a pike before the rivers close.
I had stripped the rods at the end of the last session, the fish-in at Brandesburton, which I thought would my last of the season. For this reason, getting the rods in took a little longer than usual.
The first bait, a float ledgered Sardine, was cast up the margin to my right. I was just loading the second with a Lamprey when a friendly Alsation bounded up for a sniff around my tackle. When his owner shouted him back the obediant dog turned and raced to his side... and unfortunately for me he ran straight through my line.
The line snapped straight away and, like a perfect bolt rig, the treble hook transferred itself from Lamprey to the tip of the wedding finger in the blink of an eye.
I could understand it if either of the other barbless points had hooked me, but how did the barbed point get out of the bait and into me?
This was a first for me and I was surprised to find that there was no pain, which was a bloody relief because it needed a pair of forceps and hell of a lot of force to get it out. Well it was a size six, and "right up to the bend".
Removing the treble triggered a heap of blood and I then realised that the point had sliced a small tear in my little finger which bled like mad.
The guy with the dog nipped home for a first aid kit and, after a cup of coffee, we patched things up and I decided to carry on fishing.
It was a mixed morning as I had forgotten my camera, although, as my last 6 sessions were all blank, this wasn't too concerning. Of course, sod's law says that when you forget your camera...
I wonder how often the same pike will be caught twice by the same angler on the same morning. It's certainly a first for me. The 14lb 15oz fish had a growth in its mouth which made it easy to identify second time around.
When I return to this water the leaves will be falling and winter fast approaching. I hope it won't be as cold as this one which seemed to go on and on.
Andy Webster
After an early start I was full of optimism for the day's fishing. Mackeral is the bait of the moment and at 8am it once again proved irresistable to a pike. My delight turned to regret in the time it took to strike when the bait came flying back to me. Still, at least there were pike feeding.
What happened next turned a promising day into a foolish early bath. If you've ever snagged a pike bait then you'll know how I felt when I cast a whole mackeral down the reedy margins and into the edge of the reeds. I tried the usual methods for getting it ot but it was all to no avail. I was faced with a choice of leaving a bait with a pair of trebles in the margins or, wading through the reeds to retrieve the situation and, possibly, save a pike. I chose the latter.
The water was too deep for my wellies and they quickly filled. Once your wet you might as well carry on, or so I thought. By the time I had retrieved the mackeral I was soaked to my thighs, and I realised my foolishness immediately.
I learnt a few things about wading into freezing cold water in full winter gear. Pain and breathlessness gave rise to panic and an urgency to get out of the water and remove my icy clothes.
Please don't be so foolish if the same situation presents itself to you.
Andy Webster
This fifteen pounder was the second of a brace of doubles to fall in a short session. The big freeze of 2009/10 was starting to thaw so I waited until midday before getting to the venue. The drain was completely covered in ice when I arrived but, with a little persuasion from my landing net pole I managed to drop two mackeral baits into the margins.
A twelve and a half pounder snaffled a whole mackeral within ten minutes. An hour later the fifteen pounder took a mackeral head.
Andy Webster
Fishtec offers a wide variety of coarse and fly fishing tackle at cheap discount prices, both online and via mail-order including pike tackle, clothing and luggage.
