[jbarry]

Hi guys,

A friend has invited me to a well known pike venue in Ireland (Lough Derg) sometime in the next week or two just waiting to hear what days suit him. Im a complete novice to pike fishing and have only ever caught jacks on big copper spoons in canals.

As he is a salmon fishermen wer both a bit out of our depth when it comes to pike. I take it that my bass lures will work effectively for the pike?

So any tips/advice, its a big lake but we have a boat and engine, am I right in thinking we should be fishing shallow reedy areas. Any advice on lures, watercraft etc would be much appreciated.

James.

 

[Steve Lewis]

Hi James,

I have caught Pike on Surface lures (Z-Claw, Super Spook & Patchinko) Sub Surface (Feed Shallow & Rudra) so the answer to your first question is yes your Bass lures will catch Pike I have only fished from a boat for Pike once and caught 3 on SP's, so all manner of lures will work :-D There are many good Pike anglers on this forum so I am sure you will get plenty of replies, you have so many options fishing from the boat I hope you do well

 

[Colin jones]

had great fun on monday with my bass rod taking six pike to 19.2 on lures at chew valley fantastic day new pb and to have it on a lure on my new tecklon as well made it even more enjoyable the little rod had no trouble handling big crocs loved it

 

[jbarry]

Cheers for the replies lads, heading up there early next week for a day on the boat then going to have a ramble along the shore myself. Any particular features I should be looking for?

Also nice fishing Colin and well done on the pb what lures worked best for you?

James

 

[Dave Irving]

JBarry,
Look for cover, reeds, patches of water lillies, trees that hang into the water. Even well developed subsurface weed beds. Pike love structure to hide in or around, then dive out of and hit pasting prey (lures). Cover these areas first. Pike are normally pretty easy to catch, so cover plenty of ground and they will make their presense felt. Make sure to have a pair of really long nosed pliers with you, Pike have a massive gob, and the plier can really make it much easier to unhook them.

 

[Andrew Walker]

Hi James, Dave Irving is spot on. Think like the proverbial small fish, where will they be to feed and have some cover to avoid being eaten themselves? Find the baitfish - find the pike, same as any predator. My experience is mainly reservoirs but not in the league of the big lochs, I like water of up to around 12 - 15 feet deep with the afore mentioned cover and look for drops offs as well. I have, and can highly recomend, a small portable, echo sounder that is invaluable in locating these drop off that are usually undetectable on the surface. Dont forget those pliers that Dave mentioned, an uhooking mat and for me, a mesh glove.

 

[Nick Phillips]

Some very good points there,also something to bear in mind as has been previously mentioned Pike do really like cover and you will find lots of fish very close in to the margins etc.
When you approach a 'swim' stay well back from the edge and make a few casts working along the margins,its here on lots of waters that you will get the action.
Try a plug like a Rapala super shad in the perch or a silver colour that could look like a roach/rudd and work it very very slowley allowing it to 'wollow' in the water and appear that its in trouble.
Many times you will find the 'splash' is what stirrs the action and be prepaired for a 'Hit'.
If you fancy a bit of top water then try something like a crazy crawler or Lucky 13 fished dead slow,when you are fishing like this always pay attention to the area around the plug because you will find that you can see the Pike heading towards the plug in the way of a bow wave etc.
Its exciting stuff and the initial 'hit' with winter pike can be the best part of it,warm weather plugging for Pike can be even more explosive.
Been plugging for Pike since I was 11 years old and have had some wonderful days,beats sitting behind 3 rods+alarms for a weekend.
Always remember to use hooks with the barbs squashed down and dont be nervous of handling the fish,best way to un hook is to hold fish between your legs while you are on your knees and hold the Pike under its 'chin' ,with the fish on its back between your legs its mouth will open automatically.
If you feel it tense it usuall means its going to "freak out" dont let go as you will cut your chin hand as you pull it away.
Long nosed pliers as has been mentioned are TOTALLY VITAL for safe un hooking.
If its only lightly hooked then you dont even need to lift the fish out of the water,just pluck the hooks out with the pliers.

 

[Colin jones]

i was using storm shad a the suspending ones I've also done ok on spinners blue foxes and mepps aglia long

 

[keith Ogden]

I might give this a go tommorow i have all the gear but no unhooking matt is that a problem can i use a towel instead also how effective will some of my cheaper bass lures be like maria chase bw,sammy 115 red head,chug bugs,and thundersticks,Thanks for any help.

 

[Steve Lewis]

I might give this a go tommorow i have all the gear but no unhooking matt is that a problem can i use a towel instead also how effective will some of my cheaper bass lures be like maria chase bw,sammy 115 red head,chug bugs,and thundersticks,Thanks for any help.

Keith,

I am sure they will all catch, if you don't have a mat, find an area with some grass, or anything soft will do just think about the welfare of the fish and you won't go far wrong !