pike

[nemosharktale]

whats the best type of fishing 4 pike this time of year lure fishing or bait fishing

[cfish]

I would say baits might be better this time of year but have caught them on lures aswell!

[YAZAMAAN]

around our way the better fish come to the dead baits this time of year
steve

[nemosharktale]

l fish on the bass lake in cumbria in the summer time but just use lures and catch all the time but this time of year l dont catch very well ive loads of herring in the freezer but never used them b4 but have seen folk useing dead baits and still catch nowt

[Rob]

Big smelly deadbaits is the way to go, fished static or twitched occasionally. The water is too cold and the pike won't waste energy chasing a lure, they're looking for the easy meal so they won't be lying in ambush as normal, they're on the scavenge, and a big easy meal will see them though the winter.

If you don't get much action try wobbling a smaller deadbait.

[Instant_Korma]

The general rule of thumb in piking is fish livebaits during times of high air pressure, and fish deadbaits during low pressure.

Each water has its own idiosyncrancies (spelling) though. On my local River Wye for example, lives outfish deads by a long way whatever the weather/conditions.

[samfish]

I reckon if the waters clear enough and theres a few feet of visibility then lure fishing is certainly a viable proposition and far more interesting than sitting behind rods and waiting. You get to take your bait to the fish rather than them come to you. The trick with winter lure fishing is to work the lure slowly along the bottom in a stop and start fashion so it kicks up mud and silt as it goes nice and gradually. By doing this stop start technique you are offering the fish an easy meal as opposed to whizzing lures above them at high speed. I find the standard rubber shad from storm or calcutta to be great in the 6in/40g model. Keep on the move and you WILL cover fish, eventually you will get a take.

If the water is coloured up then follow the advice above regarding static fishing with deadbaits.

Remember the Pike is above all a predator and not a scavenger.

[marc portch]

Rob has hit the nail on the head.

the low water temperatures in jan/feb mean the pike will be less active so a paternostered livebait or deadbait is the way to go...

saying that i had a pike the other evening on a lure when it was mild about 4ft deep over 12ft of water with quite a fast retrieve and it absolutely hammered the lure.

come March however, the fish tend to gather on the weedy shallows to spawn and can be taken on lures...i tend to use a big, long jerkbait or twitchbait as the big females will often eat the jacks (sshhhhh....thats a secret !!! )