Can someone explain to me in layman's terms why one or the other please.
I have looked on a number of sites and to be honest most of the discussions just turn into a punch up.😂
Scenario is pike fishing on lake pit or river. I have seen vids on YouTube and both seem to work with or without indicators some with just a bobbin the old fashioned way some with buzzers bite indicators lights bells the works.
Anyhoo any help appreciated.

Basically no drag is best if the fish has been caught three times this month unless you are hoping it already has a hook inside it's mouth when tight line self hooking may be better.
Toss a coin every cast !

 

That bit i understand and to be honest thats where the punch ups start on some forums.
Its the old resistance theory where the fish drops the bait if resistance is felt.
Its an interesting debate well for me anyhow i just wondered if there are some shall we say veterans on here who could share there experiences.

 

There are so many variables such as water temp and the resultant activity of the fish .If the water is warm they might do the classic run , stop turn the bait then move off again! If cold it could be swallow it on the spot and then slip back into the cold water coma .

 

Thanks for your input very interesting

 

Iv found pike don't mind resistance as long as its the same throughout the pick up on a leger set up ....as in a loosely set smooth baitrunner with a small semi fixed 1oz weight not sliding which I believe can cause change in resistance and dropped baits ...
With a float as soon as I.see it moving at all I pick rod up and open bail so it can swim a few feet then set the hooks.

 

Thank you. So your preference is a bait runner?

 

Forget about the argument on resistance that is not what is important here. I have my theories and hundreds of 20s+ as evidence that open bail is better in this respect, but I wouldn't get into a punch up for anyone saying otherwise on the resistance question.

HOWEVER, open bail with back biter is essential for pike safety. It is the safest way to prevent any deep hooking. Even the best designed rig can tangle and relying on baitrunner alone can result in deep hooking. For example, John Wilson, in his otherwise excellent coarse fishing manual, recommends rigs that are dangerous to pike in this regard if not used with open bail AND backbiter (whether it's a drop-off alarm backbiter such as the ET, ghetto blaster or fox, or just a bobbin/rigid back biter) and that's without them tangling. Far too many people just use the baitrunner directly for these type of rigs. I haven't had a deep hooked pike since 2001, maybe 2000+ pike on baits in that time, but I have assisted many other anglers with deep hooked fish. I have 3 mains dead bait rigs, all very low tangle, all simple and when used with backbiters (my choice are ETs) are 100% safe.

 

Thank you more good info.
What i will add which is more an observation from myself is on the odd occasion when i have come across other anglers is lack of attention. What i mean by that is twice this season i have seen a group of anglers with about six rods between them all in one group talking and there rods are about 20 or 30ft away. They seem to think because they have drop off indicators and alarms they can just walk away from there gear and all will be ok. Anyhow your method is pretty much where i may head for next season.
Im very much a lure angler and will allways get the lures out first if possible. That has become increasingly harder around here as most if not all the rivers i fish are in flood or look like coffee. I have been increasingly turning my head towards deadbaiting because of the conditions so any help is allways a bonus.
👍

 

Or you could just have some fun forget the pike, bait runner or open spool. Hit the carp waters early with a big bait. like I did last week on a local commercial. I used a light feeder rod quiver tip and had a battle on 6lb fluro hook link to hair . 1oz running bomb . Chunk of spam . Fight was amazing. 18lb 11oz common. 😜

 

Sweet nice carp. Pike on hold now but i will be trying for carp on canal asap. 👍