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Dead baiting.

Great thread, loads of terrific advice. A detachable trace is definitely a help as it allows you to rest the fish while you get everything sorted. I like to use a large single (I use Catfish hooks) as the holding hook - this is usually firmly embedded into the deadbaits skull. The bottom hook is a semi-barbless treble which is lightly nicked into the fish, ideally down by the tail root. Pike anglers tend to be quite conservative in the fish they use, so don't hesitate about using something very different; one of my mates had a 27lber a few seasons back on a large goldfish (it was one of his pets (which died!) but waste not, want not) and I have had lots of fish on some real exotics - often the only bite of the day too. Agree about making your own traces - I like red sleeves on mine which may or may not be an extra attraction for Mrs Pike, but they give me confidence. One final thing is to keep mobile - I do this whether on a river or stillwater, moving every 30 mins or so unless I have had a fish. Please, please don't be scared of the fish - better to apply a bit of brute force and get the hooks out swiftly than prodding and poking for 10 minutes. They are incredibly delicate creatures so minimise the time they spend out of the water and keep resting them in between unhooking / weighing / photographing and then before you release them.

Steve
 
Rhys Perry said:
My understanding with circles is they're very unlikely to bury deep.
Until I've caught a few on them it's all speculation on my part, I'm just going off the experience of others. That could take a while as I'm useless when it comes to catching pike!
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Circle hooks generally hook pike in the scissors. Generally considered the safest hooks for piking.
 
I agreed wholeheartedly with the comments about going with an experienced pike angler at the start. Any pike can be a bit of a handful in the hands of those not used to handling a fish, that can easily grow to 20lbs plus, with a mouthful of sharp teeth. Unhooking and handling is paramount for the well being of the pike and safety of the angler. The PAC is a good start.
 
From my experience over the years with bottom fished deadbaits i always connect with the fish at the first indication,usually a slowish run as they are then in the process of swollowing the bait,unlike livebaits which they strike at then turn according to size & swollow.Never had a problem with deep hooking doing this.Unhooking takes practice & a lot of confidence,hope this helps
 
Circle hooks - I use a 10/0 circle hook with a whole mackerel for my tuna fishing, 99% of the time the fish is hooked in the scissors making for easy removal.
 
We never used to put sleeves or flags on our traces back when I was piking and I certainly ain’t about to start now.
Less stuff on the rigs the better. They look neat enough if you tie them well.
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Sorry Richard but after posting that fine example can you please explain how its wrapped. Do you up and down then wrap over and then go back through the wire at the bottom ?
 
Mark Swaby said:
Sorry Richard but after posting that fine example can you please explain how its wrapped. Do you up and down then wrap over and then go back through the wire at the bottom ?
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I’ll go one better mark and put up some pictures of the way I do it later on.
It’s very difficult to describe knots in words I find.
 
Push the wire through the eye and rest it along the shank. Ensure there is enough length for the top treble
C8BE2BC1-BCB8-44FD-8320-8D0DAA29428F.jpeg

Take the lower longer part of the wire and double it over to rest along the other side of the shank.
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take this longer piece of wire over the top of the hook and start rapping it round the shank and both pieces of resting wire. Heading towards the eye
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I do six raps round the shank. Keep it pulled tight. The instant you let of the tension it’s knackered and can’t really be recovered.
BA4B857A-41EA-401E-BC93-72B326BCBDA5.jpeg

keeping the tension on push the wire through the eye
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don’t let the tension go just yet!! Take it back through the eye a second time and pull tight to lock it in place.
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finished result should look like this and it ain’t moving for nothing
8C108452-D49C-485B-B894-7685351DD120.jpeg
 
Those photos of rigs takes me back to my piking days,you were either a twiddler or a crimper or both,I always thought the bait flags were not only add a flash of attraction but more importantly to keep the bait on after casting out and hitting the water with soft baits like sardines etc more so with totally barbless trebles like I use to use.Also used to use elastic cotton until i realised I was deep hooking pike more when using it.The red sleeves are a good idea.
Without absolute dought a popped up bait a few inches off bottom is far better than one pinned.Have not pike fished for years now and have a few bits of terminal tackle I will put on here for a few quid floats,hooks, ET wire etc including an original fox drop off alarm.
 
Dave Brooksbank said:
Those photos of rigs takes me back to my piking days,you were either a twiddler or a crimper or both,I always thought the bait flags were not only add a flash of attraction but more importantly to keep the bait on after casting out and hitting the water with soft baits like sardines etc more so with totally barbless trebles like I use to use.Also used to use elastic cotton until i realised I was deep hooking pike more when using it.The red sleeves are a good idea.
Without absolute dought a popped up bait a few inches off bottom is far better than one pinned.Have not pike fished for years now and have a few bits of terminal tackle I will put on here for a few quid floats,hooks, ET wire etc including an original fox drop off alarm.
Click to expand...
I’m a twiddler. I’ve never really got my head around crimps. I know they are widely used and provide an immensely strong joint, It just doesn’t sit easy with me by trusting a squashed tube over two bits of wire to hold that hardware when it matters.
I must admit though I do like the supple multiple strand wires that can be used with crimps but I’ll stick with what works for me which is a reliable 7 strand twisted together
 
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