Pike fishing in the summer?

[Dry_net_Norm]

Hi guys.

I started lure fishing last winter and found that I absolutely love it. Being able to take minimal kit, fish for short periods and travel long distances while I'm at it really worked for me over the usual carp fishing that I had been doing.

I wasn't particularly successful on the rivers but had lots of success on the canals with perch and pike.

I've since read that maybe continuing to fish for pike in the summer is not such a good idea as it may harm the fish due the low oxygen levels in the water.

I'm curious as to what other people who are into lure fishing do In the summer? Do you carry on and fish for perch? Change setup and look for Zander? ( Although I'm not sure how this would differ from a pike setup), or do you just go back to carp fishing until the weather cools back down again?
Thanks in advance

 

[mikench]

The trouble with fish is that you don’t know which species will come along. One of my favourite club waters for tench is closed because of low oxygen levels. It also holds a good head of pike into mid 20’s and I am sure their welfare was uppermost in the minds of the club.

 

[jon atkinson]

I'm similarly a relatively recent convert to lure fishing for all of the reasons that you mention; my 'season' starts at the begining of October and ends with the start of the close season. This was a concious decision on my part based on what I have read / heard about Pike in particular struggling when the weather is warmer. As Mike says, with lures you cannot be sure what species is going to be attracted. My suggestion would be to look at dropshotting as an alternative, as you are far more likely to attract Perch and any Pike caught are likely to be very small so you should be able to land them quickly without a drawn out struggle.

 

[Keith M]

There’s always the Chub to lure fish for.

Have a read of this article written for FM by Robbie Northman

Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #58 | FishingMagic

www.fishingmagic.com

Here’s one specifically about lure fishing for Chub

Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #17 | FishingMagic

www.fishingmagic.com

Keith

 

[Keith M]

Here’s the small lures that I’ve used successfully in the past when I’ve had an urge to do a bit of lure fishing for Perch:



Here’s a few I tiny plugs that I am hoping to try for Chub (and Perch) however I’ve modified them to remove the front trebles; next I’m going to experiment by fitting large single (or double) hooks at the back of them or below them; as I don’t really like using treble hooks if I can help it. However it might make them too unbalanced and completely ruin their action.



And here are my dropshotting lures:



Keith

 

[Ray Roberts]

I lure-fish for pike all year round. I crush the barbs right down and use a rubberised landing net. I very rarely deep hook a pike with lures and with practice the fish can be unhooked and returned in literally a few seconds. I also rarely weigh them or take photos and if I do it’s usually a very quick shot in the net. I’ve never had one not swim off strongly or go belly up.


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[Dry_net_Norm]

I'm similarly a relatively recent convert to lure fishing for all of the reasons that you mention; my 'season' starts at the begining of October and ends with the start of the close season. This was a concious decision on my part based on what I have read / heard about Pike in particular struggling when the weather is warmer. As Mike says, with lures you cannot be sure what species is going to be attracted. My suggestion would be to look at dropshotting as an alternative, as you are far more likely to attract Perch and any Pike caught are likely to be very small so you should be able to land them quickly without a drawn out struggle.

Thanks for the reply Jon, seems like we both thinking along the same lines. I don't feel experienced enough risk getting the fish in and out fast enough not to possibly cause some damage, and if I did accidentally harm a fish I'd be put off it I'm sure.
I'm not a big fan of drop shoting though, I prefer little 4cm micro lures for the porch, so I might stick to that on the canals and maybe try my hand at getting some chub on the river as a few guys have suggested

 

[Dry_net_Norm]

Here’s the small lures that I’ve used successfully in the past when I’ve had an urge to do a bit of lure fishing for Perch:



Here’s a few I tiny plugs that I am hoping to try for Chub (and Perch) however I’ve modified them to remove the front trebles; next I’m going to experiment by fitting large single (or double) hooks at the back of them or below them; as I don’t really like using treble hooks if I can help it. However it might make them too unbalanced and completely ruin their action.



And here are my dropshotting lures:



Keith

Thanks Keith! Clever idea removing the front treble.. who needs all those books anyway!
Lite fishing for chub sounds like the way I want to go. Time to do some research! Thanks for the tips, much appreciated!

 

[Dry_net_Norm]

There’s always the Chub to lure fish for.

Have a read of this article written for FM by Robbie Northman

Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #58 | FishingMagic

www.fishingmagic.com

Here’s one specifically about lure fishing for Chub

Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #17 | FishingMagic

www.fishingmagic.com

Keith

Hi Keith, I've had a bit of a look through and that's a great little article! I'd never really considered chub but that looks like great fun. I think I'll give that a go! Thanks again!

 

[John Aston]

Angling is getting terribly virtuous and developing a feverish intolerance for perfectly acceptable techniques . The Victorians had a thing about only pike fishing in winter, if not for conservation reasons , and now the more zealous members of the pike police get into a terrible lather about any fishing for them before the stroke of midnight on 30 September . And it's more about virtue signalling than fish care I'd suggest .


My only predator fishing is now on single hook lures , and except in extreme heat and poor oxygenation I'm as happy to fish for pike and perch as other species. I catch decent numbers of both pike and perch and never see any signs of distress at all in returned fish . On pike especially I often unhook them in the water .

I hardly ever use trebles now as they can make a bloody mess of small fish especially , and chub can be terribly damaged by them .

I have flyfished for chub since the early 80s, with some very big catches , and am happy to help anybody thinking of trying it.

 

[Dry_net_Norm]

Hi John. Well before I posted this question I had read that this can be a bit of a loaded question. There's not much you can do nowadays that doesn't get someone else's blood boiling. But I'm sure you're experienced and confident as I'm sure you are, then I'm sure it's not an issue.

My problem is that I simply don't have the experience to confidently say that I can catch a big pike, unhook it and release it safely at this stage. I only just started pike fishing last winter and was 100% unsuccessful on the river Trent near where I live. As time went on I 'downgraded' to the canals where after a few trips found myself having good success with pike and perch on the lures and I really started to learn a lot. I'm now hoping to use that knowledge on the river.

But from what the guys on here, including yourself, have said, I fancy giving chub fishing a go while the weather's warmer. It sounds like it's something I can do without having to buy a whole new setup. And if you have any advice at all, I'm all ears

Thanks for the reply

 

[John Aston]

Fly is better than lure for chub . Wait for really hot, sunny weather, don your polaroids and look for chub in the shallows. Ignore everything you think you know about chub and so deep water, nice creases and so on are usually a waste of time. I've caught scores of chub , from ounces to 5lb plus , in water barely deep enough to cover their backs. Location and stealth are key . I use a 5 weight fly rod with dry flies like Hoppers, Chernobyl Ant and small streamers like Woolly Buggers.

If you don't fly fish (and you really should ) a small curly tail , crankbait or paddle tail can work , but they have the disadvantage of having to be retrieved , unlike a dry fly, and their splash can spook fish too .

It's 75 % location and 25% about presentation.

 

[keora]

This is worth reading, it gives good advice.

https://pacgb.com/fishing-for-pike/summer-piking-guide/

I pike fish from September to March. I think it's better not to pike fish in summer.

 

[chevin4]

This is worth reading, it gives good advice.

https://pacgb.com/fishing-for-pike/summer-piking-guide/

I pike fish from September to March. I think it's better not to pike fish in summer.

The pike fishing starts on the 1st October on my waters. This is good practice as pike fight very hard in warm water conditions and dispite their reputation are quite fragile

 

[John Aston]

Made as a personal decision not pike fishing until October is unobjectionable . But as a rule , it is absurd . We know pike fight well in summer - a good reason to fish for them surely ? I pike fish for the fun of it , not bragging rights of huge fish caught . I use barbless single hooks exclusively , and my target is not huge pike, but pike of any size at all . I catch the odd double in summer , but rarely . I have never , not even once, seen a pike in distress as a result of my catching pike in summer , and I've done it for decades .

I suspect the enthusiasm for bans (summer pike) and mandates( unhooking mats , for all fish anywhere) reflects a society that has become a glutton for intolerance and self righteousness .

 

[bennygesserit]

Made as a personal decision not pike fishing until October is unobjectionable . But as a rule , it is absurd . We know pike fight well in summer - a good reason to fish for them surely ? I pike fish for the fun of it , not bragging rights of huge fish caught . I use barbless single hooks exclusively , and my target is not huge pike, but pike of any size at all . I catch the odd double in summer , but rarely . I have never , not even once, seen a pike in distress as a result of my catching pike in summer , and I've done it for decades .

I suspect the enthusiasm for bans (summer pike) and mandates( unhooking mats , for all fish anywhere) reflects a society that has become a glutton for intolerance and self righteousness .

Maybe its because some pike anglers dont know what they are doing , plus learning stuff off the internet (which is what most people do these days) is all well and good until you get into trouble ?

In case its not clear John I agree whole heartedly with your approach and methods - did someone teach you or did you teach yourself ?

I see a lot of young adults piking along the canal and I have seen some truly huge pike in a couple of stretches , it would be a shame to think of such magnificent beasts being wasted by a clumsy or inexperienced angler

 

[Peter Jacobs]

The pike fishing in Norway was amazing but most people wouldn’t bother until mid Autumn
Many waters would freeze in the winter so the pike were ravenous before the temperatures dropped.

Many of the locals were astonished at the fish care us Expats demonstrated.

 

[John Aston]

Maybe its because some pike anglers dont know what they are doing , plus learning stuff off the internet (which is what most people do these days) is all well and good until you get into trouble ?

In case its not clear John I agree whole heartedly with your approach and methods - did someone teach you or did you teach yourself ?

I see a lot of young adults piking along the canal and I have seen some truly huge pike in a couple of stretches , it would be a shame to think of such magnificent beasts being wasted by a clumsy or inexperienced angler

I'm mainly self taught , but with a little (and very welcome) help from my friends . But don't confuse with me with an expert ... I just have an unquenchable desire to fish .

 

[Ray Roberts]

People who can’t unhook a pike quickly and efficiently in the summer can’t do it in the winter either.

Deep hooking, dropping, damaging gill rakers, poor handling can happen at any time of year. I always lure fish in the warmer months and deep hooking isn’t really a problem. I don’t use singles, but I do crush the barbs right down and it takes seconds to unhook a pike. I don’t play them for ages either, you don’t have to skull drag them in but there is no need to pussy-foot about if you are using suitable tackle. I’ve never had one go belly up on me.


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[terry m]

People who can’t unhook a pike quickly and efficiently in the summer can’t do it in the winter either.

Deep hooking, dropping, damaging gill rakers, poor handling can happen at any time of year. I always lure fish in the warmer months and deep hooking isn’t really a problem. I don’t use singles, but I do crush the barbs right down and it takes seconds to unhook a pike. I don’t play them for ages either, you don’t have to skull drag them in but there is no need to pussy-foot about if you are using suitable tackle. I’ve never had one go belly up on me.


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100% agree with this.