A growing list of pike fishing tips

With much of the country in the grip of ice and blizzards, the closest a lot of us are going to come to pike fishing this weekend is reading about it.

Pike fishing tips is one of the top predator-related search strings on Google. It's clearly why a lot of people come to sites like this.

And they're not just beginners, or people turning to pike fishing from other branches of angling. There are plenty of experienced hands out there who go online in search of inspiration when their fishing goes slow.

We're constantly adding links to articles on all kids of ways to catch pike. You'll find them if you scroll down on the right.

Here are some of the latest additions, ranging from basic rigs and fish handling, to more advanced stuff.

If you're new to pike fishing, we've got all you need to know on the basics. Our information library covers all the basics - from rigs to safe fish handling - here.

There's also a good beginner's guide here - hat tip Improve Your Coarse Fishing.

Dave Lumb's put together a slightly more advanced series of articles, which detail his thoughts on rigs and cover things like resistance, setting up alarms, the pros and cons of free-running vs fixed leads etc - click here for the first one, from which you should be able to follow links to the rest.

Bait's something newcomers often ask about - ie what's the best bait for pike on (insert type of water/time of year here...). Bait dealer Neville Fickling's written a guide to different deadbaits you can find here. Click here for Andy Wilson's thoughts on bait choice.

Which wire to use and how to make traces are two subjects which frequently crop up on forums. Neville's done a guide to wires here. We've got a guide to making traces here.

How to make a start on different types of water is another subject which sometimes vexes seasoned pike anglers - let alone beginners.

Here are some basic guides to pike location on the Fens, small drains, gravel pits and rivers.

Why not check out the rest of our links - there's stacks more, including a whole section devoted to lure fishing.

What the weather holds in store for anglers

It's not looking good out there weather-wise, as far as this weekend goes.

They reckon most of the country's going to get snow over the next couple of days - with some of us looking at several inches of it.

Check on the right for the weather latest where you are - there's a Metcheck weather widget you can use to get a tailored forecast for your area; plus links to the Met Office website and severe weather warnings.

Cold, hungry..? Try some hot water...

Eat your heart out Delia - and move over Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Hugh Fearnley Whittingwotsit.

McFluffchucker's just published his gourmet guide to bankside eats for pike anglers. For a simple hors d'oeuvre. take a flask of boiling water, so you can brew up some instant noodles.

For the main course, check out Dave's tinned meat surprise. Pre-prepped the night before you go out fishing, the dish is simplicity itself.

"All you need to do is pour on your hot water at the backside and youve got a really satisfying meal and it does make all the difference on a cold day..."

Hot water poured onto said part of the anatomy would probably make a difference to anyone's day....

Sharp hooks catch more pike

Look sharp chaps... If the weather's kept you off the bank, how about checking the hooks on your lures to up your chances of connecting with a fish or two next time you do get out..? There's a great guide to how to sharpen your hooks on Dave Lumb's blog here.

"If there is one thing you can buy which will increase your lure fishing success when using lures with large hooks it is a hook file," writes Dave.

"A few quid spent on one of these simple pieces of kit will put more pike in your net than any expensive lures or rods ever will."

It doesn't just hold true for lure fishing, either. Keep the hooks sharp on your bait fishing traces and you'll cut the number of takes you miss, or fish which seem to fall off as soon as you bend into them.

Pike Fly Fishing Association's new blog

The Pike Fly Fishing Association's back with a new blog. There seem to be more blogs dedicated to fly fishing for pike than any other method these days. And some of them put the rest of us to shame with the standard of their photography - not to mention the enthusiasm they have for their chosen method of pursuing pike.

Check out the PFFA blog here. If fluff-chucking's your thing, have a look at some of the fly tying videos - not to mention their great blog roll.

Weather's been getting otter for pike angler Eric

Pike angler Eric Edwards found some added competition when he tried a new stretch of river in the shape of a family of otters.

As first the dog otter then its kits came out to play on the icy margins, he realised he'd pitched up close to their holt and moved on. There's little chance he'd have found a pike nearby.

But the sighting still made for a memorable day, as Eric observes.

"I was truly thrilled to see those otters and absolutely delighted to get pictures of them," he writes on his blog.

"There are those in the angling world who would have otters done away with but not me, they are a predator, just like the pike I want to catch and for too long predators have been persecuted. Better to make room for them and enjoy their presence in my view."

Eric's uploaded a film clip of the otters on his blog - click here to see it.

Set lines found on top Devon pike water

The Exeter Canal is the latest water to be targeted with illegal set lines to catch and kill pike.

Devon PAC report the gear was found near the Double Locks on the Westcountry waterway, which has produced the largest pike caught in the county. More here.

There are few pike waters in Devon, with just the Exeter Canal, River Exe, Grand Western Canal and Trenchford Reservoir holding the species.

Devon PAC blog goes on: "Anybody who fishes the canal should be on the lookout for anything/anyone suspicious.

"If you do see anything untoward then please gather as much info as you can. Numbers of people, descriptions etc and report it as soon as possible."

The EA's 24hr hotline is 0800 807060 (add to your mobile...). Controlling club Exeter DAA 07967 251443.

The latest find was clearly aimed at pike, as lines were baited with dead roach on snap tackles. The EA is now investigating.

It comes after a number of pike were found dead on a Lincolnshire Drain two weeks ago, like the one pictured above. More on that here and here.

+++How to spot the pike killers' handiwork and what you can do here.

Seal eating pike on River Severn

There's widepsread concern at the state of pike stocks in the Severn - well there's one less now...

Wheelchair places going at Bluebell fish-in

Places are now almost all taken up for our event at Bluebell Lakes, Northants, on Sunday, February 27.

The lakes have all-round vehicle access, parking next to swims and decked areas, so we've reserved a couple of spots for wheelchair users. These are still open.

Contact events organiser Mick Crisp, via the events bit of our website, if you'd like to bag 'em.

Zandavan launch new bite alarms

PAC Convention regulars might remember Barry McConnell demonstrating his Zandavan rollover bite indicators.

Now he's back with another new alarm - a drop-off with a mercury tilt switch, which clips to the rod and will set you back less than a tenner.

Most predator anglers are sold on similar bite indication, whether they use a front alarm coupled with a rear drop-off or one of the rear alarms which do both jobs.

What's slightly different about these new arrivals is you don't need banksticks. Boat anglers take note. Pike anglers who like to travel light might also find this of interest.

Barry's blurb says: "The alarm was originally designed to go on the rod. It has a bracket that is clamped to the rod with the rubber ‘o’ rings provided.

"The adjustable line-clip is attached to the line in such a position where the tilt switch, which is next to the line clip near the end of the flex, is raised above horizontal.

"Then, when the line is pulled out of the clip, the flex drops down to activate the tilt switch. The indicator tucks neatly out of the way beneath the rod where the flex doesn’t get in the way when casting or winding in."

Click here for more and how to order.

Barry's also teamed up with Steve Bown, of Billy's Backbiters, to produce a new version of his Rollover indicator. More in the clip below:

Rod licence numbers down, shock

A lot of pike anglers won't be surprised by the news that rod licence sales have taken a dive.

Sales in some categories are down by 10pc, according to a story in this week's Angling Times. But does that really mean less people are going fishing..?

Tony Bridgefoot, boss of Northants fishery Bluebell Lakes, probably hits the nail on the head as to why:

“Lower rod licence sales might indicate that more guys are risking fishing without one - after all, no one seems to check them, do they," he tells the paper.

The truth is that in many areas of the country, you probably stand more chance of getting struck by lightning than having your licence checked.

Spring bank holidays usually see a flurry of checks on day ticket fisheries, coupled with prosecutions in magistrates courts up and down the country a few weeks later. That's usually more or less it for the season in most areas.

So is it any wonder if people are risking it in the current recession - or just buying one licence, instead of their normal two.

A 30lbs pike caught through the ice

Bet you didn't know IKEA made weigh slings either. Maybe ET will start doing self-assembly furniture next.

You've got to love the celebrations worthy of any footballer when this guy catches a 30 through the ice in - we assume - Sweden. They're hardy chaps, wherever they are - running around barefoot in the snow.

Stripes on flies for pike fishing - why not..?

Stripes work on lures - so why not flies..? Simon Graham's blog is as much a work of art as his flies. He's ex-pat South African, who lives on an island in Finland and takes both tying and photographing his creations to new heights.

Definitely one the fluff chuckers will savour. Click here for more.

Can't get a run..? Dive in and chin one out...

This guy takes the biscuit when it comes to cold weather fishing. When he can't get a bite, he strips down to his budgie smugglers, dives in and chins one out. Hat tip Pike Fly-Fishing Articles.

Something fishy going on in the drains

Local paper in Boston follows up story on pike being killed on the Lincs drains.

Click here for background on this story.

Is your local river right for pike fishing..?

COLOURED UP: The Ouse at Ten Mile Bank, last winter

Hat tip Phil Heaton on the PAC Members' Forum for this link to the EA's flood warning website, which lets you check the state some of our rivers are in.

Useful aid if you're planning a pike fishing trip on the waterways featured. Click your region on the map, click on the river and if there's a green dot, there's a flood monitoring station which gives data on the river level.

"Apart from that you will catch nothing at home so get out and give it a go," Phil, who's RO for Rotherham and Sheffield, told the forum.

What's best for pike fishing - braid or mono

Great video from Martin Bowler here on pike fishing on the River Wye. But some will doubtless question the old adage that mono's more resistant to abrasion than braid.

So we thought we'd have a poll, so see what people prefer. Most pike anglers we know now use braid as their main line for most bait fishing, as well as when they're using lures.

Over on the right you can tell us which line you prefer - mono or braid. Leave a comment if you have any thoughts you'd like to share with our readers.

Martin Bowler pike fishing on the River Wye

Braid or mono - which do you prefer..? Is it the flow or the line stretching that's making it hard work playing the fish..?

More here.

Rod licence lotto - have you won £500..?

Stacks of prizes in a Rod Licence lottery promotion being run by Angling Times. Click here to see if your number's come up.

Brief thaw on the way - but will the pike feed..?

FROZEN: Ice from bank to bank on the Relief Channel, in Norfolk

This weekend could see a respite from the cold for parts of the UK, with forecasters predicting milder conditions for a few days.

That means the first chance to wet a line for many pike anglers, with hopes the fish will feed if the ice clears from their local waters.

Tonight the Met Office said daytime temperatures could reach highs of 8C in some places, which will allow a slow thaw of lying snow. But Arctic conditions are expected to return through the new working week.

Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page said: "The UK is not out of the woods as far as the cold weather is concerned.

"There is a risk of widespread icy conditions tonight and tomorrow, especially across northern parts of the British Isles.

"Although there is a brief recovery of temperatures over the coming days, cold north easterly winds are expected to bring a return to the cold conditions next week with the risk of snow, especially in the north and east."

Click here for latest forecasts.