The Pikers Pit

Hi, had a good days piking on a local water that's hard to catch on, had a jack then a 17lb, was well happy till I got another run, struck and felt the weight of a good fish then nothing. On reeling in found my line had either been bitten clean through or maybe got caught on a sharp rock, was gutted that I left a set of trebles in a fish. It was a clean cut of the 60 lb braid, I'm thinking perhaps the trace got tangled in the mainline during the cast. How can I prevent that happing? I use a running ledger set up, 24inch wire trace and 60lb braid and feather the line before it hits the water. If the braid did get cut by a sharp rock then should I use nylon instead of braid?

Normally with a bite off its not clean, is there zebra mussels present?

If it's not happened to you before, put it down to (?), because you ain't certain what "did" occur this time.

First place I'd go is to put a running ledger boom on your rig, thereby maintaining your style, but holding the trace off the line somewhat.

If you suspect trace might have tangled with main line on impact, then obviously recast.

When you feather the cast did you halt flow of line just before the bait hit the water? This extends the hook link and straightens it out before impact.

Jason Skilton wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02 2017 10:07 -

Normally with a bite off its not clean, is there zebra mussels present?

No zebra mussels as far as I know, was a clean cut though

Nobby C wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02 2017 11:04 -

When you feather the cast did you halt flow of line just before the bait hit the water? This extends the hook link and straightens it out before impact.

No I did not, that makes sense, will try that next time

alan behenna wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02 2017 10:49 -

If it's not happened to you before, put it down to (?), because you ain't certain what "did" occur this time.

First place I'd go is to put a running ledger boom on your rig, thereby maintaining your style, but holding the trace off the line somewhat.

If you suspect trace might have tangled with main line on impact, then obviously recast.

Any recommendations for booms?

Booms - John Roberts ones are good in my opinion

Jason Skilton wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02 2017 15:02 -

Booms - John Roberts ones are good in my opinion

Thanks just ordered some

Probably worth having a cast around the swim it happened with just a lead tied on before you fish it again see if there's any unexpected snag or something that could of caused it.

It sounds like rocks. If it is a particularly rocky venue I use a rubbing leader of 50lb heavy mono anything between 6ft too 12ft depends on depth of swim. Connect the mono to the braid with an Albright knot, on the mono slide a sunk float, this will lift your braid up in the water and hopefully away from any rocks.

Nobby C wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02 2017 11:04 -

When you feather the cast did you halt flow of line just before the bait hit the water? This extends the hook link and straightens it out before impact.

What he said,but what i do as well as straightening the line/braid out is feel it down and and the split second the lead hits the bottom a small sharp tug to hopefully stop the bait from falling on top of the lead etc,which is what i think might have happened in your case.................Leaving a baited snap tackle in a pike is another reason why i started to use single singles,but that's just me,not everyones cup of tea.

Lost a baited rig the other day and it's a bummer.Berkley swivel broke on a cast.Brand new,first cast.I got the top eye and barrel back.

johnfenton1968 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02 2017 18:36 -

Jason Skilton wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02 2017 15:02 -

Booms - John Roberts ones are good in my opinion

Thanks just ordered some

Make sure to use the boom the right way around or it won't be any advantage. i.e. with the bead/clip uppermost, you'd be amazed how many people put them on the wrong way round.
Also, when you cast, as soon as the rig and bait land separately on the surface, hold the rod to one side so that you have a tight line until the rig touches down, especially in deep water and then as already mentioned pull it back a foot or 2 immediately to straighten it out.

owen k wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07 2017 21:41 -

Lost a baited rig the other day and it's a bummer.Berkley swivel broke on a cast.Brand new,first cast.I got the top eye and barrel back.

Berkley stuff seems to be gone to hell Owen, I don't use it any more. Their swivels seem to be made now from some very soft metal. Tie a knot with braid, have a few casts with a lead and then cut it off and have a look, half the time the braid will have cut a groove in the metal of the eye.

I'm finished with them now anyway.Binned 2 packets.Quite a shock when a product you've been using for 20 years lets you down like that.