Rigs and How to.

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Black Orchid
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Rigs and How to.

Post by Black Orchid »

Hi all Pikers,

I have caught a few Pike in my very short pike career, mostly using lures and spinners etc. Can someone please advise how to tie rigs for using live/dead bait setups, items needed and how it works. I'm a newbie and will appreciate any information to help me improve as a piker.

Sorry if this is in the wrong place,

Thanks,

Alan aka Black
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Duncan Holmes
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Re: Rigs and How to.

Post by Duncan Holmes »

Hi Black Orchid,

If you have never bait fished before its quite a complex subject to describe in a single post, but I will give you a few pointers and hopefully some other members will join in.

Look up Steve Rowley on youtube, you wont go far wrong if you follow his videos. :thumbs:

1) Make SURE that you gear is STRONG, a mainline breakage can be a death sentence to pike as the rig will keep on fishing, potentially leading to a fish swallowing a set of trebles. Most of us on here use braided mainline of at least 0.3mm diameter, and those that don't will generally use 15lb+ mono. When you do make up some rigs make sure the hooks themselves are the weakest point, so that they bend before the line/trace snaps if you get snagged up.

2) Make sure your indication is spot on, either a float that is correctly set for the depth of water, or a heavy free running lead with a tight line to a reliable alarm/indicator. And make sure you are aware of what is going on at all times. If bait is in the water you want to be within a few feet of the rods at all times. There are other setups you will read about such as light fixed leads or freelining, these require a very good knowledge of how to use them otherwise they are can be very dangerous to pike.

3) If you are bank fishing, the simplest, cheapest set up is a sliding unloaded pencil float. rig it from the rod tip like this..

Stop knot, bead, float, bead, 3oz running lead, bead, trace.

Set the stop knot for a couple of feet deeper than the swim that are fishing, chuck it out and then with the rod in the rest, slowly wind the line in until the float "c*cks", it is almost impossible for the pike to pick up the deadbait with out you instantly seeing the float move.

4) As soon as you get an indication of a take, wind the rod down and "feel" for a weight/vibration/movement, if its there pull the rod around in a smooth long arc and wind down on the handle hard to set the hooks. A "normal" strike when pike fishing will be next to useless.

5) Generally pike are not rig shy, I have never had to use anything but the simplest of rigs for pike fishing, once you have a couple of basics rigs sorted, put all your efforts in to the venue, swim choice and quality bait.

6) If you use livebaits, it is best to be a bit discrete about it, some anglers and members of the public find it a bit distasteful so it pays not to flaunt it to much, and make sure you know the rules of livebaiting. :thumbs:
"The opinions expressed in any of my posts are my own and do not reflect the view of the any organisation that I may be associated with."
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Andytheammer
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Re: Rigs and How to.

Post by Andytheammer »

Welcome Black Orchid, You won't go wrong with Duncans advice, its also worth having a look at this
https://pacgb.com/wpd/wp-content/upload ... basics.pdf It's on the PAC site mate
Tight lines 👍🏻
Andy Sewell
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Re: Rigs and How to.

Post by magicman »

Some good information , I would add that if you can buddy up with a pike angler who knows his/her stuff on the bank it would help.
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Re: Rigs and How to.

Post by Steven Whybrow »

The rig I use the most if deadbaiting is a float leger,its easy to use but you will need braid.1st put on a fox braid stop,then a bead,add a fox pencil float,then a rubber bead then I add another braid knot or stop knot this can help with tangles,add your weight I use a fox egg sinker then your trace,cast out if your float sinks you are not set deep enough,if you cast out and your floats flat your to deep it should be just cocked right when you tighten up hope this helps
Black Orchid
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Re: Rigs and How to.

Post by Black Orchid »

Thanks for the replies guys. My reel is loaded with power pro braid. Its the setups that were intriguing me, could a carp leader with safety lead clip fitted with a wire trace hook length be used and use that set up on my alarms .... Effectively using a carp setup up but pike proof for pike ?
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Jason Skilton
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Re: Rigs and How to.

Post by Jason Skilton »

You won't need a carp leader and a simple running rig with a weak link is preferable.
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Duncan Holmes
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Re: Rigs and How to.

Post by Duncan Holmes »

Black Orchid wrote: Mon Sep 04 2017 19:33 -
Thanks for the replies guys. My reel is loaded with power pro braid. Its the setups that were intriguing me, could a carp leader with safety lead clip fitted with a wire trace hook length be used and use that set up on my alarms .... Effectively using a carp setup up but pike proof for pike ?
No reason why you couldnt do that, as long as the clip was fixed so the lead could drop if needed. IMO there are better and simpler ways of doing it.

Whats the point of the leader? You dont need it with the strength of the braid and it wouldnt do anything to stop tangles.

I have yet to be convinced about heavy fixed leads for piking, i have tried them but always end up going back to a heavy running lead setup for straight lead work.
I am now using korum running links as the run ring, i have found plastic ones burn through on braid.


I use plenty of hi tec rig bits for carp, tench, bream. But for piking i keep it really simple 99% of the time and focus on bait and location.

Front alarms are fine for piking, when i use mine i have done one of two things

Fish the rods high with a long bobbin drop, which is fine in still conditions

Or fish the bobbin tight under the reel with open bail arm, which is better in wind or with tow/flow.
"The opinions expressed in any of my posts are my own and do not reflect the view of the any organisation that I may be associated with."
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