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Ground Baiting For Pike

By Mark Jenner

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 24Feb2010
Word count: 428
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One of the most important aspects of angling is being able to locate the fish. Knowing where they are allows you to introduce ground bait efficiently and place your hook bait where it will most likely catch fish. When fishing for pike it may be better to bring the fish closer to you.

There are many that advocate long range casting for pike. Accordingly they will tackle up with a twelve foot rod with a four pound test curve that is capable of lobbing a whole herring or mackerel over a hundred yards to a distant hot spot. They will even pre-bait a long distance swim using a radio controlled bait carrying boat!

There is no doubt that this method will catch fish, but it does have the disadvantage of reducing your contact with the fish and your ability to feel or notice a take. This means that long distance fishing for pike is more likely to lead to a fish taking the bait deeply in its throat. Deep hooking a fish can lead to the pike starving to death, as it is impossible to remove the obstructing trace and hooks from its throat.

It is much better to strike a pike's take at the correct moment, not too late, and prevent deep hooking. It is much easier to be in control when fishing at 20 yards than at 150.

Bringing the pike to you by pre-baiting the swim is also a good method to stimulate feeding response in sluggish pike during the winter months. By dropping a handful of mashed oily fish such as sardine into a likely spot the fish are attracted to the smell. Fish oil can be added to the ground bait to increase the attraction. The mix can be prepared in advance at home, packed into portion sized PVA bags that will dissolve when placed into the water, and frozen until needed. This means that when you are ready to go fishing it is a simple and clean process of taking a few frozen ground baits with you. They can be thrown into the water when still solid and will gradually thaw and release their oils.

Catching a pike close to you not only means that your strike will be at the right time, not too tardy such that deep hooking occurs, but also that playing the fish to the net will be easier on the pike with less chances of unseen obstructions getting in the way. Chances are that you will enjoy the fight a lot more on the lighter tackle you can use.

Mark Jenner is a keen angler enjoying all aspects of the sport. He spends most of his time in pursuit of trout, pike or carp as well as occasionally doing some sea fishing. His web site reviews many items of game and carp fishing tackle and his blog site reviews general fishing subjects and records his pike fishing sessions.

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