 Probably a page that often provides quick answers for many visitors, looking for an answer to a frustrating problem, the Frequently Asked Question's page here will hopefully provide some of you with the answers you crave.
 If they don't then the option will be open to you to submit your burning question, which hopefully the answer can be provide to you and of course, to all the future visitors who will be looking for the same assistance.
There is now a live question submissions section 'Ask Us', which is a little better than a simple place to ask a question, its a dedicated place that all members can use to offer an answer to your question about any subject related to pike fishing. Pike Online will offer an answer and the membership can offer their own for you to consider if they feel it might help you. Use the button to access the Ask Us section.
To access each Frequently Asked Questions answer, click on its title and the question and answer will appear, helping save space and the need to scroll too far.
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Q:Do I need to use a multiplier reel when I lure fish using jerk and crank baits?
A:Lure fishing Reels: Dependant on the type of rod you will or do use for lure fishing, yes you can use fixed spool reel but they are not the ideal for dedicated jerk bait rods as these rods usually have pistol style grips and low level rings which are both best suited for use with a multiplier.
These are not the horrors they once were and have level wind mechanisms and overrun brakes to prevent tangles. As you will need to use 35 to 50 braided lines for jerk bait fishing they also allow better casting off the spool, than the coils climbing over the spool lip. Ryobi again do some reasonably priced multipliers, but none are really cheap compared to fixed spool reels.
If you wish to do the job properly then our advise would be to perhaps have a day out with someone who already owns the right sort of tackle and try fishing with his tackle to evaluate whether you really want to do this type of lure fishing, if so go ahead and make the investment, but only after you have checked out the options available!
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Q:As a newcomer to pike fishing, what is the best way to find out how deep my chosen swim(s) might be?
 A:Plumbing: To achieve this use an unweighted float. In real terms any float will do, but a personal preference is foran unweighted pencil float as illustrated.
You can use the rig you may have set up, but without the hooktrace attached, using say a 2 ounce weight, set the depth from the bomb to the stop knot at say 5 ft, then cast to the area you wish to find the depth of.
If the float shows but lays on the surface (2) it is probably less than 5 feet, if you cannot see the float (3) it may be deeper, retrieve you tackle and add or remove 1 foot to the depth by moving the stop knot up or down the line. Recast and adjust by 1 foot each cast until the float appears correctly on the surface (3), you will then be within 6 to 12 inches of the depth, close enough for most situations. Use this method for each area you need to know the depth.
It is a good idea to log the results of these exercises on a chart of the water you are fishing so that you can then decide how to fish the area and when related to wind direction. Do this for all you fisheries!
You can also work out the depths across a fishery by logging depths on a drawing of your lake and even locate deeper areas and any features by using this basic method.
Any information you record may be very helpful when the going gets tough and you know where the deeper water is on any fishery.
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Q:How long should a deadbait be used or left in the water before it is changed for a fresh one?
 A:This can depend on the freshness of your baits, old freezer burnt/dry baits may have little natural attraction and be too soft to take long term use. In general if fresh baits are being used, then they can probably be left in for a full session if no runs are forthcoming. Too often a bait is retrieved for no reason and possibly taken away from a fish that was close by.
Changing baits: Rather than change them too often, increase their attractiveness by adding oils and attractors with a piece of foam inserted into the mouth of the bait or if you are an adult or fishing with one, try using a small syringe to inject oil into the flesh of the dead bait.* Dry freezer burnt baits could best be improved before use by adding oils, flavours and attractors and may need to be changed more frequently.
Used baits: If the baits are retrieved and hook holds are sound and the bait will withstand recasting, continue to use it with attractors, oils and coatings like shown on the left.
Freezing baits:If the baits are soft and hooks come our too easily, put the hooks in the baits at home using spare hook traces and freeze them, taking them with you in a wide neck food flask, inject your oils in before freezing. Cast out and leave them as long as possible until a take occurs.
You can increase the strength of the hookhold by attaching the bait so its head is on the upper treble or by using elasticated thread around the wrist of the baits tail, wrapped over the trace as you will see in the baits mounting diagrams.
Take extreme care when using any hypodermic syringe of any size and avoid puncturing your skin, young anglers should be supervised when using them at all times. Dirty needles may cause poisioning and injecting air can kill!
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Q:I have been told that I should use an audible indicator for long sessions, any tips to help with this?
A: Bite Indication is always an issue when pike fishing, poor indication is always of concern as it gives the opportunity for a pike to be deep hooked unnecessarily. As with float fishing and plumbing the depth to ensure that the float tells you a story about what is happening below the surface. Leger fishing can be safely used providing you use good rod end indicators, typically drop off/ fall back indicators attached to the back rod rest under the reel.
If you are on a long session then over the course of the day you will likely lose concentration and get distracted by what may be going on around you, maybe even doze off if tired, this is usually the time you may get a run and not be aware of it as you are distracted. Whilst it is our recommendation that you remain close to and alert to your floats and indicators, adding an audible indicator to both set ups will increase the information available about what is happening at the baited hook end should a pike pick up your bait(s).
Yes that does mean using a bite indicator such as a Delkim or similar carp bite alarm on the rod rests with your float rigs!
Details of these methods of leger bite indication can be found here in the Bite Indication page.
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Q:How can I locate the spots where I am likely to catch pike, what should I be looking for to do this?A:Finding fish: Fish by features, islands, bars etc in deeper water particularly if there is wind blowing toward the bank, keep an eye open for fish (roach) topping or where grebes and cormorants are diving, all these areas probably hold prey fish and your quarry - pike! Depth variation features like gravel bars and deep area and any variations in the shape of the bottom can be discovered by plumbing the depths prior to fishing, givimg you an insight to where fish may be located. Pike as predators like to take advantage of cover from which they can strike at their prey find these and you will be some way to achieving your goal!See the FAQ 'How deep is my swim' for details on plumbing and feature finding. A good idea to adopt when depth finding and plumbing your swims, is to draw a plan view of the fishery you are on in a note book and to record what you discover in the process, marking depths and features along with a guide to the direction to N,S,W and East, which will help you choose a fishery and swim when the weather affects fisheries when it gets really cold and the prey fish shoal in sheltered deeper water. Old esox won't be too far away. Google Maps help even further with this process, you don't even have to draw the map, you can print one and the directions will be assured as North is always the top of the map! You might even see the deeper water and features on the map! Take a look at the Google map of Blickling lake to see what is on offer, zoom right down to the lake and scroll around!
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Q:I would like to try lure fishing using jerk baits and crank baits, I own a good spinning rod, will this be ok for what I want to do?
A:Lure fishing: Spinning rods will allow the use of plugs, spoons and spinners up to perhaps 2 ounces in weight, however the current trend in 'jerk' baits and 'crank' baits require a different type of action and this is a mix of the abilities to cast the lures which may weigh upwards anything from 5 or 6 ounces upwards and the stiffness to affect the type of retrieve required with these lures, your normal spinning rod would struggle to cast such lures.
Secondly the action of the jerk baits requires just what it says for the bait to be made to act like a fish through the jerking motion created by the angler, it looks in many cases like the angler is slapping his rod up and down on the surface, the downward 'slap' is the retrieve jerk and the upward is recovering line before the next 'jerk'. Your spinning rod has what is probably a 'compound' action and is not suited to the jerk method.
If you wish to really try lure fishing with the spinning rods you own, do so with conventional spoons , plugs and spinners, if you catch or really get the bug then purchase an outfit from one of the more budget orientated manufacturers like Ryobi, they have a rod or two carrying John Wilsons recommendation and will give you a rod that is easier on the pocket than some of the specialist rods on the market
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FAQ's
