...for serious pike and predator anglers!
Terminal Tackle
I will now discuss the main links between angler and fish - i.e. line, trace wire, hooks, swivels, split rings, snap links, and so on.
I will also discuss other odds 'n' sods that I use for bait and lure fishing for pike - some of which you may never have heard of before!
Line: For all my float and leger fishing, I use 50lb 'Newtech Power Cable' braided line - which is the equivalent in dia. to 17lb mono line. Unfortunately, this make is no longer available.
Trace Wire: I use 28lb QED for all my float and leger fishing. Unfortunately, this make is no longer available.
Swivels: I use Fox swivels for float and leger fishing.
Floats: I make my own pike floats, some of which have built-in rattles. The rattles attract pike in to investigate.
Float weights: I use a 1.5oz weight which has a 22in length of boom tube running through it. The 'up-boom-tube', as I term it, prevents bite-offs occurring and prevents the wire trace tangling with the main line. See dia. below.
Leger Weights: When leger fishing, I like to use 3-4oz flattened leger weights. They give instant bite detection.
Stop Knots: I use braided line to form a stop knot. See animation below.
Rubber Tube: I use rubber tube to fix additional sound chambers to my wire trace - and to cover whippings.
Bait Enhancing oils: I use anything I can get my hands on! I particularly like pilchard oil and aniseed oil.
Boat Rod Rest: When float trolling from a boat, I always use Taylor Rod Rests - they are absolutely superb - and possibly still available from The Friendly Fisherman, Tunbridge Wells.