Has anyone else noticed the abundance of pike fishermen this winter?
I don't wish to generalise, but they are proving to be an absolute pain in the ar5e on my chosen winter waters. They have a habit of taking up the swims that tend to have winter carp form, and ignore the obvious pikey spots. They'll smash deadbaits around all over the place about every hour, and then when they get bored, they walk around the entire lake whacking out massive lures from every available swim, and then retrieving them at about 50mph! A couple of the lakes I fish are only a few acres and these doughnuts have no conception of etiquette or stealth and will kill any activity on a whole lake within an hour!
It wouldn't be so bad, but I'm yet to see one of these nobbers catch anything. I seem to catch more pike when reeling in a bright pop up!
I've now decided to avoid any waters that contain a head of pike for the rest of the winter. I can't remember it being this bad before. What is going on?!
I don't wish to generalise, but they are proving to be an absolute pain in the ar5e on my chosen winter waters. They have a habit of taking up the swims that tend to have winter carp form, and ignore the obvious pikey spots. They'll smash deadbaits around all over the place about every hour, and then when they get bored, they walk around the entire lake whacking out massive lures from every available swim, and then retrieving them at about 50mph! A couple of the lakes I fish are only a few acres and these doughnuts have no conception of etiquette or stealth and will kill any activity on a whole lake within an hour!
It wouldn't be so bad, but I'm yet to see one of these nobbers catch anything. I seem to catch more pike when reeling in a bright pop up!
I've now decided to avoid any waters that contain a head of pike for the rest of the winter. I can't remember it being this bad before. What is going on?!
In reply to Post #1
Hi Steve.. Speaking as a part time Piking Nobber.. I do agree with you regarding the apparent increase in numbers ( angling in general has seen a HUGE increase in numbers because of time avail) and the lack of etiquette.However not all of us are bad, (there's plenty on here dabble in the colder months when the carp arnt so obliging) i expect they have paid their money same as you, so have as much right to fish as you. Perhaps instead of slating them because they have the audacity to fish the same venue,you could have a quiet word and explain you have a bait in the area..im sure an apology would be forthcoming..you might even find it interesting
Hi Steve.. Speaking as a part time Piking Nobber.. I do agree with you regarding the apparent increase in numbers ( angling in general has seen a HUGE increase in numbers because of time avail) and the lack of etiquette.However not all of us are bad, (there's plenty on here dabble in the colder months when the carp arnt so obliging) i expect they have paid their money same as you, so have as much right to fish as you. Perhaps instead of slating them because they have the audacity to fish the same venue,you could have a quiet word and explain you have a bait in the area..im sure an apology would be forthcoming..you might even find it interesting
In reply to Post #1
Thanks for the post, really made me laugh 😂
Reminds me of watching some blokes during the summer frothing up the water from the other bank. I did let out an audible laugh when one of them got tethered to an island. Stopped his shenanigans quick sharp.
Thanks for the post, really made me laugh 😂
Reminds me of watching some blokes during the summer frothing up the water from the other bank. I did let out an audible laugh when one of them got tethered to an island. Stopped his shenanigans quick sharp.
In reply to Post #2
Hi mate. My post was a little “tongue in cheek”, and as I said, I am massively generalising.
I did have a chat with me if the pike fishermen and he was as nice as pie, just a little clueless on angling etiquette.
Hi mate. My post was a little “tongue in cheek”, and as I said, I am massively generalising.
I did have a chat with me if the pike fishermen and he was as nice as pie, just a little clueless on angling etiquette.
We have 1 pike angler on our Syndicate. Top bloke and banter is always good. It's not the angler but the human being if they don't possess etiquette or consideration. Fortunately that does apply to him. Live and let live. Carp have been caught over his spots after he has dead baited. It's not all bad.
In reply to Post #1
Here's a story from the pike angler's view. This was early 90's and I was a teenager.
It's February on a cold misty day in the Darent Valley. Nothing is happening on the dead baits that I have straight out in front at about 30 x 40 yards. A “known” carp angler asks if he can drop into the swim.
I imagine him lying a couple of rods on the floor and setting up a bivvy ready for when I leave. Not a chance. Mallet Out, smashing in pegs and banksticks then casts straight out almost over my lines before inviting his mates into my swim for a tea.
I ended up dropping deadbaits in the margins to keep out of his way ... and had a double figure pike whilst he asked me when I was leaving.
So maybe carp anglers aren't always the angels we see ourselves as being! Mind you, they were good days and I got to have tea with half the Mental Squad that day
Here's a story from the pike angler's view. This was early 90's and I was a teenager.
It's February on a cold misty day in the Darent Valley. Nothing is happening on the dead baits that I have straight out in front at about 30 x 40 yards. A “known” carp angler asks if he can drop into the swim.
I imagine him lying a couple of rods on the floor and setting up a bivvy ready for when I leave. Not a chance. Mallet Out, smashing in pegs and banksticks then casts straight out almost over my lines before inviting his mates into my swim for a tea.
I ended up dropping deadbaits in the margins to keep out of his way ... and had a double figure pike whilst he asked me when I was leaving.
So maybe carp anglers aren't always the angels we see ourselves as being! Mind you, they were good days and I got to have tea with half the Mental Squad that day
In reply to Post #1
May be a tongue in cheek post, but be careful, I'm one of them pike anglers...
To be honest, I think its carp anglers who are the idiots. Turn up, cast in, fall asleep, don't work for your fish, go home after 18hours sleep wondering why the carp didn't feed that day.
Pike angler, turns up, cast his baits in, doesn't catch, so in an attempt to get a result, a fish, gets his lure rod out and walks round chucking his spinner or plug in likely looking spots. That is pike fishing etiquette, because they are trying to provoke a take around the bank, they have no need for trying hide hide behind cover on the banks.
This year has seen a number of anglers return to fishing, as well as new anglers starting, there are more on the banks, from carp muppets, to perch and pike anglers.
Normally in June/July I see one or two anglers stalking chub out of the local river, this year there were loads of youngsters in the area I fish, and good luck to them, even if it did make my surface fishing harder.
May be a tongue in cheek post, but be careful, I'm one of them pike anglers...
To be honest, I think its carp anglers who are the idiots. Turn up, cast in, fall asleep, don't work for your fish, go home after 18hours sleep wondering why the carp didn't feed that day.
Pike angler, turns up, cast his baits in, doesn't catch, so in an attempt to get a result, a fish, gets his lure rod out and walks round chucking his spinner or plug in likely looking spots. That is pike fishing etiquette, because they are trying to provoke a take around the bank, they have no need for trying hide hide behind cover on the banks.
This year has seen a number of anglers return to fishing, as well as new anglers starting, there are more on the banks, from carp muppets, to perch and pike anglers.
Normally in June/July I see one or two anglers stalking chub out of the local river, this year there were loads of youngsters in the area I fish, and good luck to them, even if it did make my surface fishing harder.
In reply to Post #1
Nick has got it spot on in post 7
But I'll add my take on it
You'll probably find the pike anglers have always been there it's now that the winter's arnt as severe carpers are fishing more the winter months, if I go back 20 or even 30 year's the lakes I'm on the carp lads vanished late October early November not to be seen again till spring, then some of them think they own the place on there return ,as both a carp and pike angler I've found the bad manners usually from the carp lads who fight over certain swims and bunch together in certain areas whereas pike anglers prefer to be out of the way more.
Nick has got it spot on in post 7
But I'll add my take on it
You'll probably find the pike anglers have always been there it's now that the winter's arnt as severe carpers are fishing more the winter months, if I go back 20 or even 30 year's the lakes I'm on the carp lads vanished late October early November not to be seen again till spring, then some of them think they own the place on there return ,as both a carp and pike angler I've found the bad manners usually from the carp lads who fight over certain swims and bunch together in certain areas whereas pike anglers prefer to be out of the way more.
In reply to Post #7
Hi Nick. I state that it's a tongue-in-cheek post as I was a pike angler before I was a carp angler. Quite a successful one too, I caught a 21lb lake record when I was 12! The majority of pike anglers I see today aren't a patch on pike anglers from 20 or 30 years ago. Nowadays there seems no logic or location used in their angling, it's just settle down in a random swim and launch a dead bait on a sliding float as far as they can (usually 30 yards), when most of the pike are probably sitting off the marginal shelf under their tips! Saying that, you can say the same about many modern carp anglers.
I'm just getting old and having a rant, don't be offended!
Hi Nick. I state that it's a tongue-in-cheek post as I was a pike angler before I was a carp angler. Quite a successful one too, I caught a 21lb lake record when I was 12! The majority of pike anglers I see today aren't a patch on pike anglers from 20 or 30 years ago. Nowadays there seems no logic or location used in their angling, it's just settle down in a random swim and launch a dead bait on a sliding float as far as they can (usually 30 yards), when most of the pike are probably sitting off the marginal shelf under their tips! Saying that, you can say the same about many modern carp anglers.
I'm just getting old and having a rant, don't be offended!
In reply to Post #1
Tongue in cheek reply,
Quite clearly you have absolutely no idea, the answers staring you in the face and it's......because IT'S CARPY
I bet some profile angler has said how they're targeting Pike for a change (poor Pike :-( )
Was it last year or the year before when it was Grayling?
Tongue in cheek reply,
Quite clearly you have absolutely no idea, the answers staring you in the face and it's......because IT'S CARPY
I bet some profile angler has said how they're targeting Pike for a change (poor Pike :-( )
Was it last year or the year before when it was Grayling?
In reply to Post #1
Surely the worst bit is when when of them hooks into a 20lb plus carp that either decided to pick up their dead bait or got foul hooked by their lure.
Thinking about it even that's got a silver lining as you now know where that fish was holding up!
I've always found the pike anglers to be friendly and polite and will always respect your area when you ask them to, even though they sometimes think we're mad sitting there staring out over the water and seemingly doing nothing to earn our fish.
Surely the worst bit is when when of them hooks into a 20lb plus carp that either decided to pick up their dead bait or got foul hooked by their lure.
Thinking about it even that's got a silver lining as you now know where that fish was holding up!
I've always found the pike anglers to be friendly and polite and will always respect your area when you ask them to, even though they sometimes think we're mad sitting there staring out over the water and seemingly doing nothing to earn our fish.
I just read the posts in this thread with amusement - I sometimes fish a local 16 acres club water that's got a very match orientated committee (Always has been) but it does have a good head of Carp and Pike in too, fishing it is one hell of a eye opener, as the other three waters I fish are private zero public access waters.
Was on a few weeks back when the nights started closing late October, was finishing my flask of coffee off just about to tackle down (Night fishing is banned thanks to the antics of a few selfish Carp Anglers a few years back) Hears noise to my right, a guy comes walking towards my swim, could not see me tucked away back from the waters edge – frightened the hell out of him when I spoke “ Did not know anyone was on , do you mind if I put a few Boilies under the bushes on each side of you?” (Pre-baiting is banned thanks to the antics of a few selfish Carp Anglers a few years back) My reply after I'd stopped laughing “No problem, I'm tackling down in a minute, you have made my day – someone they hate more than me – A Carp Angler!”
Few weeks later I broke my cardinal rule- Don't go fishing none private waters at the weekend! But the River was in serious flood, so I went on the same Club water Piking 1pm ish, was around 16 on from what I could see , but nobody was in 5 swims in a row – so went in the middle one. Could see a Pike Bung out a couple of swims to my right and a typical modern day “Chav Piker” dressing his green quilted Salopets, spotted another guy dressed identical on the opposite bank (Turned out to be his mate)
Got set up and both Rods out, without anyone seeing or hearing me and dropped a small Jack almost instantly. Noticed a guy walking around the lake just dressed in just a green shirt taking to everyone (It was bloody freezing!) It was the bailiff. Half an hour later all hell kicked off in the swim to my right with the chav in it “You types give Pike angling a bad name, your f-----in banned, want to sort it out right here now” etc...................... this went on for 10-15mins. The bailiff then walked right past my swim and did not even notice I was there, or even see my Rods, so only found out a few days later off another member what had gone on – he had been caught using three rods in plain sight and when told to bring it in and get off the water had come out with the statement “But I'm an experienced Pike Anger and can handle three Rods with ease” to the bailiff!
Was on a few weeks back when the nights started closing late October, was finishing my flask of coffee off just about to tackle down (Night fishing is banned thanks to the antics of a few selfish Carp Anglers a few years back) Hears noise to my right, a guy comes walking towards my swim, could not see me tucked away back from the waters edge – frightened the hell out of him when I spoke “ Did not know anyone was on , do you mind if I put a few Boilies under the bushes on each side of you?” (Pre-baiting is banned thanks to the antics of a few selfish Carp Anglers a few years back) My reply after I'd stopped laughing “No problem, I'm tackling down in a minute, you have made my day – someone they hate more than me – A Carp Angler!”
Few weeks later I broke my cardinal rule- Don't go fishing none private waters at the weekend! But the River was in serious flood, so I went on the same Club water Piking 1pm ish, was around 16 on from what I could see , but nobody was in 5 swims in a row – so went in the middle one. Could see a Pike Bung out a couple of swims to my right and a typical modern day “Chav Piker” dressing his green quilted Salopets, spotted another guy dressed identical on the opposite bank (Turned out to be his mate)
Got set up and both Rods out, without anyone seeing or hearing me and dropped a small Jack almost instantly. Noticed a guy walking around the lake just dressed in just a green shirt taking to everyone (It was bloody freezing!) It was the bailiff. Half an hour later all hell kicked off in the swim to my right with the chav in it “You types give Pike angling a bad name, your f-----in banned, want to sort it out right here now” etc...................... this went on for 10-15mins. The bailiff then walked right past my swim and did not even notice I was there, or even see my Rods, so only found out a few days later off another member what had gone on – he had been caught using three rods in plain sight and when told to bring it in and get off the water had come out with the statement “But I'm an experienced Pike Anger and can handle three Rods with ease” to the bailiff!
There's more instant carpers than there are instant pikers. Only difference is it's even worse for the fish when you've got an instant piker that can't fish for/handle the fish safely.
It's nothing to do with etiquette, if they're not casting over your lines or over your spots. It's good angling being a roving pike angler if you're not getting bites. Depending on the venue and time of year/conditions, if the pike are in front of you, you often get the bites fairly quickly. They're not like carp that often group up in large shoals, they're often completely solitary until it gets a bit closer to spawning. Sometimes they can be fairly localised but spread out in certain areas when there's a food source nearby.
If you're a pike angler that sits in one spot all day with absolutely no signs of anything then you're doing it wrong. Location is key as with any angling so moving around and covering as much water as possible (without affecting others) is part and parcel.
It's nothing to do with etiquette, if they're not casting over your lines or over your spots. It's good angling being a roving pike angler if you're not getting bites. Depending on the venue and time of year/conditions, if the pike are in front of you, you often get the bites fairly quickly. They're not like carp that often group up in large shoals, they're often completely solitary until it gets a bit closer to spawning. Sometimes they can be fairly localised but spread out in certain areas when there's a food source nearby.
If you're a pike angler that sits in one spot all day with absolutely no signs of anything then you're doing it wrong. Location is key as with any angling so moving around and covering as much water as possible (without affecting others) is part and parcel.
I fish for all species be it carp, pike, chub, perch, tench and pick the species depending on conditions. Especially in the winter.
As an example yesterday I had intended to go pike fishing on the river but as the water was pushing through took chub gear instead.
Having said that probably spend 60% of my time carp fishing just not when pressure is through the roof and freezing cold.
I think what I am trying to say is that it is the person that can be a pain with no etiquette and not the type of angling they are doing
There is no etiquette displayed by people in all forms of angling (carp being one of the worst in my experience) and unfortunately in life in general
As an example yesterday I had intended to go pike fishing on the river but as the water was pushing through took chub gear instead.
Having said that probably spend 60% of my time carp fishing just not when pressure is through the roof and freezing cold.
I think what I am trying to say is that it is the person that can be a pain with no etiquette and not the type of angling they are doing
There is no etiquette displayed by people in all forms of angling (carp being one of the worst in my experience) and unfortunately in life in general
In reply to Post #1
Well I am carp angler and I am a pike angler... YOUR post reminds me why I don't like a lot of carp anglers - taking up the swims eh? Oh dear, what a shame. I can easily flip that around - when I turn up at first light on a water to find a dozen bivvies in the best pike swims... smashing deadbaits around every hour - yep, we do that as you often pick fish up shortly after casting... casting lures from every available swim - yep I do that, it is called lure fishing... YOUR problem is you have zero respect for anyone who isn't fishing for carp - we have every right to be on the water as anyone else. What makes me laugh is, these kind of comments nearly always come from carp anglers who are frankly noddies - funny also that the least grief I get pike fishing on waters also being carp fished, are on syndicate waters - where you just seem to meet a better stamp of angler. Go to any club or day ticket water and the noddy carp anglers think they own the place, well YOU don't.
Sorry guys for the rant, but the door swings both ways - sure you'll get idiot pike anglers, but I come across far more idiot carp anglers...
Well I am carp angler and I am a pike angler... YOUR post reminds me why I don't like a lot of carp anglers - taking up the swims eh? Oh dear, what a shame. I can easily flip that around - when I turn up at first light on a water to find a dozen bivvies in the best pike swims... smashing deadbaits around every hour - yep, we do that as you often pick fish up shortly after casting... casting lures from every available swim - yep I do that, it is called lure fishing... YOUR problem is you have zero respect for anyone who isn't fishing for carp - we have every right to be on the water as anyone else. What makes me laugh is, these kind of comments nearly always come from carp anglers who are frankly noddies - funny also that the least grief I get pike fishing on waters also being carp fished, are on syndicate waters - where you just seem to meet a better stamp of angler. Go to any club or day ticket water and the noddy carp anglers think they own the place, well YOU don't.
Sorry guys for the rant, but the door swings both ways - sure you'll get idiot pike anglers, but I come across far more idiot carp anglers...