The Coarse Fishing Guide

Latin name Esox lucius

The Pike is a predatory fish that can grow to a very large size. It is a long fish, built for bursts of speed, and with a mouth full of sharp teeth for seizing its prey.

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Well camouflaged in bands of dark and light green or black, it is able to lurk unseen among reeds and other plants from which it can emerge vary quickly to size prey fish that pass by.

Baits

Small Pike will take maggots and worms, but the larger specimens are caught using live and dead fish baits as well as artificial lures such as Spinners, Spoons, Plugs and the more recent Jelly Baits.

Tactics

Pike will generally be found where there is cover that will hide them from their prey. A lure will often work well if pulled through the water near lily pads and reeds. Most lures are capable of catching Pike and often a single fish can be targeted if sighted. Pike will often emerge from underwater vegetation to follow a lure, and it often pays to speed up the rate of retrieve when this happens to goad the Pike into taking what appears to be a prey fish trying to escape.

Live baits, where allowed, will account for Pike either fished under a heavy float and allowed to swim freely, or on a Paternoster float-leger rig. Most coarse fish are suitable as live bait, but the practice is not always allowed. Where live baiting is not permitted, Pike can also be taken on dead baits, including sea fish such as Mackerel, Sprats and Herring. These can be fished either on a Paternoster float rig or leger rig.