Fishing World

Archive for July, 2010

Fishing for Canadian Northern pike can be a unique experience simply because it can be one of the easiest fish to catch even if you do not have expensive equipment. In fact, many excellent Canadian Northern pike have been caught using inexpensive lures that may fail to bring in other fish.

It never hurts to try with the big lures first. If, however, your expensive Rapalas and other lures simply are not doing the job, don’t pack it in and head off the water for the day. Try bringing out that underused and overlooked lead jig and give it a try. You may find that if you are using lures like lead jigs to catch other fish, you will actually end up with northern pike on your hook and dealing with a heck of a fight.

It can be a good idea to try a variety of lures when fishing in pike country. Try using lures such as crankbaits, plugs and spoons in a variety of different sizes. You can also try a jig if these lures do not seem to be doing the job. It is more important to work within a pike’s mindset rather than within the lures that you think will work.

You want to make sure that when you are choosing a lure that it will stand out visually from the water that surrounds it. Unlike other fish, pike tend to hunt using very keen eyesight. This means that they will respond most favorably if they are able to see what a lure looks like rather than dealing with the smell of the bait in the water. Because of this, you may find that color can influence your chances of success as well.

When trying to bring in pike, think about using lures that are red, yellow or white in color. You may also find that glow in the dark lures are also going to give you a high chance of success. This is especially true if you are fishing in murky or dirty water that may obscure a different kind of lure. Just make sure that you pair your lure with a leader because you will need the extra strength to handle the force of a good strike. The last thing you want is for your line to break.

Rubber tails are often a good choice when it comes to pike fishing. They are easy to change out making them very convenient if you think that you will be switching lures regularly while on the water. The last thing you want to be doing is spending time switching lures when the others in your boat are reeling in their catch.

Make sure you start fishing along weed beds and use a bigger jig than you will for other fish. If you pair this with a slow retrieval and add in a little jerking action you may find that you reel in a great fish that will be the talk of the camp.

The term “coarse fishing” is misleading: there is nothing coarse about this sport. Great skill and finesse are required to capture these fish. Techniques have to be refined and refined again to deceive these wily creatures. The delicacy of presentation required to tempt a crucian carp is almost indescribable; the many hours of inactivity required to catch a big bream or catfish stretches the angler’s patience to the very limit. Compared with these species, trout can be easy to catch. As far as fighting ability is concerned, which is probably where the “game” of “game fishing” originated, coarse fish also compare well. Salmon fight powerfully, but pound for pound they certainly fight no harder than carp or barbel, and they fight with far less intelligence. Salmon tend to go off very strongly, but often in a straight line as far and fast as possible. Carp and barbel, on the other hand, are wilier: they are looking for that snag, the bolt hole where they can tangle the line and break free. Thankfully today, the divisions between game fishing and coarse fishing are disappearing as more anglers become all-rounders and realize that each fish has its own individual merit.

The Pleasure Angler

There are three broad sub-divisions among coarse anglers. There are those who will fish for anything that comes along. They seldom compete in matches and would never dream of sitting out all night in winter on a desolate Fenland drain in the hope of a giant zander. They are “pleasure anglers”, a misnomer as all anglers get pleasure from the sport.

The Match Angler

Although not all anglers start out this way, there are those who will be drawn to the drug of competition with other anglers. They may have started by taking part in club matches and realized that rivalry with other anglers gave that extra enjoyment to their fishing. Just as there are different levels of skill and commitment to the sport among pleasure anglers, so there are among the match anglers. Some are content to remain as good club-match anglers while others aspire to the heights of competition. These are the people who have honed their skills to razor sharpness by fishing against the clock. At the very pinnacle of the match scene there is an evergrowing body of professional anglers who consistently pit their skills against the best in the world, including men such as Tom Pickering, and triple world champions Bob Nudd and Alan Scotthorne.

Tackle and Equipment

There is a bewildering variety of tackle, bait and equipment available, most of it of excellent quality. It is only because their equipment has been used and tested at firsthand. It does not mean that other manufacturers do not market products of equal quality, and you should always seek advice from a local tackle dealer.