YOUR THOUGHTS PLEASE

now over the season i,ve noticed a bit of a change regarding pike and there size
my observation was first at my own catch rate and then since by others catches from off here and a few other individuals i have spoken to .

now before the big freeze up i was having probably about the same success rate but 85% were doubles to up 20lb before the big freeze .
now i,m still having about the same success rate from the same venues with one big difference and that is one of size where the size ratio is all but one of the pike has been a double and that was a scaper at that, and its seem most of yourselves seem to be catching fish of the same size and i would like to know if youselves have seen a drop in size from before the freeze to now as it seem there is a significant number of fish between the 4lb to 9lb class being reported .
yes i,m aware of the increase that accures coming up to spawning time but it really does seem signifcant since the thaw that the majority of the fish are now jacks

would like to see what your thoughts are please as to me it does seem its not just the waters i fish but others aswell

in my case i am fishing a few venues where there is a high percentage of smaller pike under 10 lb after that lean spell the ice age just wanted to get a bend in the rod.one venue i fish in wales can be mega hard but they all seem to be big fish think the smallist is 13lb had a lot of blanks on there . But when there on you cant believe it had 3 twentys in one day thats how good it can be .I could just fish that lake and eventually catch twentys but i just get board with the same venue i think if you want big fish just fish venues with big fish in them and you will get one after putting the time in as some of you guys do with good effect

i have had similar thoughts - heres my theory:

As the big freeze went on so long by the time the thaw came the pike were pretty much ready to start gathering for spawning. I have witnessed 7-8 jacks to low doubles following a big girl about on a local water... I am sure it is the same on many other waters. Therefore if you find the fish at the moment, probability/percentages dictates that most takes will be from the smaller jacks with the very rare catch of a big girl...

What do u reckon?

by stubbo on Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:41 pm
in my case i am fishing a few venues where there is a high percentage of smaller pike under 10 lb after that lean spell the ice age just wanted to get a bend in the rod.one venue i fish in wales can be mega hard but they all seem to be big fish think the smallist is 13lb had a lot of blanks on there . But when there on you cant believe it had 3 twentys in one day thats how good it can be .I could just fish that lake and eventually catch twentys but i just get board with the same venue i think if you want big fish just fish venues with big fish in them and you will get one after putting the time in as some of you guys do with good effect

i fish the same venue only trouble is it covers an area of 1500 square mile

so do you think the cold snap has slowed the bigger fish down as it does seem many have come out since ?? it might just be one of them things it just doesn,t seem many are being caught thats all

by tootall on Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:47 pm
i have had similar thoughts - heres my theory:

As the big freeze went on so long by the time the thaw came the pike were pretty much ready to start gathering for spawning. I have witnessed 7-8 jacks to low doubles following a big girl about on a local water... I am sure it is the same on many other waters. Therefore if you find the fish at the moment, probability/percentages dictates that most takes will be from the smaller jacks with the very rare catch of a big girl...

What do u reckon?

thats not a bad theory as to why tootall as a few of the venues the big pike will have there area,s and revisiting them can and will result in the same fish being caught

it certainly would bare out via the results i,ve had since the big freeze

just hope that really cold spell didnt see some of the big fish off been back to my shallow pike lake twice normally a banker not had a sniff on the fly keep reading in the mags fish stocks have been deverstated all over the country

i hope not to its hard enough with out losing any to the weather but you couldn,t dismiss it as a possibily though stubbo.

just a thouhgt i have a small pond in my garden a metre deep lost all my big carp but all the small ones survived i know there not pike but why do you think they got through it the ice was 8 inch thick

i lost three in my pond still sad i know , but thank fully not my biggun

stubbo wrote:just a thouhgt i have a small pond in my garden a metre deep lost all my big carp but all the small ones survived i know there not pike but why do you think they got through it the ice was 8 inch thick

Smaller fish = less oxygen requirement?