Missed runs?

I've posted a few results over the last few months about a loch I fish up here on the north west coast of Scotland and, in that time, fishing static deads, I've had over 20 fish, averaging over 8lb with the biggest 19lb 8oz (9 over 10lb). And, even using deads during a time when there's a thought that pike tend to wolf baits (don't go there again!), I've missed a few runs, dropped a few fish and only had one where the bottom treble was anything like deep (and it came out easily enough).

Last weekend I had a 4 pounder to half a herring and it was about 10 seconds away from having the bottom treble out of sight and yet, using exactly the same rig, bait, tackle, I managed to drop 5 fish throughout the rest of the day. The bobbin would fall away or float sail off, line pull out nicely blah blah blah and yet, on lifting into the fish and pulling the hooks home, I'd get a nice thump, thump and then off...

The last one, about half hour before I was due to leave, felt a right lump and was almost certainly over 20lb.

I was using fairly standard tackle and rigs (one popped up herring tail and either lamprey, jumbo smelt or herring tail float fished on the bottom), fishing a water I know well and using methods I've had loads of success with and yet dropped 5 fish.

I was loath to leave the runs much longer and, in fact, on the last one I was actually thinking 'strike, strike - she's going to be deeply hooked' and yet still dropped her. The water involves a 200 mile round trip to get there and usually a stop over, bivvied up on the bank so I could do with making the most of each opportunity.

To think I could have had 5 fish on the Saturday...

Any ideas from anyone out there? I'm thinking a bigger distance between trebles, leaving the run longer etc but each option I can think of seems to carry a higher risk of deep hooking fish, which I certainly don't want. I'd just like to land a few more.

You will know more than me about such things, but i suffered simlarly last year using ledgered deadbait tactics. Introducing a run ring and pointing the rod directly at the direction of the bait certainly seemed to decrease the dropped runs, i imagine as the fish feels less resistance. I've also scaled down from size 4's to size 6's. However, the greatest improvement has been this year using float ledgered tactics. Putting the effort in to get the correct depth at the starthas allowed for a very sensitive set-up in the similar mould as Mick Browns general float fished presentation. I've not had a dropped run yet (mind you, i'm also low on runs at the moment).

hi, i fished with a guy for years and it annoyed me how he always missed most runs he had and was mostly down to striking like a tart, coupled with chunky mackerel baits, joeys yeah, supermarket mackerel, wouldnt use them
i use a carp style run ring on a legger set up, wind in a good few turns before it hits bottom to straighten the rig up, use easy hook up baits, my favourite are medium smelt or lamp section, angle and point my rod straight at the bait, i lock up my reels and sit between my rods match style and strike fast and hard the instant i get any form of bite indication, this allows me to hook the smelt lip and tail, size 4 semi,s. i never wait for the bait to be engulfed or for a run to develop,ive lost very few fish like this and dont know what a dropped run is, i never give them the chance to run! needless to say fishing this style if i fancy a cuppa and sanny i wind in an then continue when im done eating. with float fishing i adopt a similar tactic, always use floating braid, hooks in head and tail and strike sharp and instant, almost every fish i land is lip hooked and very easy to unhook

muskie870 wrote:hi, i fished with a guy for years and it annoyed me how he always missed most runs he had and was mostly down to striking like a tart, coupled with chunky mackerel baits, joeys yeah, supermarket mackerel, wouldnt use them
i use a carp style run ring on a legger set up, wind in a good few turns before it hits bottom to straighten the rig up, use easy hook up baits, my favourite are medium smelt or lamp section, angle and point my rod straight at the bait, i lock up my reels and sit between my rods match style and strike fast and hard the instant i get any form of bite indication, this allows me to hook the smelt lip and tail, size 4 semi,s. i never wait for the bait to be engulfed or for a run to develop,ive lost very few fish like this and dont know what a dropped run is, i never give them the chance to run! needless to say fishing this style if i fancy a cuppa and sanny i wind in an then continue when im done eating. with float fishing i adopt a similar tactic, always use floating braid, hooks in head and tail and strike sharp and instant, almost every fish i land is lip hooked and very easy to unhook

"Striking like a tart" hahahaha

I'm not actually getting dropped runs - just not connecting to them on the strike (well, briefly). Trebles further apart, working to decrease any resistance so they take confidently (the water's hardly fished and massive so pressured fish isn't an issue anyway) and not striking like a tart (!) is all good advice and my general thinking anyway.

The last take that I bumped off was actually on a float - fished with a double swan shot pinched on the trace so that it rested maybe 3 inches off bottom with the trace and a large smelt resting on the gravel. A sensitive rig.

Perhaps they're just big lazy pike who mess about with their food?????

Richard Neath wrote:I'm not actually getting dropped runs - just not connecting to them on the strike (well, briefly). Trebles further apart, working to decrease any resistance so they take confidently (the water's hardly fished and massive so pressured fish isn't an issue anyway) and not striking like a tart (!) is all good advice and my general thinking anyway.

The last take that I bumped off was actually on a float - fished with a double swan shot pinched on the trace so that it rested maybe 3 inches off bottom with the trace and a large smelt resting on the gravel. A sensitive rig.

Perhaps they're just big lazy pike who mess about with their food?????

had a session like that last year richard on a water we counted at least 20 missed runs atually scaled right down to really small treables and found out they were really small jack pike most of them less than a 1lb .....just a thought mate

I've got to say, I did think that at first (small pikeletts) and you're right, certainly some of them have been exactly that. There's also the possibility that they're big trout as there are plenty ferrox in the water. On occassion, the bait's come back with hardly a mark on it and at least once on the last trip, there were teeth marks on the poly ball!

The last one, hooked briefly on the float, took the head and a portion of the body, right back to the bottom treble, clean off the jumbo smelt.

I tell ya Stubbo, that one was no pikelett! It fely VERY big...

You catching much lately?

Richard Neath wrote:I've got to say, I did think that at first (small pikeletts) and you're right, certainly some of them have been exactly that. There's also the possibility that they're big trout as there are plenty ferrox in the water. On occassion, the bait's come back with hardly a mark on it and at least once on the last trip, there were teeth marks on the poly ball!

The last one, hooked briefly on the float, took the head and a portion of the body, right back to the bottom treble, clean off the jumbo smelt.

I tell ya Stubbo, that one was no pikelett! It fely VERY big...

You catching much lately?

started a bit early this year done quite well up to now have you not seen the pics richard on the threads the beast of the lake......and the you tube link mate some nice fish pal

Not been on the forum for a while but just had a look at the photos - cracking fish! Looks bigger than 23 1/2.

Nice one.

Try setting the hooks horizontally, rather than vertically and don't sweep the rod back until you have wound down every last bit of line and tension. Really bend into them and walk backwards up the bank if you have to, to keep a tension on the line.

I didn't say strike because that suggests a short, sharp dig off the tip.

Richard Neath wrote:Not been on the forum for a while but just had a look at the photos - cracking fish! Looks bigger than 23 1/2.

Nice one.

sods law mate took my brother on last 2 sessions set him up wth the rods guess who had the big fish 2 20lb fish in 2 outings jammy git

Andy Macfarlane wrote:Try setting the hooks horizontally, rather than vertically and don't sweep the rod back until you have wound down every last bit of line and tension. Really bend into them and walk backwards up the bank if you have to, to keep a tension on the line.

I didn't say strike because that suggests a short, sharp dig off the tip.

hi andy did you manage to get out on the pike yet

Naw mate. It's been horrible up here for weeks. I'm hoping for even a wee dry spell, just to get a bivvy up. I'm not worried mate. We'll get it dry yet, even if it's frosty. That I can handle. I just can't be arsed with a 2-3 day session in the rain anymore.

Andy Macfarlane wrote:Naw mate. It's been horrible up here for weeks. I'm hoping for even a wee dry spell, just to get a bivvy up. I'm not worried mate. We'll get it dry yet, even if it's frosty. That I can handle. I just can't be arsed with a 2-3 day session in the rain anymore.

you cant beat it anice frosty morning session on the pike andy but i bet its a lot colder on your patch