canal piking tips neded please people

looking for some hints and tips to help me with attacking the local canals for the pike all coments much appreciated people as im a newbie

If you are new to piking, try and go out with someone experienced, just to help with the handling side of things, pike are very different to handle than most other freshwater fish.

if you don't know anyone who pike fishes already, give me a shout and I will join you, i'm no expert but i would happily show you the basics.

in terms of fishing the canal specifically - i've not done much on canals (mostly rivers and lakes) - but i know some other lads on here do a fair bit on canals... i'm sure they will be along it a bit to give you some advice.

welcome to the site !

look for marinas, very good place to start. talk to a few match anglers, they will always tell you if they have had any pike trouble. if a lot of boats use the canal stick to float fishing your baits and make sure you get them wound in before they get too close and lastly ive found fishing 2 or 3 days after a match better than a day or too after. hope that helps.

find where the silvers shoal up in winter thats where the pike will be muck

A roaming approach with lures, instead of leapfrogging with baits.

keep to each per for around 5mins casting near any overgrowth or pikey looking areas & too your left and right too.

benifits are that your travelling light and coving more water........ my main

MrMakk wrote:A roaming approach with lures, instead of leapfrogging with baits.

keep to each per for around 5mins casting near any overgrowth or pikey looking areas & too your left and right too.

benifits are that your travelling light and coving more water........ my main

and dont forget the near side bank some times right under you feet they like the cover of the wall.....

I often fish 10 - 60 feet Below (downstream) from a set of lock gates (in the pikey spots) I think they like to hang nearby the flow which is created by the higher water as it pushes through. Maybe the more turbulent water dropping from the lock throws up debris and food, this attracts the silver fish and in theory the pike should not be far behind. Sometimes they may also herd the silver fish in the direction of the lock gates where they have no escape in effect its a cul de sac.

Also have a look about any spots where small rivers, streams or even drains enter the main canal but not in the direct flow, on the edge of it or nearby. Basins or anywhere where the canal changes shape or direction. Look for features.

***CAUTION ADVISED*** If the canal has been dredged in the past try either side of any power lines which run across it, as there is a chance that they were unable to dredge under the power lines due to coming in contact with them. This will mean there is a noticable shelf directly under the power lines and the Pike will lie either side of the shelf waiting to ambush prey (its another feature) Disclaimer: "I do not suggest or recommend in anyway that you fish here " this is only personal observation. You may end up

Try around any surface debris, dying vegetation etc... submerged debris natural or man made.