It's Mackeral Time

Just posted the catch reports on the website HERE

I noticed that out of the 13 pike listed that specified the type of bait, 9 were caught on Mackeral, 1 on Herring, 1 on Smelt 1 on a spinner and 1 on a roach deadbait.

It must be time to get the smelly sea baits out.

Regards

Andy Webster

yeah i see what you mean mate.... to be honest i've noticed a pattern in my own catches recently, all but 1 run has been on ledgered sardine, the only other one was on a popped up smelt.

Could it simply be that most folk have a packet or two of mackerel on them when they go pike fishing?

all my baits smell of fish Andy?????????????

But do mackerel smell the same as roach, or do smelt smell the same as skimmers, or do lamprey smell the same as sardines?
If all fish smelt the same of sprats for instance, we wouldn't bother using different baits since, as you say, all your baits fish smell like fish.
What would be the point in using different baits if they all smelt the same, which they don't. You can't tell me a perch smells like a mackerel.
I can't agree with your statement.

......Regards.....Andy.....

well i always fish a different bait on each rod and as i said in the above post most of my runs have been on sardine this season. it's not that i havent tried anything else.... its just been a case of what they want on the day and sardine has been the preference.
its possible that with the long run of cold weather we've had oily sea deadbaits have took preference perhaps because their smell disperses better and rouses more of an interest from the pike in these conditions.

could it be that thay are a cheep bait. mackerel whole or tails are allways on offer in the the shops. lampray have been good for me this winter. but expensive to buy.

yes possibly greg, but lamprey ooze alot of blood even after a full day in the water, so they create a very strong scent trail for the pike too

thats one way of looking at it rob. it makes you wonder why the cost is high tho.

i know of a water that MBA used to fish with mackerel on all rods, he caught well with them, for me on that same water it didn't work,

any idea's on this Andy M

greg wrote:thats one way of looking at it rob. it makes you wonder why the cost is high tho.

i think the cost of lamprey is so high because of 2 factors......
1: they're the toughest deadbait i have ever encountered and no matter how hard you cast they simply will not come off i.e. because they last so well on the hook the tackle shops pack them in low quantities so its not too long before you come back for more..... i've had 8 pike on a single piece before it finally came off the hooks during a fight.
2: it was the latest "in thing" or "wonderbait" a few years back (late 90's when they first became popular to present day) and they're still flying off the shelves so the tackle shops have no need to reduce the price.

esoxjeff wrote:i know of a water that MBA used to fish with mackerel on all rods, he caught well with them, for me on that same water it didn't work,

any idea's on this Andy M

You say MBA 'used' to catch on mackerel on all rods but now you don't. I'd suggest that the pike have become wary of mackerel.

.....Regards.....Andy.....

i think they was fishing at the same time,on the same water andy,

nickcarpy wrote:i think they was fishing at the same time,on the same water andy,

i know of a water that MBA used to fish with mackerel on all rods

That would suggest MBA doesn't fish there anymore.

fished double pegs with mate,everythink same,baits next to each other,mate catches more.some people can catch out off a puddle in a carpark but some days ive outfished himon same peg,ect.its how luck falls

Who knows why that happens. I've seen me and my mate fish 8 rods staggered alternately and it's one of who seems to have all the luck, even if we've sharing baits. Pike fishing is a funny old lark.

.....Regards.....Andy.....

Andy Macfarlane wrote:
i know of a water that MBA used to fish with mackerel on all rods

That would suggest MBA doesn't fish there anymore.

Andy M

The water in question was a pike syndicate that has now been converted into a match venue and definitely no pike. There are lots of banks where none existed and all the pegs are 15 yards to the far bank! It used to be a very enticing, reed fringed and weedy venue.

MBA will no doubt explain his succesful method for catching.

MBA it's over to you..................


Andy Webster