pike around the world and best tactics

[lilboatbigfishhunter]

hello all - i have a fiance whome lives in the uk - fife scotland to be exact - there is a loch named lochgelly which supposedly has great pike fishing - i know of good pike angling in deep creek lake in maryland where i have fished many times - ive never went after pike exclusively and intend to try my hand at catching them at that loch - any advice on rod reel set up economically and baits and rigs is greatly appreciated i will browse the forums here to search for more knowledge -

yours in angling
chris

[Henry Schmidt]

Sounds like a beautiful place to fish and probably a great place to find a pub after your day is done! From what Ive seen in print and internet, spinning gear is used much more than casting gear. I cant imagine why. Here larger bass tackle is the norm from what I see. There are alot of english fishing forums to get advise from. I'd imagine it would be a good idea to try something from over here that those pike havent seen before too. Youtube has some interesting though not always in english clips from Scandenavian anglers that might help too. I'd love to see pics from your trip!

[Questor]

Considering that some of those Scottish pike can grow large, I'd want some relatively stout tackle. The most important thing would be the terminal tackle, especially good leaders that resist cutting by sharp teeth. For techniques, I would look into the "quick strike" rig in the interest of not killing the fish and getting good hook sets. Are you familiar with the U.S. technique of using a big minnow hooked through the lips under a large float?

I would also ask a lot of questions about water depth, and at what depth the fish are likely to concentrate. Those lochs can be mighty deep, and much of your experience will be governed by these concerns.

Accessibility is another concern. I rather doubt that boat availability will be as common as in the U.S. Are you going to be shore bound?

Finally, take a good life jacket and learn about cold water safety. Fog, wind, and cold temperatures are all likely hazards.

[Brian]

Chris,

A little off subject, but I used to frequent the Deep Creek area delivering furniture and appliances some time ago. It's a beautiful lake! I've often wanted to fish it, but is the boating pressure a factor, and if so, how do you avoid it? Seems that there are more boats per acre of open water than fish.... Anyways, quick story.... one day I was delivering some furniture to a home near the lake and looked up on the wall to see a HUGE bluegill mount with a picture of a little girl holding the fish, and a plaque. Turns out that the little girl, whom was only 8 years old when the picture was taken, caught the bluegill from Deep Creek Lake, and it was the Maryland state record weighing in at over 3 pounds. She was the daughter of the couple that owned the home. In order for the record to stand, she had to turn the fish over to the state who placed the fish in an aquarium, I believe, and they made a replica mount for the wall. Funny, I wonder if the girl even knew what a bluegill was since her dad told me that she didn't even like fishing anymore. Most of us will never even see a bluegill that big in our lifetime, leave it to lady luck I suppose.

Best of luck finding those toothy critters in Scottland,

Brian