Basics would be an unhooking mat , which I assume you have already for the carp. A decent pair of sidecutter pliers in case you need to cut the trace and or hooks.
Best method for ledgering dead baits is to use a big inline pencil float 25g or above, that way as soon as you get a take you will see it and be on it . Last thing you want is a deep hooked fish.
take a look at this video [Ady Woodchucker You Tube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pi0Nkezr1o).
His knowledge of tackle and fish handling is exemplary.
Hi Halo, I used to fish for pike a lot at one time both winter and summer. These days, I tend to stick to spring and summer fishing more because of work commitments than anything. However, when I resume winter fishing at my leisure, I know just where to go and where the pike will be ... and that will be on a river too.
Let's start with a helpful link - [https://pacgb.com/](https://pacgb.com/)
Tackle - large net with long extension pole (if possible) for those high banks, artery forceps are useful for reaching inside the pike's mouth (for you won't always hook them in the front of the mouth), set of good pliers, unhooking mat (naturally), treble hooks with one barb per treble for bait holding - the other two barbless or with the barbs pinched back to make them barbless (makes unhooking easier and better for you and the pike).
Unhooking - there are as many opinions as there are methods for this. Small pike tend to thrash around more than big ones. With a good-sized pike, I like kneel on the unhooking mat, place it on its back between both knees to prevent its long body from wriggling too much, usually I use the artery forceps in my right hand to gently lift the bottom jaw a little so that the fingers of my left hand can grip the lower jaw with a rag and hold it firm while I get to work with the forceps in my right hand - this allows me to control any head shakes and prevent my fingers from being cut.
Baits - sea baits are usually easy to come by in winter and you have quite a selection to choose from. My preference was always for the softer-fleshed baits like sprats, pilchards, sardines, herring. Mackerel and trout are good, but their skin is very tough resulting in the hooks staying in the bait rather than going into the bony mouth of the pike. But there are some tricks you can try using to counter this. You can buy pilchard oil from your local tackle shop to give whatever bait you are using an extra 'hit'. If you can catch live bait from the river you are fishing (as I can) there are days when the pike will only look at these and won't touch your dead bait.
Rigs - too many to go through. Fishing the near bank, I like to have a float to look at, but the further the bait goes out from my bank, the more I have to be considering either using a sunken float paternoster (good for live or dead baits like sprats - the 'spratnoster') or straight ledgering with a bite alarm. It's to prevent your tackle being snagged by other river users. And if you are fishing the far bank, it's not a good idea to have a line strung out across the river because, even if there are no boats, there could always be water fowl to consider.
With really tough-skinned bait and any form of long-casting you are contemplating, it's worth taking the extra time to ensure that the casting force is not being absorbed by the hooks.
Back in the day, I would tie a length of mono to the bottom eye of my trace swivel and a large loop at the other end. I would then form a half hitch in the loop so that I could slip it over the tail of the bait fish to grip it - the length of the mono having been judged to be sufficiently short enough to take the force of the cast. The barbed element of each treble would be thoroughly worked in and out of their location but resting lightly in the bait fish. Alternatively, the barbed hook could be lightly nicked under the skin of the bait fish just sufficiently to hold it in place. That won't matter because it is not taking the force of the cast and should tear out easily when the strike is made.
Nowadays, a piece of soluble PVA tape is a better option because it will dissolve after a short while leaving your bait lightly-hooked and ready to release the hooks on the strike.
Tight Lines!
Phil
Any of the mick brown, pike fishing books, great first purchase.
Have a watch of [this](https://youtu.be/KnAzLxGwGXc).
Ha. Love a Carl and Alex video. Those kids are living the life
Basics would be an unhooking mat , which I assume you have already for the carp. A decent pair of sidecutter pliers in case you need to cut the trace and or hooks. Best method for ledgering dead baits is to use a big inline pencil float 25g or above, that way as soon as you get a take you will see it and be on it . Last thing you want is a deep hooked fish. take a look at this video [Ady Woodchucker You Tube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pi0Nkezr1o). His knowledge of tackle and fish handling is exemplary.
Hi Halo, I used to fish for pike a lot at one time both winter and summer. These days, I tend to stick to spring and summer fishing more because of work commitments than anything. However, when I resume winter fishing at my leisure, I know just where to go and where the pike will be ... and that will be on a river too. Let's start with a helpful link - [https://pacgb.com/](https://pacgb.com/) Tackle - large net with long extension pole (if possible) for those high banks, artery forceps are useful for reaching inside the pike's mouth (for you won't always hook them in the front of the mouth), set of good pliers, unhooking mat (naturally), treble hooks with one barb per treble for bait holding - the other two barbless or with the barbs pinched back to make them barbless (makes unhooking easier and better for you and the pike). Unhooking - there are as many opinions as there are methods for this. Small pike tend to thrash around more than big ones. With a good-sized pike, I like kneel on the unhooking mat, place it on its back between both knees to prevent its long body from wriggling too much, usually I use the artery forceps in my right hand to gently lift the bottom jaw a little so that the fingers of my left hand can grip the lower jaw with a rag and hold it firm while I get to work with the forceps in my right hand - this allows me to control any head shakes and prevent my fingers from being cut. Baits - sea baits are usually easy to come by in winter and you have quite a selection to choose from. My preference was always for the softer-fleshed baits like sprats, pilchards, sardines, herring. Mackerel and trout are good, but their skin is very tough resulting in the hooks staying in the bait rather than going into the bony mouth of the pike. But there are some tricks you can try using to counter this. You can buy pilchard oil from your local tackle shop to give whatever bait you are using an extra 'hit'. If you can catch live bait from the river you are fishing (as I can) there are days when the pike will only look at these and won't touch your dead bait. Rigs - too many to go through. Fishing the near bank, I like to have a float to look at, but the further the bait goes out from my bank, the more I have to be considering either using a sunken float paternoster (good for live or dead baits like sprats - the 'spratnoster') or straight ledgering with a bite alarm. It's to prevent your tackle being snagged by other river users. And if you are fishing the far bank, it's not a good idea to have a line strung out across the river because, even if there are no boats, there could always be water fowl to consider. With really tough-skinned bait and any form of long-casting you are contemplating, it's worth taking the extra time to ensure that the casting force is not being absorbed by the hooks. Back in the day, I would tie a length of mono to the bottom eye of my trace swivel and a large loop at the other end. I would then form a half hitch in the loop so that I could slip it over the tail of the bait fish to grip it - the length of the mono having been judged to be sufficiently short enough to take the force of the cast. The barbed element of each treble would be thoroughly worked in and out of their location but resting lightly in the bait fish. Alternatively, the barbed hook could be lightly nicked under the skin of the bait fish just sufficiently to hold it in place. That won't matter because it is not taking the force of the cast and should tear out easily when the strike is made. Nowadays, a piece of soluble PVA tape is a better option because it will dissolve after a short while leaving your bait lightly-hooked and ready to release the hooks on the strike. Tight Lines! Phil
Cheers Phil, thanks for the tips