Didnt catch on mackrel

[caster crusher]

Took my 11 year old Pike fishing Saturday.

Had a good day he caught 5 pike the smallest 2.5lbs largest 8.5lbs.
All caught on sprats everytime we tried mackeral he did nothing.
several questions,

All fish caught from the same swim is this usual for so many to be in the 1 swim.[?]

The mackeral where about 10inch so i cut of the haeds and tails then into 3, they where more like mackeral steaks is this way they should be fished or should we have put the whole mackeral on.[?][?]

At what size do you stop calling them Jacks.[?][?][?]

 

[Lid]

Sounds like fun. Where were you fishing? I've seen a boatman catch 10's of pike from same area on the Thames in Oxford from a punt on more than one occasion before now. It was in a spot where many other fish also congregate.

I think you can stop calling them 'jacks' after about 5-6 lbs.

Lid []

 

[Dervaig]

Paul - Stop calling them Jacks when they insist you
call them Bob lol [][].
Your lad did well there.

Mike
Everybody believes in something - I believe I'll have another beer.

 

[caster crusher]

And i thought they was all calling me a sod

 

[Dervaig]

Tell me who called you a sod Paul and I'll send round the lads.[B)][B)]

Mike
Everybody believes in something - I believe I'll have another beer.

 

[esox.20]

quote:The mackeral where about 10inch so i cut of the haeds and tails then into 3, they where more like mackeral steaks is this way they should be fished or should we have put the whole mackeral on.

At what size do you stop calling them Jacks.

Mackeral have never been called jacks!!!!!!!!!!

The normal methods with mackeral depends on the size of them. For the size you suggest then its ok to cut then in two. Fish either the head or tail section whole.
To be able to fish big baits like this the correct tackle is needed as using underpowered rods could lead to the rod being broken on the cast. It also requires an appropiate line strength to.

chill out go fishing

 

[caster crusher]

Thanks for the info esox,

He has 2.5lbs test curve rod, 12ibs main line, 20lbs wire trace,
i have also invested in a large landing net and a unhooking mat.

 

[esox.20]

What about forceps, pliers and a decent wire cutters? All of these are required to aid unhooking.

chill out go fishing

 

[caster crusher]

He has at least 1 of all the above, it is a requirement for fishing pike on our local club waters.

Also one of our local anglers is a man called Gordon Burton i am trying to arrange a days fishing for my lad with him.
But have not seen him about for a few weeks.
He will be able to teach him a lot more than i will.

 

[Flying Fish]

I think the legendary Gord Burton may well be able to teach us ALL far more than we will ever know !!

I caught plenty on mackeral on Saturday, they were all cod from a wreck off Whitby !!

JM2pW. F.F. <'}}}><

 

[Eric Edwards]

Sounds like you're pretty well kitted out Paul.
It isn't unusual at all to catch a lot of pike from the same area. Sometimes pike do shoal up - though it's not common at this time of year, more in the colder weather. It might be that you chose your swim very well and settled on a spot where you would pick up "patrolling" fish. These are usually constrictions in a waterway where pike have to move through in order to get from one part of a lake to another.

It doesn't surprise me that you caught a lot of jacks on sprats, they are the supreme jack bait. Mackerel will often take larger fish. Personally, I believe pike have to learn what is edible and whjat is not, so sprats, which look like the roach the pike may be preying on, will be an obvious target for an inexperienced jack.

When do they stop being jacks? That depends on your own experience I think. If you're new to pike fishing, every fish is exciting whatever its size. As you get older and catch more fish, you might consider a fish of less than five pounds a jack and later still, a fish of ten pounds. As a rule of thumb, if you weigh it, it's a pike, if you don't, it's a jack.

Eric

 

[caster crusher]

The river we where fishing seems to be a forgotten spot,
it is called the back drain that leads to the river crossens(sluice).

As kids we fished this area a lot we used to go camping in the woods next to this river.

It is quite a walk from from any car parking areas the banks are over grown nettles and thistles 3-4 ft high, the river is also full of weed with only a few small clear areas that you can fish.

We are going back to the same spot this weekend to have another go.
-

 

[AndyA]

Quote:-

"As a rule of thumb, if you weigh it, it's a pike, if you don't, it's a jack."

I like that a lot ............. nice one Eric !

Aaaah .... soon be fishing

 

[Apache]

AndyA, thats a good one! []

....................................
Tight Lines,

Heathlands Angling Club - http://www.heathlandsanglingclub.8m.com