TACKLE
Before starting to fish for pike, the subject of tackle is of great importance, this section is not designed to inhibit any anglers freedom to develop any individuality, it is just such development that has brought us to where we are today, but for many pike anglers they are tackle users rather than designers. There are items that are necessary for you to have before setting foot on the banks for that first deliberate and serious attempt at catching pike, you may have already been there and discovered how difficult can be without some very basic and simple items of tackle!

If you are new to angling this will be all the more important, if you are moving on from another species or discipline of angling, then you will have some of the items, perhaps!

Gone are the days of not having good tackle designed for pike fishing, there are a number of good quality specialist pike tackle manufacturers around these days, producing first class tackle for us as pike anglers. Whilst you may not immediately have everything you need the following paragraphs and lists, you will come to identify what you need and be able to possibly identify if you already own some of them.
RODS
Probably the most normal action for an angler taking to pike fishing is for existing rods to be pressed into service as pike rods. These will usually be float, match and light leger rods designed for totally different work than pike fishing. If you are or have been fishing for carp then you may well have a rod or rods which can give service for some early, exploratory pike fishing. These should have a test curve in excess of 2lbs to be able to cast baits, play fish and generally stand up to the rigours of pike fishing, if you do not own such tackle, it may pay to borrow some or spend a day with an experienced pike angler to see if its what you really want to do before spending out on purpose made tackle and then realize that pike fishing is not really for you.

The wrong rods can lead to disappointment not only for you if they break on the cast or during the playing of a large hooked fish, but also risk harm to the baited hooks lying on the bottom, waiting to be eaten and swallowed by an unsuspecting pike or on losing a fish, to leave the hooks in its mouth or throat to again be swallowed, not too healthy for the pike!

Getting back to the right rods, there are many ways to fish for pike and whilst there are rods and other components which are designed for the more specialist methods you will find discussed in the specialist methods later. What any newcomer to pike fishing needs is a rod or rods to allow him or her to practice as many methods and styles during their development period. Acquiring the right rod at this point will provide the angler with the opportunity to enjoy all he tries, aiming to own a specialised rod for one specific method too soon will inhibit the ability to practice and enjoy the others. (extreme examples here could be using a lure / jerk bait rod and expecting it to function as a long range leger rod or vice versa, it really is impossible!)

The answer really is to compromise in the early days by seeking out a rod of mixed abilities that will allow you to fish live bait type methods at short to medium range, cast dead baits of various sizes at close to medium range and on the odd occasion, allow you to wobble a dead bait or work a lure over similar distances. (it is surprising how many pike are caught only a rod length or two from the bank!)

Once you identify just what waters you will be fishing, what methods the pike are responding to and how you will need to fish to catch them, you will go on to acquire more specialised rods to allow you develop more. The right rod though will additionally allow you the flexibility to adapt to many opportunities which will crop up each season and not be a handicap.

The wrong rods on the other hand will see you probably fail in your efforts, bring misery when the rod breaks or the baited end tackle is lost, risking this being picked up and swallowed, the hooked fish being lost due to line breakage, with the bait and hooks being left in its mouth or throat, not a pleasant situation for either angler of fish!


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