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To accommodate the need to use single hooks as required by some fisheries that may contain multiple predator species including pike and catfish, the following rigs offer alternative ways to mount live and dead baits using single hooks.

The problems posed by such a situation, having been encouraged to practise prompt striking when a bait is taken, are related to the fact that using single hooks poses in the anglers mind the possible need to delay the strike in an effort to ensure the hooks are in a position to find and secure a hold once the strike is made.

DEAD BAITS
Without doubt when fishing dead baits this is a distinct probability and the rig below will hopefully provide some assistance in overcoming the problems of delaying the strike and the possibility of deep hooking and injuring the pike. By setting the hair so that hook is away from the bait it is possible to avoid the hook being swallowed to a depth greater than the mouth cavity of the average pike. There will be a need to tailor the length of the hair and hook size to the size of pike to be expected from any given fishery. Small baits and big pike may demand the hair is quite long and the hook some distance from the bait, in contrast a large bait may only need the hook to be level with the 'V' of the baits tail.

Experiment with the length, starting with it at its longest, only shortening if hooking is difficult and do not leave the time to an excessive period, but strike a second or two later each time a fish is missed or adjust the hair and try again.

LIVE BAITS
There is some hope when using singles with live baits, particularly if they are fished with conventional paternosters or free roving methods. By replacing the double hook traces we need to rethink where we place the hook and experience fishing fisheries with a variety of predators has suggested that to mount the hook just behind the dorsal maintains the healthy activity of the bait and presents a hook in a position to hook a pike or other predator fairly in the mouth when the bait is taken.

The important quality of live baits is they encourage a more aggressive take from any predators, pike being no exception and in doing so present a very definite indication that the bait has been taken and again experience has shown that prompt almost instant strikes can still be applied. In fact all too often the strike is a secondary hooking action as the take can see the hook finding a hold as the bait is taken.

This hooking method can be applied to all the live bait methods shown on the site.

If you are faced with the need to use single hooks either by choice or by fishery rules give these two hooking methods a try, if you have a successful method that is catching pike on singles perhaps you will contribute your methods for our visitors to try for themselves.