You MUST WATCH This Video If You Bait Fish For Pike!

This video is a must watch for anyone that fishes dead bait for pike! In this video we take a look at one of the most popular rigs in pike fishing. The float ledger. In this video a camera is positioned beneath the surface watching the bait and another is watching the float, so we can see exactly what happens when a pike takes the bait.

[Sonikks]

Just wanted to say a massive thank you for the effort that goes into your videos mate. This is your best and most revealing video to date, imo.

Fascinating how little indication you get, or none at all in some cases. Pike are curious and it's anyone's guess what they're truly "thinking" when they stare at the bait. I know myself and likely many, many others would really appreciate it if you could film some footage like this with pop-up deadbaits. I've been pike fishing for a few years now and pop-ups have always brought the better fish for me. However I tend to have blanks more when using them. Some lakes they work, others they don't. I don't think you have used them on your channel before so it might make more a challenge for yourself as well.

I started using the pop-up balls from PikePro but I've switched to the balsa sticks that are inserted into the deadbaits and found them to be much more fruitful. I'd love a video on both of those if you're willing. I'd even send you a packet if you wanted! Cheers!

[kemalhussein]

Brilliant footage / video. I have been piking 20+ years and still find it fascinating / learn new things, about how Pike behave underwater! Thanks Chris...simply the bets fishing channel on YT!

[psavory]

Would be great to see a similar video on a traditional ledger rig with a drop-off indicator and also a standard deadbait float rig incorporating a egg weight as opposed to a ledger on the bottom.

[Ifithomescom]

So pleased with this I stopped dead baiting 15 years ago after catching a pike that had someone else’s trace deep hooked I tried to help it made me stop dead baiting just in case it happened to me

[AtlauaFishing]

I’d love to see how you would rig a popped up bait on a ledger rig! You could also compare a standard ledgered bait with a popped up one underwater! That would be interesting bud! Top video as always 👏🎣

[nickmeekins]

Interesting video as usual, and no lost landing net.
A couple of points:
1. Why did you think you needed a 2.5 oz lead? I fish fairly shallow Fen drains and I try to use as little lead as I can, none if possible, and let the bait cock the float.
2. Why not cock the float so that there isn't a delay between the take and the indication? Your co-ordinated videos showed that the pike had taken the bait with little or no indication on the float, I am sure that a cocked float would give a more instant indication.

Here's to a good autumn/winter campaign.

Nick

[johnwilson]

Thank you for sharing this. I loved seeing the reactions of fish underwater. I don't bait fish. I did about twenty years ago- but after catching Pike that had swallowed my bait, with no indication from my float - I stopped. Most of the fishing clubs in the Sussex area don't allow Pike fishing in the Summer - (I love using popping/surface lures).
I've now resorted to mostly Fly fishing.

[karlwoolley]

I love watching these videos, it takes me back to youth fishing in the uk.... i now live in Australia... ❤

[scottkelly]

Brilliant video! 👏 👏👏
When people ask me "When should I strike?" I tell them its a DEADbait so it cant move on its own. Any indication means something has picked it up and seeing as fish dont have hands to pick it up, it must be in its mouth, so strike!

[dfee]

When float ledgering I always fish the float half cocked, rather than flat on the water, that way most of the slack line has already been taken up, which gives better bite indication.

[Paul-mdzb]

Literally opened my eyes but weirdly it makes perfect sense.. Look forward to more of this as it will massively help pike care..
Think another reason maybe they are attracted to your camera is electric charge... Literal line n sensors on snout will feel them.. Float thing is interesting but perfectly explained 🙏

[markharvey]

That was brilliant mate…well done in the effort and getting this together, must have taken a while. As a long time pike angler mainly in the Thames this was really interesting. Would be fascinated to see what happens in areas with pike AND crayfish….a real nuisance in my area 😫

[markbuckingham]

One of the best Pike videos I have seen, really interesting. Thanks for making.

[nightspring]

Caught my 1st jack pike the other day now I'm hooked on getting bigger and better pike so I'm deadbaiting my next trip thank you so much for taking the time to show us all this amazing underwater videos

[spence]

What a great video I always tighten up so float is cocked rather than laying flat gives you instant bite indication I normally strike within 10 seconds you do lose a fish now and again but rather that than deep hooking once again great vid 🎣

[mrskint]

Good information . I have always set hook at first indication, and I only ever use single hooks nowadays. I do miss some fish but at least I don’t have to deal with a deep hooked fish.

[mikeg]

Pure quality Chris, the effort and attention to detail is quite superb and much appreciated. Fabulous to watch. Thank you yet again.

[DjDolHaus]

I often wonder how much a pike/perch's vision is based on movement. I've seen a lot of footage where they seem to hone in on stuff really accurately while it's moving but as soon as it becomes dormant/still they seem to either forget about it or spend a long time looking at the object but not really seeing it. I know this is an evolutionary thing in a lot of predators where they see the contrast of movement a lot better than colour contrast and this is why so many prey animals such as rabbits and deer freeze when they spot a threat (ie. a brown rabbit doesn't stand out in a green field to the eyes of a hawk as long as it stays still).
The curious reaction of pike to your camera could just be fluctuating light bouncing off the shiny surfaces of the camera giving the illusion of movement

[tommycarping]

Fantastic Video, gives a great insight into the pikes actions underwater

[ETrd]

I use sinker on the bottom -> rubber stopper -> antitangler (for carp fishing) with fluorocarbon leader and treble hook -> rubber stopper - > large float (30-60g)

and use the 2 rubber stoppers to adjust the depth of my bait, not to be too close to the bottom, as we have lot of bottom grass, but also not to be too close to the float.

If its over 3-4m deep, will keep the bait in the bottom meter. If about 2m or less, will leave at the middle.