Attention all pikeys! :D
Any recommendations for pike fishing forceps? Length etc?
the locking version is best, properly called haemostats (hemostats in the US).
8 inches plus as a minimum, I carry two pairs (8 and 12 inches).
Learning to "chin" a pike and lay it on it's back is the trick to unhooking.
Wear a leather glove until you get the hang of it.
Nowadays I generally chin and unhook barehanded but carry haemostats for fish hooked well into the gullet.
Forceps should be as long as possible and personally I prefer straight ones, although in my piking days I carried both straight and curved of different lengths, for differing situations.
This is what I do.
If the fish takes the fly deep, close the forceps and insert carefully through the giill covers. Open the forceps and lock on the shank. Invert the hook and feed the long forceps back towards the mouth as far as you can (hence the long forceps). Under tension ( generally grip the trace in my mouth to do this ) , pull the trace/line clear of the mouth and open the forceps as late as possible in the operation.
The official version...http://www.pacgb.co.uk/tips/unhooking.html (http://www.pacgb.co.uk/tips/unhooking.html)
Alex
I use various cheap ones of poor quality sold for fishing. The longer the better and best take two incase you lose a pair, like Ken I use 8" and 12". I know of other deadbait fishers that have sourced medical grade forceps which are much better. Have cut the tips of a cheap pair which helped them to grip/lock better.
Great info there guy.
A quote from the link Alex provided
Despite the awesome look of all those sharp teeth, the pike will not purposely bite you.
Well, that's certainly good to know. :lol:
Good on you Alan. Bring them along. Didn't think you'd make Torridon to be honest, I just assumed the lure of the BFCC bullshitting casting day would be too hard to resist. My apologies for that. You are obviously a genuine wild fisher after all. :lol:
You can get 12" forceps on eBay for £3.95 plus postage.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anglers-12-Curved-Locking-Forceps-12in-/350437731525?pt=UK_SportingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item5197b76cc5 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anglers-12-Curved-Locking-Forceps-12in-/350437731525?pt=UK_SportingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item5197b76cc5)
He has them in straight or curved. Nowhere near the quality of Alan's ones but I bought a pair last year for sea angling and they're still holding together.
Quote from: Alan on September 04, 2011, 12:19:31 AM
i just cant think of a reason to try to cast futher than 100', if it was more relevant to fishing i'd be tempted, actually if it was even relevant to casting i'd be tempted :lol:
Actually the BFCC casting day would probably be great were it not for the fact it is being held on a treasured day of the trout fishing season when serious anglers who have that day off will be fishing. I guess if you fish for non-seasoned stockies one day is much the same as any other.