Winter Pike Fishing in the UK: Where, When and What Bait

Ask most UK pike anglers when their season starts and they'll say autumn. The weed dies back and the small fish pack together. It's cold work, with blank days, but a winter pike is worth it. Here's how to give yourself a chance, and how to make sure every fish goes back in good shape.

Why winter is pike season

The first reason is welfare. The Pike Anglers' Club of Great Britain advises not fishing for pike at all when the water is 18°C or warmer, saying research shows fishing in warmer water harms pike and can kill them. Despite the teeth, pike are fragile, and they recover from a fight far better in cold water.

The second reason is that winter pike are easier to find. As the water cools, small fish gather in tighter shoals, and the pike are never far away. Some club and council waters only allow pike fishing from 1 October to 31 March anyway.

Where to find pike in cold water

Find the prey fish and you've found the pike. Things to look for:

• Signs of small fish. Fish dimpling at the surface, or grebes and cormorants diving in one area, mean food is there.
• Features near deeper water. Drop-offs, channels, the edges of dying weed beds and fallen trees all give a pike somewhere to wait.
• Moored boats on canals, especially lived-in ones. Small fish gather in the slightly warmer water around them, and the pike follow.
• Slack water on rivers. When the river is up, fish move out of the main flow into eddies, marinas and side streams.

If nothing happens, move. Shift a deadbait every hour or so, or work a lure through a few swims until you get a follow. Our fishing near you pages list named waters by town if you're looking for somewhere new.

Deadbaits, lures or livebaits?

Deadbaits are the steadiest winter method. A still bait on the bottom suits a cold pike that doesn't want to chase. The Pike Anglers' Club lists mackerel, herring, sardines and sprats, which you can buy frozen from tackle shops or a fishmonger. Fish them on a float or ledger with proper bite indication. The club says never freeline, because poor bite indication leads to deep-hooked fish.

Sea fish are also the simple option on the rules. In England and Wales you can only use a fish you've caught as bait on the same water you caught it. Some waters go further. On the main Lake District lakes, including Windermere, Ullswater and Coniston Water, the byelaws ban using any freshwater fish, dead or alive, as bait.

Lures let you cover water and find active fish, especially on milder days and in clearer water. Always use a wire trace.

Livebaiting is where the rules matter most. In England, the national byelaws allow live bait only if you catch the bait fish at, and only use them in, the water you're fishing. Moving fish between waters needs written permission from the Environment Agency. Some local byelaws ban livebaiting, and many fisheries ban it in their own rules, so check first.

Tackle for safe pike fishing

The Pike Anglers' Club's basic leaflet sets out a sensible minimum kit list:

• A large landing net, at least a 42-inch triangle or an oval net of similar size.
• A large unhooking mat or cradle, and a weigh sling.
• Long forceps or long-nose pliers, at least 10 inches long, plus long-reach wire cutters.
• A wire trace of at least 30lb and 18 inches or longer for bait fishing. The club does not endorse mono or fluorocarbon traces.
• Proper bite indication: a float, a drop-off indicator or a bite alarm you can hear.
• Semi-barbless or crushed-barb hooks in sizes 4 to 6.

Unhooking and handling

Strike every run straight away. You might miss the odd one, but the Pike Anglers' Club warns that a delayed strike risks a deep-hooked pike, which can die.

To unhook, lay the pike on its back on the mat, never on bare ground, and kneel over it gently to keep it still. Slide your fingers in under the gill cover to hold the lower jaw firmly, keeping well clear of the delicate gill rakers. The mouth opens and you can work the hooks out with forceps. Never use a gag or lip-grip tool, and weigh the fish in a sling. Support it in the water until it swims off strongly. Our catch and release guide covers the basics for every species.

Staying safe on cold banks

• Never walk on frozen water. RLSS UK warns that ice may look solid but will not hold your weight.
• Wear non-slip boots and a flotation vest. RLSS UK warns that flooded wellies or waders make it very hard to move if you fall in.
• Don't fish alone if you can help it, and tell someone where you're going.
• Take care on slippery banks and towpaths, especially beside rivers in flood.

Licences and rules

In England and Wales you need an Environment Agency rod licence to fish from the age of 13. Children under 13 don't need one, and licences for 13 to 16 year olds are free. Fishing without one can bring a fine of up to £2,500. You also need permission to fish the water, such as a day ticket or club book.

On rivers in England, the coarse close season runs from 15 March to 15 June and applies to pike. The national byelaws allow you to take one pike of up to 65cm a day from rivers, but most pike anglers return every fish.

How CastLog helps on cold days

Good winter pike days can seem to come from nowhere. They usually don't. Photograph a pike in CastLog and it names the species, estimates the size, and logs the spot, weather, pressure trend and river level with the catch. After a winter you can look back and see which kinds of cold day actually produced on your water. Before you set off, check the fishing conditions for your nearest town, and read up on how barometric pressure affects the bite.

Questions

Is pike fishing better in winter?

For most UK anglers, yes. Pike handle being caught far better in cold water, and the Pike Anglers' Club advises not fishing for them at 18°C or warmer. Prey fish also shoal up in winter, so pike are easier to find.

What is the best bait for pike in the UK?

In winter, sea deadbaits such as mackerel, herring, sardines and sprats. They're easy to buy frozen and fish well on the bottom when pike are slow. Lures work on milder days.

Do I need a licence to fish for pike?

In England and Wales, yes, from the age of 13. You need an Environment Agency rod licence, which is free for 13 to 16 year olds, plus permission to fish the water itself.