Pike & Zander End Tackle

End Tackle covers items that are essential for a session on the bank. The intention is to make aware of the need for good end tackle to ensure the safety of your intended quarry.

I tend to stick to the tried and tested Berkley Big Game line in both Brown and Green colours, anglers I have spoken too have said this particular line is bad for line twist but I have had no problems with it providing you load it onto the reel spool in the direction of the line coming off the line spool. This ensures minimal twist to the line and goes on the spool nice and tight. Another tip I use is to tippex on the inside of the reel spool the breaking strain of the line in case of the need to fast change to suit particular circumstances, see here.

Line breaking strains are dictated by the type of fishing encountered. For Zander fishing I tend to use 10lb strength, for Pike use a main line of 12lb minimum breaking strain, I tend to use this for short distance casting and Lure fishing, in the Winter period and for heavy bait casting I go up to the 15lb strength.

Diawa Emblem ST 5000T reels complete with baitrunner conversions. These reels have very good casting ability which comes from the high capacity tapered spools with excellent line lay, vital on reservoirs, big pits and the colossal European venues where distance can be crucial to reach feeding fish. Precision engineering gives a super smooth ball bearing operation and massive winding power to deal with repeated casting and retrieving of heavy semi-fixed rigs. Twinned with a sensitive multi disc drag to dominate protracted fights with powerful fighting fish. The Emblem ST range are the equal of huge carp, catfish and Pike. Features : Twist Buster bale arm roller eliminates up to 90 per cent of line twist. Gyrospin gives perfect rotor balance. Superb line lay from Worm gear oscillation. Super smooth ten washer front drag. Spring loaded line guard. One touch ambidextrous folding handle.

Probably the best Multiplier reel on the market today and has been for a number of years now, the Abu 6501 Ambassadeur. An excellent reel for Lure fishing and fishing of boats, it has excellent line lay and drag properties. This particular reel does require some getting used too though because, anglers who are used to baitrunners find the drag properties of these reels a bit cumbersome, also upon casting it is important to feather the cast as it hits the water, as a common inexperienced angler has found to their cost with what is known as a Birds Nest, which means the line on the spool ends up in a complete tangle.

Braids, I have only used two, the Spider Wire and Herculine type and have found them to be very good. I tend only to use braids for drifter fishing which I have found very good for picking up line at distance. With mono type line there is a great deal of line stretch and when striking it takes a tremendous strike to pick up 100 yards of line to pull the hook home into the hard jaws of the Pike.

My wire traces tend to be the Middy Tec Core in 15lb breaking strain for Zander as it is supple and 20-25lb for Pike in the Berkley Uncoated steelstrand wire, most of my traces are twisted, sometimes I do crimp them but only for Zander. Use a minimum length of 18 inch for bait and lure fishing. When paternostering or suspending a bait, use a wire uptrace at least 4 inch longer than the main trace. Traces should be checked regularly for kinking or fraying, and disposed off safely if it occurs. Nylon-covered wire if you use it, can quickly deteriorate and should be safely discarded after each session.

Hooks, I use barbless or semi-barbless type hooks, the ones I stick with are the Partridge hooks, the sizes used, depend on the Quarry and type of baits used. Preferably they should be of the smallest sizes (6, 8, 10) consistent with the safe landing and handling of the fish. Hooks are the vital link between fish and fishermen. The hook performance directly relates to fishing success. They're the least expensive part of the fisherman's equipment, yet in many respects they are the most important. The lure or bait attracts the fish, but it's the hook that penetrates the tissue of the fish's mouth, holds the fish during the fight, and delivers the fish to the bank.

Line and snap-tackle. Your reel line should be either 10, 12 or 15lb breaking strain. They must be connected by a swivel to approx 18-20 inch multi-strand wire trace of around 20 - 25lb test. Pike bite through normal line, and are then left with the treble hooks in their mouths. Attach the deadbait to the line by using two size 6 or 8 treble hooks connected together by 4 inch of the wire trace. Attach the bait whether it be a sea or coarse fish bait to the two hooks. To make sure the bait is attached securely, or are casting a long way, then you can tie the fish to the snap-tackle rig around its tail. Pike usually swallow whole fish head first, so keep the hooks as far back, near to the tail, as possible. This method means the pike is less likely to swallow the hooks deeply. A deep-hooked pike is a dead pike unless you can get the hooks out very carefully. Ideally, with barbed treble hooks, you should leave the barb on the point which you stick into the deadbait and file or squash the barbs on the other two points with some pliers. It makes them easier to unhook, and they suffer less damage if they swallow the bait deeply. The occasional fish throwing your hooks is a small price to pay for using barbless hooks.

Steelstrand Uncoated Wire made by Berkley is one of my favourites for Pike fishing but tend to use Middy Tec Core lines for Zander fishing. If you're keen on fishing for predators you'll almost invariably need a good trace wire, so a few hints and tips about wires and other trace-end tackle. A typical trace will have at least one swivel, usually at the main line end, and this is when the first problem arises: how to choose and tie the best knot for joining your main line to a swivel. Whether you are using mono or braid, a Palomar is my choice, the Uni-Knot is also popular with some anglers. My methods here are twisting or crimping, but bear in mind that twisting and kinking will weaken any wire, irrespective of some manufacturers' claims. If you do decide to crimp together then do not over-crimp by exerting too much pressure. The correct crimping tool is much better than a pair of pliers. I still prefer to twist my lines.

Split-Rings, I prefer to use strong Berkley type split-rings, over the years I have had hardly any problems at all with them, as far as quick changing goes when using lures, these are my preferred method.

What's the logic behind spending loads of money on your rod, reel, main line, baits or lures, if you neglect that most critical links, your trace-end tackle?

All these items of tackle need to be organised in a quality tackle box like this Flambeau Fishing Tackle Box, and need to be sorted properly for quick changing.