Darren Starkey runs through a highly mobile approach that’ll put more pike on the bank in the depths of winter
When temperatures plummet, many pike anglers ditch the lure rods and delve into the freezer for a few deadbaits.
But there’s still sport to be had on artificial baits, provided you tweak your approach accordingly to suit the fish’s activity levels, says lure ace and angling guide, Darren Starkey. He’s a huge fan of this style of fishing, and has caught some cracking predators using the tactic over the years.
READ THIS ARTICLE BEFORE GOING PIKE FISHING TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN RETURN THEM SAFELY!
“When it gets really cold, pike become less active, and are therefore less likely to chase a lure,” he explained. “As a result, many anglers switch to deadbaiting. I often do it myself, but I don’t totally neglect the lures. Fishing them not only allows you to cover more water, but because it’s far more active, it’s also a great way to try to stay warm!”
We recently joined Darren on the banks of a Mirfield AC stretch of the River Calder, in far from ideal conditions. A dusting of snow lay on the ground, a biting wind blew, and the river was running low and clear. But by selecting the right lures and fishing them correctly, Darren demonstrated a tactic that’ll work on all venues.
Pick the right pattern
Anyone who’s done a bit of lure fishing will know the difference your retrieve makes, and when it’s cold, Darren likes to slow things right down.
“With the fish relatively inactive, I don’t rip the lure back to me – instead, I go for a slow and steady retrieve,” he said. “But if you want to fish this way, it’s crucial that you’re using a pattern that’ll be working correctly, and my current favourites are Rapala’s Soft Olio lures. These have large tails that twist and flutter enticingly, even when they’re being cranked back really slowly.”
The Olios come in a range of colours, and on this bitterly cold day, Darren picked one in a pinkish colour, named Live Rainbow Trout.
“The main silverfish species in this stretch of the Calder are roach, and although this pattern doesn’t resemble one, I feel its vibrant colours catch the pike’s attention and force it to make a decision,” he revealed. “I carry them in other colours, too, and will alternate between them throughout the day.”
Lure size is an area of debate, but Darren doesn’t shy away from large patterns.
“Predators are greedy, and I’ve had both pike and perch engulf lures that are almost the same size as themselves!” he said. “I don’t think the fish are always trying to ‘eat’ them – they could just be attacking them instinctively. I still carry a range of sizes, but I’d urge you to not be afraid to chuck out something big!”
Keep on moving...
While Darren’s retrieve is slow, the rest of his approach certainly isn’t.
“If there’s a pike present, you’ll often know in the first few casts, so there’s no point sitting in a swim and flogging it to death,” he told us. “Search the water in a ‘fan’ pattern, working from one side to the other and covering the water effectively. Don’t rush, and concentrate on retrieving the lure at the right pace.”
Darren will also explore features, and will generally let the lure sink down close to, or near, the bottom before he starts his retrieve.
“One mistake I see lots of clients make is lifting the lure out of the water too quickly,” he added. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a fish follow it right the way to the bank before it’s hit at my feet. So, work the lure into the edge and even try dragging it left and right slightly. Of course, if the margins are really shallow then there’s little point in doing this.”
Once he’s given a swim a quick going-over, Darren reels in and gets on the move.
“I travel light, carrying a shoulder pack with all the tackle and unhooking kit I need,” he said. “This includes a pair of wire cutters, which can be vital pieces of kit when unhooking a fish.
“They’re so important that, if I get to the bank and realise I’ve forgotten them, I won’t make a cast until I’ve gone home and got them!”
USING ONE OF THE BEST SPINNING REELS WILL MAKE CASTING AND REELING IN ALL DAY MUCH EASIER.
Putting it into practice
On the day we joined him, Darren started by walking upstream, but headed straight past plenty of swims that certainly seemed to tick all the boxes.
“Before heading out today, I spoke to one of the local match anglers who told me of a few pegs where competitors had been having issues with pike,” he revealed.
“Such information is gold dust, particularly at this time of year, when the river seems lifeless. These are not the only spots I’ll fish – I’ll investigate some of the other swims on the way back – but I’d advise anyone to check match results and speak to anglers who target silverfish before heading out.”
Interestingly, the spot recommended to Darren was one you’d hardly run to get to. Compared to the rest of the stretch, it was featureless, although it sat immediately after a slow bend in the river.
It didn’t take long for the advice to pay off, as on Darren’s third cast he landed a small ‘jack’ that hit the lure close to the bank.
“For the size of fish, this Olio pattern is huge! But he’s nailed it!” Darren grinned.
After a few more casts with little more action, Darren walked a few pegs upstream to another spot where match anglers had encountered pike. This was a much more typical area for predators, with large trees overhanging the far bank. Casting across, it wasn’t long before Darren had a solid ‘bump’ on the lure.
“When that happens, I’ll have a quick recast to the same spot. Sometimes, the fish will take it right away, but if not, I’ll cast elsewhere for a few minutes before trying again,” he said.
With no bite forthcoming on his second attempt, Darren searched the rest of the swim before casting the lure to the hotspot again. After a few turns of the reel, the fish struck, and a few minutes later a slightly larger pike of around 6lb lay in the landing net.
“Both pike today have come while making a very slow retrieve, and both hit a relatively large lure,” he said.
“It just goes to show that the tactic certainly still works, even on freezing cold days like today. You’ve just got to be patient, slow down your retrieve, and use a pattern that works. The fish are certainly there to be had.”
Darren's top 5 tackle tips
USE HEAVY BRAID – “I use 60lb Sufix braid – not because I’m afraid of losing fish, but so I have a good chance of being able to pull a snagged lure free. If I’m in a particularly snaggy area, I’ll use a slightly finer wire hook, so that if it gets snagged I can straighten it out and get the lure back.”
ADD SOME BRIGHT FLOAT STOPS – “A few feet above my lure I add bright float stops to the line. These let me know when the lure’s nearing the bank in coloured water and ensure I don’t accidentally lift it out too quickly.”
GO ‘WEEDLESS’ – “You generally want to be fishing close to the bottom at this time of year. If you’re picking up lots of debris, rig the lure ‘weedless’, with the hooks on top . This way, you’ll fish far more effectively.”
VARY THE WEIGHT – “When retrieving slowly, it’s crucial to use the right weight of lure. If it’s too heavy, it’ll be dragging along the bottom, which you don’t want. I use VMC’s Refill Weights to vary the depth my lure is working at.”
TRY A HARDBAIT – “While it was soft plastics that worked for me on this session, hard baits produce too. Rapala’s Shad Rap and Super Shadow Rap Glide are favourites of mine. They both have an incredible action!”
