Paul the Pike

Where to Go

Fish the cover, not empty water. Pike sit where they can ambush: rush beds, lily pads, drop-offs, the first bend, dying weed in autumn.

Open Catch Map — see where members are catching, then pin your own.

Pits and lakes

Windward bank after a blow. The snaggy corner nobody wants to lose a lure in. Boat channels and bars. Walk it, don’t sit in one swim all day unless you’ve seen him.

Canals and drains

Bridges, lock mouths, rush beds, junctions. A spinner past the cover beats a blind chuck down the middle. Watch boat traffic and keep out of the towpath’s way.

Rivers

Slacks behind trees, weir pools (where allowed), the crease between fast and slow. Only in the open season. Wading: know the bed before you step in.