Experimenting with circle hooks for a second time and a guest appearance

A week later and time to try dead baits on circle hooks for pike a second time. I caught no monsters but the two jacks I had caught were both perfectly hooked once again. A surprise meet as Brian Durkin popped over to say hi. He had a jack out in 20 minutes of being there. Later on as I began to pack up I could hear he was in again. It was only the fish I had the week previous with the big scar. Quickly unhooked and she was being released once again. Really great to see the smile on Brian’s face catching a nice fish 👍

[@Noname-dd6ly]

Well done one time again Steve!.A circle hook is still much more effective than any triple hook on the market and is 100 times more fish friendly. Hats off to you!

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Ta muchly, definitely feeling the love for the circle hook mate 👍

[@steventyreman3642]

Nice to see how you cared for thzt fish,,,well done ✔ 😊

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Thank you 👍

[@baldvale5418]

Top story about Brian, it's blokes like him that have inspired blokes like you who are in-turn inspiring us today ; )

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Spot on, apart from Des Taylor and Matt Hayes there’s a few around but the two that always spring to mind are Brian and s chap called Bill Rowley. They really know there stuff and always shilling to help you with knowledge 👍

[@beautifulfishing]

Best pike fishing video I’ve watched in a while. You’re an awesome angler 👍🏻🎣

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Your too kind, thank you very much 👍

[@ChrisSmith-eu5nm]

Superb video Steve and best regards to you and Brian excellent fish handling and care 💯👍

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Thanks Chris 👍 I’m well chuffed the circle hooks seem to be working

[@robxiixiix4834]

Big bri! Pike master. Circle hooks are the way forward Steve for sure 👍

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Local pike master isn’t he mate, Zander and now eel too 😂😂 Yes, I think I may be converted 👍

[@richswain7154]

Great upload, thanks Steve. One thing to nite with circles, never strike, always tighten. The hook is designed from prehistoric relics discovered, so ours, with a bit of engineering, generally, hook in the scissor. I love the care you display to fish husbandry, respect Steve. Rich

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Ahh cheers mate, it is hard to rewire the old brain not to strike. I’m definitely loving the circle hook so far

[@johnfrisby8654]

Nice informative video Steve. defo helping me to catch more Pike.. Many thanks John

[@BlackCountryPiker]

That’s great news John, thank you 👍

[@jmpikefishing3363]

Great video mate nice session there and great to see Brian doing his thing to 🐊🎣

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Cheers mucka, it’s always good to see another angler catch. Especially the nice guys 👍

[@LondonPredatorAngler]

Good to see you bait fishing Steve, nice one pal :)

[@BlackCountryPiker]

I know right! 😂😂 cheers Barrie, hope you are. well 👍

[@briandurkin586]

Great to meet up steve. Have to do it again soon

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Definitely Brian, colder snaps finally moving in so should be good 👍

[@fredpalin7209]

i think it’s about time you come down south wales again autumn bites are good big fish being caught on dead bait and lure some old chap had 8 on Tuesday a lovely 15lb too

[@BlackCountryPiker]

I’d love to mate but it’s nearly a 4hr drive each way to Pembrokeshire 😬 My family and I love it there but only tend to get down in summer time. Only fished bosherton to be fair

[@fredpalin7209]

@@BlackCountryPiker shame that last time you where down i must have missed you by a day or so, would have been quite funny to bump into you at bosh 😂

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Lovely venue

[@fredpalin7209]

@@BlackCountryPiker indeed slightly polluted now though

[@darrenbeechall1830]

Good stuff mate 👍

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Thanks Darren 👍

[@Vincentdonnelly5158]

What a miserable start and then treating sun comes out and you have a great day brilliant.

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Spot on Vincent, I could have caught a tan at times 😂😂

[@jamiewalters7750]

Nicely done Steve 👍 there's a couple of really good carp care products on the market that i advocate, petroleum jelly based, like yours for the treatment of ulcers. Don't really know why so many carp suffer this problem. My opinion is that too heavily selective breeding plays a role. Anyways a good day fishing for you, well done lad 👍

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Cheers Jamie, I was using a propolis bee based treatment before which when water goes over the solution hardens off sealing the wound but I ran out

[@smiffywildlife]

Awesome Steve. You seem to be getting to like the circle hooks !! When you say size 4, are you referring to 4/0 ?? I'm using circle hooks for my dead bait fishing on the canal, I like the fact that no strike is necessary, just tightened up, and hopefully, fish on !! Thank you for sharing as always. Phil

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Thanks Phil, yes I am referring to a 4/0 👍 It’s still hard not to strike but great results

[@smiffywildlife]

Black Country Piker . Yes, I agree, not striking to set the hook does take some getting used to 👍

[@ryandigings7335]

Good video this mate! I've had limited success with the circles, and always wonder if I've lost a PB etc. due to them so don't rely on them too much but need to give them another go! It's remembering to just wind I guess?

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Thank you 👍. I’m sure I have dropped runs to come Ryan but definitely hard to stop yourself striking isn’t it. I’m reeling in until I feel the weight then strike slightly to hopefully secure the hook set

[@new-beginnings-fishing]

Well done mate another great video I'm hoping to do some pike fishing my self in next few days.. Keep it up mate

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Thank you very much, good luck on your trip 👍

[@craigpalmer7002]

Nice video Steve you’ve been on the river a lot lately 🎣😎I see you and Brian using the shimano 10000’s I stripped my old carp line off, then spooled up with 40lb braid cracking reels what line do you use on yours?

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Cheers Craig, mine is the old shimano ST6000RB I think and loaded with 60lb E-Sox Piker Braid. Brian’s reels are the 10000’s but not sure if they are GTE’s

[@craigpalmer7002]

@@BlackCountryPiker they work brilliant was my old carp reels wasn’t sure what braid to get for them so went with 40lb there only for deadbaiting them reels . Caught a 11lb pike on them so was the right choice of braid anyway keep up the good work . I’m hoping for a 20lb this season it’s croctober 🐊🐊

[@BlackCountryPiker]

@@craigpalmer7002 you and me both 😂😂 I use 60lb so the braid is strong enough to pull out of snags. This came in use the week before last as I snagged a circle hook up on a tree on the bottom. Straightened the hook out and got everything back 👍

[@craigpalmer7002]

@@BlackCountryPiker good luck with that Steve 🤞🏻and yeah if I have problems I will try 60lb cheers again 🎣😎

[@patrickyte6281]

Well done - good video. I'm going to have to make some circle hook rigs and try them. I have some 5/0 circle hooks that I bought for tope fishing. I will try them. Thank you for the idea, they certainly are a lot more pike friendly. Have you tried them for the zander on the Severn?

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Thank you Patric, I’ve used them Zander on canals but I’ve yet to invest time finding them on the Severn to go for. I believe they are from Tewksbury down and lower Avon? Definitely something I want to do for the big Zander. My largest so far is only 4lb11oz

[@raymondthompson2908]

Hi Steve. Another great video. Out of interest, what product did you use to stop the rain, and is it available on eBay? It seemed to work well, and I'd love to get some. Many thanks. Raymondo

[@johndingwall1210]

I am going to change to circle hooks when deadbaiting after watching this . I use them when beach fishing especially when flatfish are the target as they are prone to deep hooking .

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Nice one John, I’ve not done enough yet to have the experience to say it’s the best option. However, the few times I have used them it’s given me great results so far 👍

[@steventyreman3642]

Size 1,0 for flatties,,, there brilliant,no deep hooking

[@michaelbellamy]

Thanks. Great video. I'd like to start using circle hooks but I'm unsure where to put the hook in the deadbait. Where do you place yours?

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Hi Michael, it depends on the size of bait. A normal size smelt I hooked through the back in the middle of the body. I also hooked one under the chin and out the top of the head.

[@Henrz999]

What wire trace do you use when using lures? I seem to go through so many & lost a few lures from them snapping

[@BlackCountryPiker]

I always use a strength of wire trace that matches my braid. They are all around 18-20inches long so if it wraps around the fishes head it should still be wire trace in the mouth and not braid. Never buy those awful short traces from a local tackle shop. They are no good! And you will most probably get bitten off due to how short they are. One brand is knot2kinky, search on eBay. Also Ian Clarke on Facebook in the predator pages makes some great ones too 👍

[@Henrz999]

@@BlackCountryPiker Thank you mate, I’ll give them a go! Went fishing this morning and had 2, 1 being my first double.. lost a lure but worth it lol Keep up the good work! Cheers

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Ahh no way! What a bummer. Cheers 👍

[@bill0273]

The amount of pike I've hooked and lost on both trebles and circle hooks 😪😪

[@BlackCountryPiker]

I’ve lost plenty of Zander to circle hooks but not so many pike. Hopefully I can keep the pike run that way and improve on my Zander hook up rate 🤞

[@anglerwebb]

Pike fishing seems to have become a sport where experienced people get criticised by inexperienced anglers who just go by first opinion and only believe that. You know what you’re doing you shouldn’t need to explain why your rig won’t deep hook as people have been using that for years. Just inexperienced people not knowing ins and outs of rigs etc

[@BlackCountryPiker]

Cheers matey, just felt the need to point out the obvious but yeah you are right 😂