Coarse Fish
Pike Fishing: Complete UK Guide
Pike are the UK’s ultimate freshwater predator: powerful, aggressive, and found in every kind of water from canals to lochs. Deadbaiting and lure fishing are the two main methods, and safe unhooking is essential with these toothy fish.
Quick Facts
Average Weight
5-15lb
UK Record
47lb 5oz, Lloyd Watson, Chew Valley Lake, 2024 (source: British Record Fish Committee list)
Best Season
October–March
Habitat
Lakes, rivers, canals, lochs, reservoirs
Difficulty
Intermediate
Best Bait
Deadbaits (smelt, mackerel), lures, soft plastics
Step-by-Step
How to Catch Pike
A practical guide for weekend anglers: from choosing your method to landing your catch.
- 1
Choose your method
Deadbaiting is the traditional approach: a smelt or mackerel fished on the bottom or under a float. Lure fishing with soft plastics and jerkbaits is the modern method.
- 2
Always use a wire trace
This is non-negotiable. Pike have razor-sharp teeth and will bite through monofilament instantly. Use a minimum 30lb wire trace on every rig.
- 3
Set up your tackle
Deadbaiting: 12ft, 2.75-3.5lb TC rod. Lure fishing: 7-9ft casting rod, 40-80g. Both: 4000-6000 reel with 30lb+ braid.
- 4
Find the right spots
Pike ambush prey near features: reed beds, fallen trees, bridge supports, and drop-offs. In winter they move to deeper water.
- 5
Unhook safely
Lay the pike on a wet unhooking mat. Use long-nose forceps. Never lift a pike by the eye sockets or gill filaments. Handle with care and return quickly.
- 6
Time your session right
Pike feed in spells. Dawn, dusk and a change in conditions, such as a drop in pressure or coloured floodwater, often switch them on. Stay mobile and try several swims rather than sitting on one spot all day.
Where to Fish
Best Spots for Pike
Top UK venues and regions for this species.
Know the Rules
Pike Fishing Rules & Regulations
The statutory rules for pike fishing in the UK. Rules change, always confirm against the official source below before you fish.
| Licence | Environment Agency rod licence required from age 13 (England & Wales); Scotland has no national rod licence but you still need the fishery's permission. |
|---|---|
| Close season | Rivers, streams and drains in England and Wales are closed 15 March to 15 June inclusive; most stillwaters and canals stay open, check your fishery. |
| Minimum size | No national figure, see the official regulations for your water. |
| Daily limit | No national figure, see the official regulations for your water. |
| Also note | Most fisheries require pike to be returned immediately; a wire trace is essential to avoid leaving hooks in fish. |
Rules checked 19 August 2026 against Environment Agency, freshwater rod fishing rules (GOV.UK). Guide last reviewed 6 July 2026.
When to Fish
Pike Fishing Season
Month-by-month guide showing the best times to target this species. On rivers in England and Wales the statutory coarse close season runs 15 March to 15 June, ratings in that window apply to stillwaters and canals, which stay open on most fisheries.
Right now (Aug): Fair for pike.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Rivers closed*
Apr
Rivers closed*
May
Rivers closed*
Jun
Rivers closed*
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
* Rivers closed 15 Mar–15 Jun (England & Wales); most stillwaters and canals stay open, check your fishery.
Where to catch pike in the UK
277 venues in our directory are confirmed to hold pike. Find pike fishing near you: top regions by venue count below, or open any venue page for details and pricing.
South East England
73 venues- Sutton at Hone LakesSutton-at-Hone, Kent · DA4 9HQ
- Greens FarmNewdigate, Surrey · RH5 5BE
- Alderwood PondsSteyning, West Sussex · BN44 3AB
- Bembridge Angling ClubSt Helens, Isle of Wight · PO33 1YU
- Braybrooke Community Nature and Fishing ClubBracknell, Bracknell Forest · RG42 2LP
East of England
44 venues- Barford LakesNorwich, Norfolk · NR9 4BJ
- Brookhall LakeTolleshunt Knights, Essex · CO5 0RN
- Carpenders Park Angling ClubBatchworth, Hertfordshire · WD18 9QQ
- Catch 22 Fishing CentreNorwich, Norfolk · NR9 5BQ
- Creeting LakesCreeting St. Peter or West Creeting, Suffolk · IP14 5BW
South West England
39 venues- Bibury Trout FarmBibury, Gloucestershire · GL7 5NF
- Bratton Fly FisheryBratton Fleming, Devon · EX31 4TF
- Century PondsKeynsham, Bath and North East Somerset · BS31 2EB
- Coking Farm FisheryWest Stour, Dorset · SP8 5SF
- Innis Fish: Trout Farm and Fly FisheryTreverbyn, Cornwall · PL26 8YH
Frequently Asked Questions About Pike Fishing
GilledIt's directory lists 277 venues in the UK confirmed to hold pike. Use the venue finder to enter your postcode or share your location and you will get the closest waters ranked by distance, or browse the region lists on this page.
Deadbaits are the most popular pike bait in the UK. Smelt is the #1 choice, followed by mackerel, lamprey, and sardine. For lure fishing, paddle tail soft plastics and jerkbaits are most effective.
Yes, this is non-negotiable. Pike have razor-sharp teeth and will bite through monofilament or braid instantly. Use a minimum 30lb wire trace on every rig.
47lb 5oz, caught by Lloyd Watson from Chew Valley Lake, Somerset, in 2024.
October to March is traditional pike season. Winter is the peak, with pike at their heaviest before spawning.
Paddle tail soft plastics (15-20cm), jerkbaits, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits. Natural colours for clear water, firetiger for murky.
The Norfolk Broads, Chew Valley Lake in Somerset, Loch Lomond in Scotland, and the Fenland drains are outstanding pike waters.
Lay the pike on a wet unhooking mat. Open the gill cover and use long-nose forceps to remove hooks. If deeply hooked, use wire cutters.
Technically yes, but it is rarely done in the UK. Pike are almost universally returned alive. They are an apex predator vital to the ecosystem.
Both half and whole baits work. A whole smelt, sardine or a mackerel tail on a two-treble snap tackle is a reliable starting point. Don’t be afraid to use a big bait if you are targeting a big pike.
As water cools, pike follow prey into deeper, slower water: deep holes, marina basins, the downstream end of weirpools and the deepest sections of canals and drains.
A 12ft 2.75lb test-curve rod, a 4000-6000 reel loaded with 30lb braid or 15lb mono, wire traces, semi-barbless trebles, a large landing net, forceps, wire cutters and an unhooking mat will cover most situations.
Log your pike catches in GilledIt
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