korum makes it easy to enjoy pike fishing
The Snapper Cult Deadbait rod and the kit to go with it are a joy to use for predators
T’S fair to say that when it comes to fishing for pike I’m about as out of place as a wire trace in a winder box full of silver fish rigs.
as a match angler, after donkey’s years of trying to avoid the toothy roach-snatching critters, it’s my considered opinion that all you need do to catch a pike is fire out some maggots and wait for one to turn up and ruin your swim.
The sound of bronzes sprinkling over the water seems to work in a very similar way to summoning the kraken. Hey presto! esox appears and proceeds to chow down on anything and everything you might happen to be catching.
and there you go – pike fishing sorted! Thousands of matchmen will tell you that my version of things is not far from the truth.
Luckily, though, i do know someone who knows all about ‘proper’ pike fishing – the Uk’s most successful specimen angler and double Drennan Cup winner Dia gribble. He’s slipped the net cord under many of the biggest fish (pike included) in the country.
a hastily arranged meeting saw me pulling up alongside one of Dai’s favourite big-fish haunts, the picture postcard Copmere Lake near eccleshall, staffs. Focus of the day would be the latest 12ft two-piece 3.25lb korum snapper Cult Deadbait rods. These will cast deadbaits to the horizon, yet have an action sufficiently forgiving to avoid hook-pulls on a short line.
They look the part, too, boasting a full cork handle with a secure screw-down carbon inlayed reel seat. The blanks have ceramiclined, braid-friendly guides throughout, and korum has gone for anti-frap tip and butt rings, a wise move indeed.
“When you need to cast a big deadbait a long way you’ll appreciate the poke of this rod”
So after a quick tutorial from Dai on drop-off indicators, leads, rigs, and the correct way to mount a smelt deadbait (yes, they do smell of cucumber), I was in business.
If, like me, you have little idea about pike fishing but fancy giving it a go, the Snapper range of deadbait kit is pretty much foolproof to set up. Anyway, with Dai’s experience, it wasn’t long before the drop-off signalled the first run of the day, which turned out to be a spirited scraper double.
The rod, which is quite stiff, does indeed have just about enough softness at the tip to make playing a fish an enjoyable experience but, as Dai was quick to point out, there are times when you’ll need to cast a big deadbait a long way, and that’s when you’ll appreciate the poke of this 12ft Snapper Cult Deadbait rod. Price: £64.99