INTRODUCTION
I suppose
what this book boils down to is a look at the way I view pike fishing with lures
today. Hence the "Modern Approach". It is not the only way to go about
things, but it is the best. I say that for I sincerely believe that the
lures and techniques I use these days catch me more and bigger pike, and with
greater regularity, than any I have used in the past. I don't claim to have
originated this approach, nor to be the only one to use it, but I do know that
it works. And it works well.
I can't deny the American influence,
which has been strong on everyone who has watched U.S. pike and musky videos.
However, this has only provided a springboard for us to leap from. In the
past American bass techniques and tackle had been used by some almost as if worshipping
at some holy shrine. This had little to do with our pike fishing though,
or even the American's, as these videos have so clearly shown - and as I explain
elsewhere. I still have my reservations about certain American concepts,
and would urge anyone watching U.S. videos too do so with an open mind.
One thing that has put a lot of pike anglers off lure fishing in the
past is the impression that it is a small fish method. I know that people
like Gord Burton have been saying that lures are good catchers of big pike for
twenty years or more. But not many have listened, even though he has shouted
loud enough! Provided that big pike are present, they can be caught on lures.
The key is to believe that they can. As you read on you will gain that faith.
Lure fishing is not just about big fish, but I am sure that most pike anglers
would like to catch them more often! Please don't think that that is what
this book is all about, for like most of you I spend more time catching small
fish than I do big ones, and I enjoy it all.
But back to the book.
I hope that I have achieved my aim of making it an informative and practical guide.
With luck the text progresses in a logical manner, covering the whys, hows, wheres
and whens of pike fishing with lures. I have tried to make things as comprehensive
as possible. Even so, I am sure to have omitted one or two points that should
have been covered. Another problem when writing a book about lure fishing
is that tackle and lures are constantly being developed. Still, I think
things are reasonably up to date.
Finally, a word on the photographs.
While some of the lures pictured are battered, others might look untouched but
have actually caught fish. One or two lures have been shown simply for the
purpose of illustration. I have tried my best to include a picture of every
lure mentioned in the text - I hope I haven't missed too many out. All the
pike shown have been caught on the lures mentioned and in the manner described,
and none have been re-hooked for the photographs. If the quality of some
of the trophy shots leaves a little to be desired, this is quite simply
down to the fact that I often fish alone, and always put the pike's welfare before
the desire for superb photos.
David Lumb
March 1996
Introduction
to the CD Edition
Pike
Fishing with Lures has been out of print for
some years now, yet I still get asked for copies. So, rather than reprint a book
that is now a little dated, and with most people now having access to a computer,
I decided the simplest answer was to put the book onto a CD-ROM.
Like
all angling books that discuss tactics and tackle Pike Fishing with Lures
is very much of its time, yet the overall tenets still hold good: that lures catch
big pike; that bigger lures are better for that than smaller ones; that baitcasting
tackle is best for fishing those lures. Even now Pike Fishing with Lures
will provide a newcomer to this side of pike or lure fishing with a sound footing.
This CD-ROM edition of Pike Fishing with Lures operates in
a web browser just like an on-line website. To visit each chapter simply go to
the Contents page and click on the chapter title
of your choice. At the end of each chapter there is a link to the next one so
you can read the whole 'book' from start to finish if you wish. Each page contains
links to return you here or to the Contents
page.
The
only revisions to the text of the original paperback edition for this CD-ROM edition
are the inclusion of two missing parts of paragraphs, improved spell checking
and the removal of now out of date contact information in the appendices. As a
result some information, particularly regarding the availability of certain tackle
or lures, is now out of date. Currently active on-line contacts have replaced
certain contact addresses - to visit them simply connect to the internet and click
the relevant links.
Wherever possible the original photographs have
been scanned and appear in colour. However, most of the original lure photographs,
and some others, have been lost and have therefore had to be scanned from a copy
of the book - which is why they appear in poor quality black and white.
David Lumb
March 2004
Introduction
to the On-Line Edition
What
you see here is essentially the CD edition with updated links to external sites.
The text has not been altered again and so is even more out of date in places!
More
recent writings can be found in the Articles
section of dlst.co.uk.
David
Lumb
May 2009
