How to tie

What you need

• Pike float — sliding or fixed, 10–20 g depending on bait and conditions.
• Float stop / bead / bead-and-swivel setup for a sliding float.
• Strong main line, 15–20 lb mono or 30–50 lb braid.
• 20 lb+ wire trace, 18–24 inches long, with two semi-barbed trebles (size 6 or 8).
• Running lead — a barrel or in-line bomb of 1–2 oz.
• Bait clip and treble baiting needle.

Tying it

1. Thread the float onto the main line. For a sliding float, add a stop knot above the depth you want to fish — set so the bait hovers 6–12 inches above the bottom.
2. Thread a bead, then the running lead, then a second bead. The lead must slide freely against a hard stop at the bottom.
3. Tie a strong swivel to the end of the main line — this is the hard stop the lead sits against and the attachment point for the trace.
4. Clip the wire trace to the swivel. The two trebles on the trace are positioned 2–3 inches apart; the lead treble (closest to the swivel) pins through the bait's flank, the top treble pins through the wrist of the tail.
5. Hook the bait so it hangs naturally head-down — pike eat their prey head-first, so a head-down presentation reduces deep-hooked fish on the strike.

Tuning

Always use barbless or semi-barbed trebles — debarb with pliers if you only have barbed ones. Long-handled forceps and a 30 cm pair of side cutters live in the unhooking kit; never go pike fishing without them.