Float Fishing for Pike with Julian Chidgey

When it comes to pike fishing one of the most exciting ways to target these fresh water predators is float fishing. There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of watching your float wobble, dip, and suddenly vanish beneath the surface as a pike takes your bait. Whether you’re exploring a peaceful stillwater or working the margins of a river, this method is highly effective almost anywhere! Let’s dive into everything you need to know about float fishing for pike in the UK.

Table of Contents

A big pike rests in the margin having been caught on a simple float rig.

Why Choose Float Fishing for Pike?

Float fishing is a brilliant technique for several reasons. For starters, it’s versatile—you can fish at different depths and present your bait in areas where pike are likely to ambush prey. I tend to look for marginal slacks, eddies and sections of slower-paced flow on rivers. These places will always hold fish looking for shelter and not far behind will be hungry pike.

It’s a 20! A stunning river pike that tripped up on a trotted bait presented in mid water.

It’s an incredibly visual and engaging method. The float acts as your eyes on the water, providing immediate feedback the moment a pike shows interest in your bait. Whether it wobbles, dips, or suddenly vanishes, the float keeps you connected to the action, adding to the excitement and anticipation.

Finally, float fishing allows you to cover water efficiently. Whether you’re targeting a single spot or letting your float drift to explore different areas, this method helps you cover a lot of ground quickly, increasing your chances of encountering a pike. Unlike static fishing, where you remain in one swim, float fishing provides the flexibility to move between multiple swims in a single session, keeping your approach dynamic and responsive.

Baits can be fished vertically, Rage bait flags add additional attraction.

When and Where to Float Fish for Pike

When’s the Best Time?
The best time to float fish for pike with deadbaits are the cooler months from October to March – this is prime pike fishing season. These predators are most active during autumn and winter, feeding up in preparation for spawning. Early mornings and late afternoons often produce the best results, but pike can strike at any time of day if conditions are right.

Where to Look

Stillwaters: Focus on features like reed beds, drop-offs, and underwater snags. Pike love to hang out in ambush zones.
Rivers: Look for slack water near weirs, deep pools, and bends in the river where pike wait for prey to drift by.
Canals: Marginal vegetation, overhanging trees, and moored boats are classic hotspots.
Showing fish: Quite often ‘bait’ fish will show themselves (usually at first light) and give themselves and the pike’s location away.

The Perfect Float Fishing Setup for Pike

Getting your setup right is key to success. Here’s what you’ll need:

Rod and Reel

A 10-12ft pike rod with a 2.75-3.5lb test curve is ideal for casting heavier floats and handling big fish.
Pair it with a fixed-spool reel loaded with 40lb+ braid.

Fox Rage Stubby Sliders are great for supporting larger baits, a simple bead and braid stop controlling the depth.

The Float
Use predator-specific floats like the Fox Stubby Slider, this will cover your float fishing for pike in almost all circumstances. For windy conditions or large stillwaters, a drift float helps you cover more ground.

Essential Tackle

Wire Trace: Always use a wire trace (minimum 30lb breaking strain) to prevent bite-offs.
Hooks: Size 4-6 barbed or semi-barbless trebles work perfectly for dead or live bait presentations.
Kwik Change Weights: Use kwik change weights or split shot to balance your float.
Crimps: If you’re tying your own traces a crimp kit has all of the essential items you’ll need. Just add a set of crimping pliers and you’re ready to go!
Unhooking tools: Don’t forget unhooking tools such as forceps, long-nose pliers and an unhooking mat are essential for pike fishing safely.

Choosing the Right Bait for Pike

The bait you choose can truly make or break your session. Personally, I rely on deadbaits most of the time—they’re readily available, convenient, and save me the effort of catching livebait. I like to take one or two options with me, something that can be found in the waters I am fishing such as a roach or eel and I’ll also have mackeral or smelt.

Horizontally presented baits are great for twitching through the swim.

However, it’s worth noting that livebaits can often deliver spectacular results, especially when targeting more elusive or wary pike. Both have their place, so it’s all about adapting to the conditions and the pike’s behavior on the day.

Deadbaits
Deadbaits are a staple for pike anglers and work brilliantly through the autumn and winter months. Popular options include:

Mackerel
Sardines
Smelt
Lamprey
Herring

Pro tip: Use oily baits like mackerel or smelt to release a strong scent trail in the water. Some pike anglers will boost their deadbaits with a liquid attractor which they’ll inject with a syringe kit.

Livebaits
Where permitted, livebaits like roach, perch or rudd can produce electrifying takes. Always source livebait ethically and check local rules.

How to Set Up Your Pike Float Rig

Start by threading a float stop onto your mainline.
Then add a bead onto the mainline followed by a pike float of your choosing.
Take a QC (quick change) weight and thread this onto your mainline after the float. Make sure the sleeve end points towards the end of your mainline.
Tie the QC swivel onto the end of your mainline.
Pull the tied-on QC swivel into the QC weight sleeve.
Finally, you can attach the trace to the QC swivel.

Float Fishing for Pike – Components Shopping List

Below, we’ve outlined the essential tackle you’ll need to set up a safe and effective float rig for pike fishing. For many anglers, getting started can feel overwhelming, but we’ve broken it down to make the process simpler and more straightforward.

Float Fishing for Pike Techniques to Try

Static Float Fishing
This is one of the simplest and most effective methods. Cast your bait to a promising spot and let the float settle naturally. In this setup, I typically fish ‘over depth,’ ensuring the bait stays anchored in the target area rather than drifting around the swim. This approach is ideal for keeping the bait in the strike zone.

Use the appropriate weight to match the Float, a quick change link makes it easy to switch traces to suit bait size.

Trotting
When I want to cover multiple swims or target specific features, I’ll often use a ‘trotting’ method. This involves suspending the deadbait off the bottom and letting the natural flow carry it downstream. It’s a highly effective way to explore more water and actively search for pike, rather than waiting for them to find the bait. This approach not only increases your chances of locating active fish but also helps you target areas like drop-offs, weed edges, or submerged snags with precision.

Twitching the Bait
Adding subtle movement to your bait can be a game-changer, enticing curious pike that might otherwise be hesitant. Gently twitch your float to make the bait “dance” in the water, simulating the erratic behavior of prey. This technique often triggers strikes from even the most cautious fish. Whether you’re using deadbait, livebait, or any of the methods mentioned above, incorporating small twitches can make all the difference in enticing a bite from a pike.

How to Handle a Pike Bite

When your float disappears, stay calm and resist the urge to strike straight away. Pike often take a moment to turn the bait in their mouths before committing. Give it a few seconds—count to five—and then strike with confidence to set the hooks firmly. This short delay ensures the pike has fully taken the bait, giving you the best chance of a solid hookup.

Quick Tips for Float Fishing Success

Pre-bait your swim with chopped fish to attract pike.
Vary your depth until you find where the pike are feeding.
Invest in a good pair of polarised sunglasses to spot underwater features.

If presenting a bait overdepth, a few chopped pieces of fish can be loosefeed to attract pike into the swim.

Not just for rivers, the simple float rig was fished overdepth to trip up this reservoir 20.

Float fishing for Pike Summary

Float fishing for pike is more than just a technique—it’s an exciting adventure. The rush of the take, the challenge of the fight, and the satisfaction of carefully releasing such a powerful predator make each session unforgettable. With the right setup and techniques, you’ll be well on your way to landing some of the UK’s most iconic freshwater predators.