UK Coarse

The Bait Room · Predator baits

Deadbaits

Shop-bought sea and freshwater deadbaits for pike, zander and catfish. Legal, controllable, and the default predator bait in this app.

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What it is

Deadbaits — smelt, herring, mackerel, sardine, lamprey, and the odd roach where rules allow — are how most UK pike anglers actually fish. You buy them frozen, thaw what you need, and fish them on a wire trace with proper unhooking kit.

Do not move live fish between waters. Livebaiting is banned or restricted on many fisheries; even where it is allowed, the bait should have been caught in that same water. This app recommends deadbaits and lures, not a bucket of someone else's silver fish.

Legal & safety

Wire trace for toothed fish. Mat, long forceps, cutters. Do not move fish between waters. Check livebait byelaws. Do not fish pike in a heatwave.

From the graph

Who takes it, and how

When to use it

Pike and zander from autumn through early spring. Catfish on waters that hold them, with suitable baits. Never as a maggot substitute.

Seasonal strengths

Cold months for pike and zander. Warm nights for cats. Avoid heatwave pike.

How to present it

On a wire trace for pike and zander, two trebles or a single where rules demand singles. Popped-up or on the deck. A run ring and a float or an alarm. Long hooklength for cats as the water requires.

Hooking / hair-rigging / prep

Thaw what you will use. Don't refreeze slush. Oil is optional. Cut baits for zander; whole small baits for pike.

Feeding

How much to feed

A handful of baits is a session. Take more than you need, use what you need, don't dump leftovers in the lake.

How often to feed

Recast when you want a fresh bait or a new spot. Not every two minutes.

What to feed with it

Nothing, usually. A little oil trail if you like.

Best combinations

Smelt is a UK pike favourite. Herring and mackerel for oil. Smaller baits for zander. Follow the water.

Feeding notes

You don't loosefeed deadbaits. Location is the feed.

Common mistakes

No wire trace. No forceps. Livebaits from another lake. Heatwave pike. Dumping unused fish in the margins.

When to change bait

Different bait, different depth, different spot. If the water has no pike, deadbaits will not invent them.

Beginner tip

A smelt on a wire trace, a weedy bay in the cold, forceps, mat, and a club that allows pike. Read the rules twice.

Advanced tip

A popped-up deadbait over weed. Sink-and-draw on a float. Singles where trebles are banned.