what type of reel?
quite simply, there are thousands of reels that you can purchase, and at the end of the day it will come down to your personal choice which one you acquire.
all i'm going to do here is to "keep it simple" and give you some tips on what to look for when you do add a reel to your basic pike kit.
make sure the reel is robust and strong. look for a fixed spool reel that is deep spooled and is capable of holding 10-12lb line
i would also recommend you buy an open faced reel instead of a closed faced reel as the pressure a big pike can put on a reel can make the line bed in, which can make casting with a closed faced reel very difficult!
now for some floats
now that you have got all the essential items (remember those? click the link on the left if you don't) and your rod and reel, which; should be nicely packed out with 10-12lb line it is now time to buy some floats and some ready made trace wire - complete with snap tackle.
the picture on the left is showing you two different types of float, although in appearance they are both almost identical. one float is called a sliding float and the other is known as a pencil float. the sliding float (the one on the far left) is ideal to use for suspending a bait in the water so that its depth can be altered to keep the bait off the bottom or just under the surface, or just as equally the depth can be altered so the bait is on the bottom. if you use a large bait - such as mackerel or herring - you must make sure the float is big enough so it doesn't sink below the surface! feed the line through the float so that the bright tip faces the top of your rod. the depth is set by using a stop knot up the line so the bait can no longer sink beyond the depth of the knot.
the pencil float, although it could be used to suspend a bait, is better for when you want to leger a dead bait on the bottom and would be held in position on the line by a stop knot above the float.
feed your main line through the rings on your rod and bring the end of the line down towards the butt of your rod. attach which ever float you want to try first - personally i would use the slider . next pick up your trace wire and snap tackle and feed your main line through the swivel on the trace wire at the opposite end to the hooks and make sure the knot is good and secure.
now it's time to select your bait - click here