[spaghetti]

Just for the data base (not many of you will ever come here):

October: it's pike season again on lake Garda (northern Italy): in this period they (Esox Lucius) stay above the weed and not into it as they usually do, easily seen 5/15meters deep. I guess they're basking in the last sun rays before they go -30mt for the winter.
This is a warm lake. From spring to fall thermocline is about +/- 15mt and that's were pikes are found normally, mostly or exclusively into the weed, basically from 12 to 15 meters, no more nor less.

Techniques used in this neck of the woods: for ambush in the weed, dressed with a neutral weight set to stay just one ft above the bottom, we use a 75cm bandgun with tahitian shaft (visibility maybe short due to soft muddy sand bottom) with no reel, since close shot assures good accuracy in the gills area and, being close, you can grab their tail to endure the reaction. Otherwise a 90cm bandgun with a reel is also used for a technique called "caduta" (in english: "falling down"): with slightly negative weight set, you let yourself fall down motionless like a dead leaf, no fin kicking at all, silent, shoot best that you can and half-open the reel friction: they will give a good blow with their tail but won't go very far, as pikes are great sprinters but have no endurance to effort. Even if you miss them, mind that they will not go very far, since they're not long distance swimmers.
They come in shallow water in march for reproduction, but hunting is forbidden until April 1st while they're in love. From April 2nd to the half of the month you can spear them pretty easily in 5 to 10 meters with a 75cm, since they're weary after sexual duty (not very sporty to catch them in these period, indeed). That's it
However, if you ever come to this side of the world, make me a whistle: I might be there.

The following are verses of american poet Ezra Pound about lake Garda, where he lived for several years:
Our olive Sirmio
Lies in its burnished mirror,
and the Mounts Balde and Riva
Are alive with song,
and all the leaves are full of voices
Ezra Pound

Cheers folks! I'll be off line for some weeks.
Spago