Pike, Zander and Perch Fishing in Riga and Latvia

Pike can be found around weed, edges, structure and open water depending on the season. Some days active fish respond quickly; on others the job is to locate individual fish and present a lure at the right angle and speed.

For anglers who enjoy visual fishing, forward-facing sonar can add another dimension because it can show how a fish reacts before the strike. It is still fishing rather than a guarantee — seeing a pike and making it bite are two different things.

Zander often reward precise boat position and lure control. On rivers such as the Daugava and Lielupe, current and depth changes can be important. On lakes, the search can move between structure, open water and baitfish.

Electronics help shorten the search, but lure weight, retrieve speed, casting angle and the way the bait reaches the fish still matter.

Perch can provide very active fishing when a feeding group is located, but they can also move quickly. Searching efficiently and reacting to what the sonar and bites show is often more useful than repeating one lure in one place.

For beginners, perch fishing can be a good way to learn casting, lure control and how to read what is happening around the boat.

The boat uses Garmin Panoptix LiveScope and Lowrance electronics. The goal is not to spend the day staring at a screen. Sonar is one part of the decision-making process: finding structure, checking depth, seeing baitfish and, when conditions allow, watching predator behaviour.

This is especially useful for anglers who want to understand modern live-sonar fishing rather than simply be taken to a spot and handed a rod.

Fish Dentist prefers catch and release, particularly for trophy-size predators. Fish are handled as carefully as possible, photographed and returned to the water. Where regulations allow, a legal-size fish can be kept if a guest wants to.