Morning All!
It's my favourite time of year. Autumn!
The mornings are crisp and cool, but not yet cold, and the trees are just starting turn. All coarse fish species are heading into a last feeding frenzy to help see them through the winter, but it's October and that inevitably makes me think about Predators.
Catch reports are pointing to our bigger Perch making a reappearance, but this year I'm keen to have a go at a style of fishing I'd never tried before... Piking!
Luckily a friend of the family is an excellent and keen Pike angler, who kindly agreed to take me along for my first session on Saturday morning.
(Pike are a predatory fish armed with impressive teeth, gill rakes and athleticism, they require specialist equipment and skills to not just catch but more importantly unhook and return them to the water safe and healthy. I cannot stress enough just how important it is to venture into Piking with an experienced angler beside you to help and keep both you and your catch happy at the end of the day)
We set out about 8am and headed over to the back of Lonsdale, to the edge of "Dead man's corner" where I know a huge hen fish of 28lb 8oz had been caught not once but twice already this season.
I wasn't too keen to be introduced such a grand lady of an esox my first trip out, but I knew Richard would love to meet her!
(I'd brought along Dad's massive carp unhooking mat, and another smaller one to give us plenty of room - just in case!)
We settled on deadbaiting using some frozen Roach and Mackerel that we sell in the shop, and threw in a few chopped up sections as free offerings and added interest.
I settled on the rods off to the left - away from the stately home of the fish I was thinking of as Lady of the Manor, looking for a more gentle introduction among smaller Jacks.
I didn't have to wait for long!
There you have it my first ever Pike!
As soon as I struck the bite I couldn't believe the believe the fight - I could tell he wasn't a big fish, but he used every lean muscle to resist. As Richard slipped the net under him I felt myself breath out - I'd unconsciously held my breath throughout the fight!
Richard quickly and calmly demonstrated the proper technique for unhooking, and we had used single hooks to make it easier.
Wary that he'd put his all into the fight I slipped the little Jack into the water and held him steady for a few moments until he decided firmly he'd had enough of my company. Champion!
Over the next 40 minutes I had two bites, but missed them both! One snapped my trace, and the other was undeniably a poor hit on the bite.
A little over an hour after my first fish, I struck a gentle inquiry (it turns out sometimes Pike eat a deadbait insitu so you have to be set up for this) and found myself with a bigger opponent.
This fish was much more aggressive that the little Jack, and even tried to tail walk.
Richard helped me with the net and again demonstrated handling (this one was a little trickier to unhook) For our super speedy photo I couldn't quite get over the densly packed weight of the fish - or the fact that it was quite a bit longer than my torso!
After a minute and half of nursing in the water, admiring the beautiful camouflage patterns up close as the sun filtered through the top two inches of sunlight, I said good bye to my second Pike.
A short while later Matt (Amy's boyfriend) appeared, keen to learn what he could about Piking in 20 minutes. After a decent bite, Richard kindly handed the fight to Matt, who landed a cracking fish - the colours really popped!
All the time Richard's baits sat in prime position, awaiting "The Lady" to no avail.
She must have been unimpressed with the uncouth company he had brought!
In the end his patience was rewarded with one of the biggest eel's I have personally ever seen:
More impressive was the way Richard lulled it into a torpor (something I'd never seen done) and then unhooked it easily as lay motionless - we even got to snap a quick picture!
The big eel is a very different prospect to the smaller babies I occasionally see, and actually a really impressive creature!
I love days like this - when someone or something opens up a whole new element of the water to me, showing me something I had never suspected.
For me I think Lonsdale will always be bottomless - there will always be something to learn, some fish uncaught.
To start your own Pike adventure give us a ring on 07770825896 or book online at the link below:
