The conditions on Staffordshire’s 800 acre Blithfield Reservoir were far from favourable, with 75mph winds making fishing difficult and coloured water making lure fishing, the only method allowed, a very poor ‘choice’ on the day.
The north half of the lake, the area where the big females go to spawn, the potential British records, was affected worst by the coloured water, while the south end was much clearer with visibility down to about 2ft.
The majority of anglers blanked and many didn’t bother to go out on the second day. About 12 pike in total were netted, but of these, six were over 30lb, including one of 35lb and another of 37lb, both of these caught on the second day in gale force winds.
Jason Davies bank fished and used a silver spoon to net the 35-pounder and John Davy from Stoke on Trent boat fished to take the 37, the biggest over the two days, on a shallow diving Raider lure. John is secretary of the Staffordshire Predator Anglers Group. Only one other pike, a small jack, was caught on the second day.
Mick Scutter boated a 32.06 on a Shad Rap, and Nige Williams took a 30. We don’t have the names of the other two anglers who took thirties, but one was caught by the only lady angler who fished.
Warrington specialist Gary Knowles was there. He said, “Blithfield was its usual, heartbreaking, frustrating, annoying, demoralising, fantastic, incredible self. I witnessed and photographed the two biggest fish caught and also the 32.6 so it wasn’t a wasted trip.
“It was, once again, another privilege just to see beasts like that.”
