Lure Fishing on Large Stillwaters for Pike and PerchHaving done one article on lure fishing on Forgotten Stillwaters I decided to step it up a gear and find some neglected gravel pits and larger stillwaters with potentially larger specimens of both pike and perch.So, I got the map out again and began looking for some Nottinghamshire gravel pits and I found loads, some may be established, some may not be but unless you get on them and give it a go you will never know. TackleTackle-wise there had to be changes as gravel pits as big as the ones I was going to be fishing can potentially throw up a fish of a lifetime, so you cannot afford to take chances, especially on unknown territory. So I opted for my 10 ft Hardy Sirrus Spin 15g-60g spinning Rod, a Stradic 5000 reel spooled up with 20lb Calcutta braid to a 20lb wire trace.I bought some larger lures in the form of 8″-10″ jointed Rapalas and some SSR’s (Super Shad Raps), Kuusamo Professor spoons and 4″-6″ Calcutta flash foil shads. I had to take my lighter set-up of the 8ft Beastmaster 10lb braid to a 15lb fine wire trace for the smaller lures and some new Rozemeijer vertical jigs, in case I got chance to have a go for any specimen perch.
Large StillwatersI decided to go for a day’s fishing with my good friend Bill, who had a couple of large day ticket stillwater venues in mind and the plan was that he was going to deadbait the whole session and I was going to lure fish, just to see which method produced the most fish and the biggest fish on the day.I started with the old trusty 4″ Calcutta shads, using a pink number as I am running low on the Baby Bass colour because they are all sliced and diced. The venue was large with plenty of water to go at. There were lots of drop-offs and it was very deep, over 25ft, in places, with trees and plenty of overhanging features. There was also a landing stage. I was excited at the prospect of a few pike and maybe a specimen perch. I had been fishing for only about half an hour when I felt a strike at my lure and whatever it was it was shaking its head like a good ‘un; it had to be a perch. I shouted Bill and up from the depths in the crystal clear water I could see it was a cracking Percy that weighed in at 2lb 6oz. I was chuffed to bits. We had to release it in shallower water as the fish was struggling to get back down over the deep water due to the swim bladder blowing up, but once in about 4ft of water the fish was fine and slowly made its way back to the dark depths.
Chuffed to bits with the capture and after a few comments from Bill about me having golden balls, I made my way round to a landing stage where I was soon into another fish. This time it was a Jack pike that put up a great scrap, it looked amazing in the crystal clear water, shaking its head as it tried to dislodge the shad’s hook which was firmly tucked in its scissors. The lures were doing the business, and soon after I was into another Jack, again nailed on the Calcutta Flash Foil, but still nothing on the deadbaits.
With the chance of a specimen perch in mind I decided a change of tactics was in order. I decided to put on a Rozemeijer 20g jig. I was fishing over 20-25ft of water and this lure is perfect for inducing takes, the vibration they give off when jigged is unreal. It was not long before I was hooked up to another head-banging perch, this one weighing 2lb 2oz, a bit smaller than the last one and it had a bite mark out of its anal fin, so easily recognisable if caught again. It was spewing worms out as well, so I assume someone had been worm fishing the spot, maybe the day before.
I continued to jig with the Rozemeijer and had another couple of Jacks and a little game perch taking my tally to three perch and four Jacks. Bill decided to give up with the deadbait approach as he could take no more. There was only an hour left before we were off and the pressure was on, so he quickly set up a spinning rod and was straight round for a Calcutta shad. I was pleased to see that second cast he was into a Jack, which I was glad about as it would have been quiet in the car on the way home if he had blanked. He went on to catch another couple of Jacks which concluded a good days fishing for all concerned. So the lures took the fish on the day and Bill confirmed this as he was deadbaiting in one particular area with a fresh dead roach for over an hour, with no runs, only to take a fish on the second cast with the lure rod and a Calcutta shad. It just goes to show the fish can be there and that you just have to give them what they want. “Some days all they want are lures” Gravel Pit QuestOn the map I located quite a few potential pike-holding gravel pits in and around Swinderby, Notts. It is a bit daunting tackling these massive unexplored big pits but I was up for the challenge and I arrived at first light. It was indeed a big piece of water, but I felt confident that if there was pike lurking and in the mood that my lures would do the business.I fished on the move for an hour without a sign of a fish, counting down the depth and working my lures, first the Kuusamo spoon for 10 casts then the SSR’s fished deep down. On these old gravel workings you can feel the pebbly bottom vibrating through the rod and this braid transmits the information straight up to the rod tip. There were no snags but no weed either, so I eventually made my way round to the north east corner of the pit and the square shaped bay where the water had a peaty tinge to it but was otherwise clear. The first signs of fish was when I had a perch follow the lure close in and raised the spirits, as in my experience pike and perch are like peas and carrots so I knew old Esox would not be too far away. The shelf I was fishing went from 3ft-15ft very quickly and I was working the lure along drop-offs. I put on a 5″ Baby Bass Calcutta shad and after about five casts, tap, tap, then solid and I was in. I took my time but kept the pressure on and got the fish up to the top. I see it is a nice pike that might make double figures and the fish is in good condition but a bit on the lean side. A quick photo and back he goes.
Full of enthusiasm that I have found feeding fish I continued to work my lures through uncharted territory. After a good couple of hours of swapping and changing the lures, depending on the depth of water, I had failed to induce another take. I particularly gave the Kuusamo Professor spoon a good workout as I have yet to catch a pike on a spoon and I know they can produce big fish. So I decided to resort back to the old tried and tested rubber shad which I must tell you had an eye missing by this stage. So I clipped it back on and cast it out and waited for it to hit the deck, then I slowly twitched it back on a slow retrieve. Now maybe it’s the confidence I have when using them, maybe it’s luck, maybe it’s down to the design of the lure and colour, I do not have the answer, but true to form it did the business again!
On my second cast, working the shad along a drop-off close in, BANG! no tap, tap this time, it just went solid. I struck and for a split second I thought I had hit a tree stump. The resistance was there to make me think twice but then she took off; I just knew by the power and the weight that this was a good fish. But I give as good as I get and after a proper hard fight from a game girl who twice surged away from my net when she saw it, finally gave in and was on the bank. The head on this pike was huge and one day she will indeed be a monster. She was a lovely looking specimen, a definite personal best for me, and from a gravel pit I had previously never fished before. Result! It is now February and as winter fades away and spring takes over it is time for the pike to spawn and the Jacks to exploit the only time in the calendar when they can get up close and personal with the big girls. I shall be putting the lure rods away ready for another season of carp, barbel and fly fishing, but I shall look back at this winter’s piking campaign with fond memories of new captures from new venues, using new lures and tactics.
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