A Weekend of Pike Fishing

A weekend piking on the Thames and the GU Canal

FOLLOWING A KIND invitation to have a look at a few of his Harrison’s barbel rods and maybe do little fishing I turned up to meet Jeff Woodhouse at the weirpool in the grounds of the Compleat Angler hotel on the Thames. It was about 9.30am.

Jeff was already fishing and after the introductions he said he had just put back a pike of around 5 or 6lbs. He then proceeded to take the rods out of the car and give me a good talk through them. Despite putting a good bend through the rod and seeing one first hand I’m still unsure on which model I want, although it will undoubtedly be a Harrison.

We had also decided to do a bit of bait casting, and not having used a multiplier before I was looking forward to the experience. Jeff brought his lure box and rods down to the bankside and explained to me how to use them. He kindly taught me how to cast and a little bit about how to work the lures. Soon enough he was able to leave me to it and start fishing himself.

Jeff and his lure-caught pike

At this point my casts weren’t really exceeding 5-10 yards, unsurprisingly Jeff’s were getting a little further. Given quarter of an hour or so he hooked into a fish of about the same size as the first one.

A series of barrel rolls

I waited with the net, although Jeff said he normally chinned out pike of this size. Once in the net he proceeded to perform a series of barrel rolls well and truly getting the better part of itself and the lure trapped in the net (the pike or Jeff? Jeff can do some nifty barrel rolls; he’s just the right shape – Graham).

Given a minute Jeff had managed to unravel and unhook the pike, whilst he dashed off to the car for the camera it was my job to get the trebles out of the net. During this time the pike had attempted to make a dash for the weir, although he didn’t get too far. I took a quick snap with the camera and Jeff then talked me through a bit about the pike itself.

Although I’ve read a bit about pike I’ve only caught two and that was the same fish so I have little practical knowledge of handling pike. Although my writing makes it sound as the pike was out for hours on end he was back in the water relatively quickly.

My casting was getting better

By now my casting was getting a bit better and I’d just had a pike follow my lure in but it shied away at the last minute. Jeff advised we didn’t dismiss the water under our feet and before we knew it (if I remember correctly) a pike almost instantaneously tried to snaffle his lure. After continuing to work the lure in the margins I finally hooked one only for it to let go after a second or two. The same fish, I presume, followed the lure another couple of times but never again hit it. Spoons seemed to be the lure that was prompting most interest. Jeff then decided to set up a deadbait rod. A pike followed it in but there was no take.

Now I realise what fun lure fishing is I have no doubt that some time in the future I will be kitting myself out for it. All in all I had an enjoyable morning and towards the end I was hitting much better distances with the lures. Thank you Jeff for taking the time to show me the rods and for helping me with a spot of pike fishing.

The next morning I awoke promptly at 7.15am to find dad already downstairs. The rods were already tackled up and sitting in the car. We had decided to do this the night before. All that was left to was gobble down some breakfast and dad wanted (needed) a shower. By 7.40 we were in the car and after 10minutes had arrived at the Grand Union canal, ready to catch a pike.

We had decided to fish at a little inflow on an arm of the canal. it seemed to be a drain at the side of the bank which violently coughed up water every five minutes or so. I don’t know where the water was coming from but I’m sure there was a logical explanation.

Whilst dad tried to catch some livebait I had a mackerel head bouncing around the canal. Dad soon got fed up of trying to catch lives and wondered off with a lure. Given 10 minutes he’d hooked himself a camou sleeping bag. After around an hour and a half we decided to move. As we walked we weren’t paying much attention to the water at this point. Our eyes were drawn to the flourmill on the other side. As we passed this we soon found a few swims we liked, dad now fishing for silvers again and me still after pike.

Jacks and dog turds

Around half an hour later a man came past with his dogs, he was obviously a fishermen himself. He then told me he’d seen a few jacks in the shallows near the mill. After around 10 minutes I made my way down with what was now a mackerel tail. At this point I was examining every inch of water rigorously, I had also managed to tread in numerous dog turds. Sure enough I spotted the first pike in the water and dropped my over depth float around a foot from its nose. It instinctively bolted and wasn’t to be seen again.

I made my way 20 yards or so down the canal, again sitting in no more than 15 centimetres of water and less than a metre from the bank was a pike. I was a little more cautious this time, lowering the bait around four feet from his head. Although he didn’t seem to be to interested. The fish made its way towards the oily bait painstakingly slowly. Now face to face (well face to arse really) with the bait he examined it before snaffling the it into its large mouth. At this point I struck although I don’t think the pike was hooked as it shook the bait only seconds later.

Well, I mucked up a bit there, but I’m new to this piking business. Now I was really hoping to be lucky enough to find another fish, and sure enough ten yards back the way I came there was yet another pike sitting by the bank. Now this surprised me, not just to find one pike in this little section, but three. This little stretch of water is pretty much barren and empty and I would have thought devoid of any fish: obviously not. I would have dismissed it for the more scenic swims with nice little weeds in the margins and the like. Anyway I approached the pike slowly before lowering the bait about the same distance as last time from the fish.

Christian and his GU Canal pike

It was almost an action replay of last time, the fish really didn’t seem very interested but reluctantly approached and eyed up the bait. Just as last time the pike had a little nibble then went to chomp the bait to pieces.

A nice bend in my antique split cane pike rod

This time I struck perfectly and the fish was on the hooks. He put a nice bend in my antique split cane pike rod, although didn’t really seem to be testing it. The rod was coupled with an old DAM carp reel, although I think it’s still damn good now.

I gave Dad a shout and eventually he came down with the net. After a little dash for freedom he was in the net and on a nice patch of grass. Dad reckons he was about 7lbs but I think he was nearer 6lb, but we didn’t bother to weigh him. We unhooked him quickly as he just had the one treble fair and square in the scissors. As dad went to take a photo a couple came to look, he took a snap and the fish then tried a little acrobatics. Luckily it never made the floor and was safely back into the water very quickly. The photo was taken on my dad’s mobile and the quality is surprising, although my bed head and baggy eyes didn’t help the photo. After this we put our tackle back in the car, feeling chuffed with the fish, and had a walk along the canal.

I think I’m well and truly hooked on this piking and will be doing a lot more in the future.