mikench
Well-known member
A bit bigger than the blennies Neil but a real looker
No 1000 size reel I notice!
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An enjoyable day piking but without much caught. I covered a LOT of the Witham and side drain today for just two jacks.
However the sun was bright despite the bitter wind and the wildlife was evident.
I even had a free airshow from the practising Typhoons.
Amazing how they are able to shoot skyward at near the vertical.
....I really didn't think there were Pike this big in our little river.
New PB at 16lb 9oz.....
So I needed to get out can't think why, the last time I wetted a line was when I caught some decent dace back in November so I was off out given I had a few hours to kill regardless of the weather, I was hoping there would still be some scenic snow as it's been years, maybe even decades since I've fished in the white stuff, but I guess frozen slush doesn't count.
Whilst thinking how cold my waders that I had stupidly left in the cold were I chatted to a couple of earlies who had packed up with one chub between them but things were always going to be hard, their spirits were up and even the guy who blanked was on good form, fair play to those guys, and after chatting to them for a little while it dawned on me it was almost 2pm, oh well it felt good to be out short session or not.
I love these cold spells though as it tends to stop the small stuff feeding and every bite is usually a decent stamp of fish, saying that though it was proper parky with a northerly coming off the meadow behind me. Stupid wooly hat wasn't doing the job a fashion disaster should so it was a hood up job and the windchill was finally thwarted courtesy of German army surplus. Wunderbar! Plus stupid wooly hat of course.
As for the fishing when I finally got started, well the river had a bit of colour although I suspect it was salty snow melt and the extra water gave the float good run through, I think that's the first time this year I could say that though. The fish only started feeding as the light faded, luckily I had a head torch as it's hard fiddling with no8s in fading light, bites were few and far between but resulted in decent fish, topped by a chunky barbel, oops, oh well who knew! mind you I did fancy getting one, not quite a 'barbel in the snow' but a 'barbel with a bit of snow on that shady hill in the distance' I'll take that any day.
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Blimey that line your using is very low diameter, it's quite impossible for me to see it!
You must have good eyesight artist?.....being able to see such a small float tip in the dark. I would have beèn unable to see it myself even if fishing under the rod tip!........well done on your float caught barbel.