After catching some great pike already this Winter from Grafham and Blithfield, I was beginning to wonder if Chew was my jinx water. Two days spent boat fishing this year had resulted in just the odd small pike whilst other anglers had caught some cracking fish from close by.
I had fished on Thursday with three lovely doubles coming to my rods, so I was confident that we were fishing effectively, it was just a matter of locating the big girls!
Setting off on Saturday morning Wayne Adcock and I decided to move every hour or so to try and locate any groups of fish. In the first spot we drew a blank, but in the second we quickly took a fish apiece, both falling to rods fished up a gradual slope into shallower water. As we seemed to be on the edge of the fish we quickly up-anchored and moved about thirty yards further up the slope, so that we could cover the spot where we had been catching, plus further up the shelf.
After about half an hour my whole 8-inch Bait Box mackeral was picked up by a fish that moved off quickly towards the boat into deeper water. It took me ages to wind down to the fish, it was moving that fast, and when I hit into it it ripped line from the Baitrunner’s clutch as it continued its run. Fortunately the fish stayed deep for all of the fight and despite a few anxious moments where it went under the boat and made for the anchor rope there were no serious scares. I hate bringing pike to the boat too quickly as so many big fish are lost to a head shake right next to the boat. This fish behaved impeccably though and when she came to the surface allowed herself to be led straight into the waiting net.
On the scales she went 31lb 14oz, a new pb!
Tackle consisted of 15lb Nash Bullet line, 30lb seven-strand wire to size 4 Owner trebles.
After returning my fish, and before I even had a chance to recast Wayne’s bait that had been next to mine the whole time suddenly moved off quickly. A similar powerful fight and another huge fish came out of the depths. This time she went 28lb 12oz, Wayne’s best fish of the season so far. This fish also fell to a Bait Box mackeral fished on a simple float-ledger rig.
The rest of the day past quietly with just one further small fish coming to the boat late in the day.
Dr Paul Garner
Catch up with Paul’s angling exploits at www.drpaulgarner.co.uk
