For the past few years, the kids and I have taken a cruiser out for a week during October half term on the River Yare in Norfolk. Unlike the summer season when the boat traffic can be unbearable, October sees very few boats on the Broads.
You also get more choice on the type of boat you want. We (or rather me) have found that cruisers that had steering in the rear of the boat, especially with a folding canvas canopy, are good fishing platforms. The sides of the canopy can be folded over the top to create a very large almost bivvy-like shelter, and by choosing the right side of the river you get a very comfortable wind-free swim.
You are just a few feet away from a good kitchen with a nice fridge (with a little freezer just right for your deadbaits!) so you can cook almost anything you want. Most boats have good central heating, a TV and, most important of all, a nice warm bed!
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The River Yare is a large tidal river and the current can be very strong at times. It is important to ensure that you are moored properly and that there is enough slack in the ropes to compensate for the rise and fall of the tidal river.
At the beginning of the week I tried swims that had produced l8-pounders for me last year, but I had no luck so I decided to try to find some new swims.There was no need to break down the tackle as the rods could easily be strapped to the top of the boat. One disadvantage of having a fairly large cruiser is that you cannot always moor in the swims which have great potential as large areas of the river are reed-fringed and therefore offer nowhere to moor up, which was important for me because I have a dog and therefore required land for the dog.
There was one stretch of the river that had a tiny bit of land on which either side were large stretches of reeds. We moored against the land and I noticed that about 20yds away the reeds dipped inwards making me think there was some sort of feature in the river. It was about a foot deeper there than anywhere else so I decided to cast there.
Because I was fishing upstream and against a very strong current I had to use 3ozs lead to stabilise my float/leger set-up. With a large deadbait as well I was a bit uneasy about casting that lot to the required spot. So we used the rowing boat (I forgot to say you can also tow a rowing boat) and by opening the bail-arm we could pull the line and row to the required spot and drop the baits and tackle in the required place.
We were also able to adjust the sliding float perfectly so that it was on a little keel so I was able to spot a lift-bite or a pull-under very quickly. Then it was a case of going back to the cruiser and waiting. After half an hour I decided to inject extra flavouring in one of the baits (smelt) and row that out. I just got back onto the cruiser when I noticed that the float was bobbing away, so I quickly removed my other rod and after a few seconds the float shot away and I struck.
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The pike was firmly hooked and fought very strongly. I was thankful I was using a 12 foot, 2 1/2 lb test-curve, carp rod as the pike kept diving under the boat and the long length meant I was able to stay in control.
After a fierce fight it was landed with the hooks just inside the pike’s mouth. At l9lbs 1oz it was a personal best. I went to bed a very happy man!
Next morning at daybreak I did the same thing as the previous afternoon but I injected my smelt straightaway. I was only on the cruiser a few minutes drinking my tea to find the float had gone already. Another fierce and hard fight followed, and after a few heart-stopping moments I landed a 23lbs 4oz pike. Yet another PB! It did not have the enormous, crocodile-like head of the l9-pounder but it was longer and fatter. Again, it was hooked just in the mouth. I been taught how to unhook pike safely and believe me it was amazing how easy it is to unhook big pike safely once you been shown how to do it.
Having a rowing boat means it was easy to go out, and by drifting down the river we were able to catch pike on the lure, or drift our floats with deadbaits. This year it was a bit difficult because of the weather conditions. It was a few days before the big storms at the end of October and you could feel it building up!
But in previous years it had caught me many nice pike as well as big perch, which I had up to three and half pounds. I fished mostly for pike, but it was also good for roach and bream fishing. The occasional big carp can be caught too.
The Yare is typical of all rivers. Sometimes it is easy, Other times it can be very hard. But the potential is there. With a cruiser, you’ve got the luxury of exploring an almost wild area in comfort and there is no need to go home at the end of the day! With good pubs, shops scattered all along the river there is no need to go without anything!
Oh yes, there is a good fishing tackle shop with excellent mooring spaces beside it too!
