Pike Fishing

Decided not to get up too early so it was a bit of a surprise when we got to a nearby lake at around 9.30am on perfect piking conditions on a Sunday morning that our favorite swims were still available.

The conditions were overcast with a light ripple on the water and the day was set fair with a high of 12 degrees expected.

A few days previously I had an idea of mincing up some of the deadbaits and freezing them into small balls mixed with oils and brown crumb to use as a groundbait for the pike.

I threw out a couple of 'pike bombs' into the margin and far bank and before long we had the rods out. Rigs were simple one was using a deadbait roach on a deadbait pencil float and a normal 2 semi-barbed treble rig the other was again a deadbait pencil cast further out near the far bank but on this rod I was fishing a lamprey 'kebab rig' using 1 large hook and 5 chunks of very bloody lamprey on long hair.

We had fished for a few hours when the far margin float bobbed slightly and moved sideways by no more than a few inches. I watched the float carefully and once again the float bobbed before making a more determined sideways motion. I picked up the rod, wound down slowly and then hit it. All hell then broke loose and after a healthy fight I managed to land a rather fiesty 15lb pike.

The bites continued and in the end I had 6 pike between 8lb - 15lb in weight

Tingrith 24hr Match 9am Sat 12th July to Sun 13th July 2008

Chris and I decided to enter the 24hr match being held on the Orchid specimen lake at the Tingrith coarse fishery.

Neither of us had any illusions of coming anywhere in the money stakes but as the regulars taking part are a great bunch we knew the fun would be in taking part.

As much as we had our rods all but ready to cast in to our respective swims at the time of the starting whistle we were not as well rehersed at getting our swims as organised and ready as we had hoped. We therefore were the last two anglers to cast in at our respective swims.

After a hearty breakfast at the onsite cafe and a certain amount of running back and forth to the car for missed bait and tackle, we eventually cast into our swims about 45 mintes later than our fellow competitors.

Chris had drawn the peg next to Lee which was oppersite the island and I had drawn peg 14 the far beach swim.

Chris was using pineapple and the source boilies close to the island but unusually the fish were not taking at all. The only bites from that part of the lake were being taken by a guy fishing the pole who was using a large amount of chopped worm. He was beginning to empty the lake at a rather alarming rate.

At my end of the lake I had managed to get the carp on the feed by using the method with paste on the hook.

As the match went on my tactics luckly began to bring the fish to the net.

The guy with the pole continued to catch, but others round the lake seemed to be struggling.

Included with the price of entry was an evening meal and breakfast on the Sunday morning both of which was hungrily and gratefully received by all competitors shortly after the whistles blew.

Luckily, I continued to catch fish through the night through the misty dawn and right up till half an hour to the finishing whistle.

I had caught 7 Carp between 7 - 14lb, 3 small Catfish, and 2 Tench giving me a score of 105lb, but how had the others fared? and where would I come?

Alas no, the chopped worm pole fished by the guy on the other side of the lake won the match with a weight of 128lb. On a pressured specimen water that really was really good fishing and he was a worthy winner of the trophy and the prize money for first place.

Amazingly and very luckily, I managed to come in second place.

Chris unfortunately caught only 1 fish but many anglers fared worse and blanked. However, his luck was to change at the next match.