Searching

The pits are quite vast, and as they only occasionally see an angler - information is pretty scarce. Time for a bit of exploring! I chucked out a deadbait, then lure fished around it for 20 minutes before moving on and repeating the process - covering as much water as I could.


Eventually I found a couple of jacks. Always fantastic to see a pike on the bank - but perhaps more importantly I've found another shoal of baitfish - and who knows what else is watching them? Plus added my first recapture - the only non-mint-condition pike I've seen there.

Lucky 13

The Wye is back in it's banks - but still too high really - so to The Pits. And pike grabbed my still frozen sardine, first cast, as it hit the water, great fight on the light rod and a new venue best - 13lb 3oz


An hour or so later a second run produced a 13lb 1oz pike (quite different shape to the first). And a jack on a lure rounded out the action. It's lovely fishing in dry conditions - would recommend.

Escape To The Pits

With the rivers flooding into the fields I headed to The Pits to chase my pike fishing fix. Horrible weather, but you can't catch 'em at home!

Six runs, one take on the lure and only one pike landed - a lot to work out - but a pike on the bank is always a great result in my book!

Marraskuu End

November has been a real slog, it seems to be the same for me every year - but the last cast of the day into a rapidly rising Wye made it all worth while. After a few follows and a few half-hearted nips - a big pike finally slammed my Bulldog lure.

Made a proper fight of it in the fast water before I slipped the net under something I've been chasing for 40+ years - a lure caught Wye twenty! Scales settled on 22lb 2oz - f**king brilliant! Camera wouldn't play, but phone saved the day. Over-da-moon!!!!!

Marraskuu Pest

After a decent start to the pike campaign this season - 11 fish in October - I had hoped to carry that momentum into November. But it's not happened; two days piking for only one run - a pike that looked like it might scrape past the magic number before it shook the hook under the rod tip. And now floods! Just hoping to bank a pike this month...

Who Is Tilly?

As a break from blanking for pike I hit the Small River for a couple of afternoons. Bit tricky in November - but was in London anyway.


And eleven barbel found the net - no monsters but great to get something pulling on the other end! Right, back to the pike...

Otter’s Pocket

Fishing is mad enough; all that effort, only to look at a fish for 20 seconds before setting it free. But pike fishing is next level insane - let's go fishing in the worst weather of the year.


Absolutely hammering down, and the gravel pits had 3 foot waves on them. Bit like sea fishing. But a couple of pike - including my first pit double at 11lb 0oz. Totally worth it..!

Lured & Shaken

Well, that didnt go to plan; two lost doubles on the lures! Perch consolation prize (partly) took the edge off!!

Steps

One run all day - but it's going the right way on The Wye - 16lb 10oz. Float-ledgered sardine did the trick - and what a fight!

The Pits

A reccy to The Pits with my mate Jack. Research for later in the season, easier to see the features in low, clear conditions. It's very overgrown & unloved - the perfect environment for a big esox to hide away!?


Too many miles to travel without a cast though - we couldn't resist - and five beautiful gravel pit pike in the autumn sunshine (Jack also had two before he had to rush off early). Can't wait to go back...