Rescued Picture

Thankfully I got a good mat shot of my 26lb 1oz lure PB on my phone (above). Bit gutted about the trophy shot though - so I ran the two rain-soaked ones I had through a photo enhancer (below) - not perfect - but cleaned them up far better than I could in Photoshop.

Every Picture…

Every picture tells a story. In this case it was hammering down, I had lost the bankstick for my camera and I'd landed a monster pike. Balanced my wet camera on a rock and a couple of terrible photos.

Madman fishing in horrible weather, soaked through - but a fantastic 26lb 1oz pike hit my battered SG lure. A new lure PB, just 4 days after beating my bait PB - a rather splendid few days fishing!

Lure Chucking

Wandering along The Wye chucking a lure about - for 11 hours! And perhaps the gentlest takes I've experienced pike fishing - but they fought like stink when they realised they were hooked.


A Bulldog accounting for the 14lb 1oz pike (top) and a SG 4Play tempting the 18lb 14oz fish (above). That SG is one smashed up lure! And back to my (tail cropping) self-take photos.

Sixteen Years

It was the run I have been waiting 16 years for - spectacular fight and a new PB pike was in the net. I'll cut straight to it, 28lb 0oz of beautiful River Wye pike. F**king brilliant!!

And my luck didn't end there. I normally pike fish alone, but this time the baliff appeared for the weigh-in, then a girl on a bike arrived and took the cracking photo above.

It took 16 years to beat my previous PB of 25lb 4oz - but I'd really like to beat this one much quicker - getting close to the magic weight..!

Luggage (3)

Back to The Lugg, couldn't stay away for long - there was exploring to do. Clear water, ideal for a bit of fish spotting - loads of chub seen.


Not ideal for the perch. Several size, colour and style lures but the perch were reluctant. Lots missed or bumped, and only two landed.


But that didn't matter - I got what I was really after. Cracking, snaggy fight in the narrow river. A small river with pike - perfect!

Chipping

Pike #10 of the season - chipping away at my 50 pike target. Aware that I only caught one last November (although it was the fish of the season) and none in February - need to get ahead before the conditions change.

Rising

Early morning mission - five River Wye perch & this 10lb 12oz beauty. River is rising - perhaps the autumn weather is finally on it's way...

Follow The Birds

Pike of 10lb 4oz (above) and a couple of jacks (below). The birds gave away the location of the baitfish - and the pike weren't far away...

Lugging (2)

Couple of early morning hours exploring more of The Lugg, and around every bend lurks another fantastic looking swim. Clearer water today and although I didn't spot any barbel, I did spot some gudgeon - noted.


Took the lure gear, bit of a chuck about as I wandered to see if I could find some more perch. Storm Curl Tail and braid this time - far easier to feel the bites - would struggle to go back to mono.


Well 2 hours turned into five - and 41 perch (plus a bonus chub) landed. Hectic morning. No big perch but I did loose one getting on for 2lb - like I need an excuse to go back. Now, more perch or gudgeon next?

Pike Time

Autumn is here - though you wouldn't believe it. Bright sunshine and low, clear rivers. Far from ideal conditions for pike - but an 18lb 9oz beauty eventually slipped up (lean fish, definitely be a twenty in February). Cracking fight and a great start to the season.