Penton Hook IX

Second trip of the year to Penton Hook, Dan couldn't make it so Darren and myself were joined by Wandte guru Stuart - after his first pike. The early morning water looked great although a little fast. We found a nice looking spot and quickly set up.

Darren & Stuart fished the slacks in the side I aimed for a far side feature, but without enough lead my sprat was quickly swept away into the fast water. I decided to leave it and see. About 20 minutes later I had a run (to be honest I thought rubbish had caught on the line but I wound down to check).


Cracking fight in the fast water and my old friend the bitten pike, the third time I've caught her - going to have to think up a name if I see her again. Didn't weigh her but she's probably still about 8lb 9oz. Pike first cast - fantastic!

Next cast and the ledgered sprat held against the feature and it wasn't long before I was in again. Another superb fight and a fat 7lb 10oz pike, I'll have to check if this is a new fish or a recapture [Edit: New pike]. Pike second cast - this was going to be good!


Another hour or so fishing around the features both close and far side but no more runs so we decided to go exploring.

A walk around the island revealed we had the place to ourselves, so we set about ledgering a variety of baits around the island, but we couldn't find any more pike. We got to some tighter swims so I swapped over to float fishing to present a bait a few feet off the bottom, giving the pike more choices.

A cast to a feeder stream was met with a bob on the float before it gently moved away - a typical 20 pounder run. I struck and was met by an enthusiastic but tiny pike about a pound. Still, I love catching them on the float.


We continued round the island without a touch and we were running out of time. With only a few minutes left there was a bang on Stuart's rod, he wound down and struck - a sprat head was retrieved... But I think that run was enough to make him come back - another piker is born!

We gave it a little while longer to see if the pike would come back, but no more runs. We left the island, Darren cursing his luck, Stuart wondering what might have been and me, the jammy bugger, eager to explore further... We'll all be back!

Jack's Pike #61

Apathy & Sprats

I think this is a week I'll look back on in the closed season and regret! After my barbel last Thursday Dan and myself hit the river again the following day. Two barbel hooked and lost, the first looked about a pound, the second shed the hook unseen - at least we knew they were feeding.

We haven't been since, we are both working but we could have squeezed a few hours in here and there... Need to sort that out!

My apathy was spreading over to Saturday's trip to Penton Hook, that is until I was preparing the bait earlier - can't wait to get there now - it's funny what fires up the interest again.

Sprats are bought fresh from the fishmonger, and wrapped in batches of four in cling film so they don't touch each other and break when they are unwrapped frozen. Once my hands are well and truly clean the process goes as follows:

1. Untangle end of cling film
2. Pull out about 18 inches
3. Pull against rippy thing (it'll work one day)
4. Hack through it with scissors
5. Get it stuck around itself
6. Untangle it and spread it flat
7. Swear at cling film
8. Place sprat on cling film wrap it around twice
9. Push cat off kitchen counter
10. Place 2nd sprat on cling film wrap it around twice
11. Push cat off kitchen counter
12. Place 3rd sprat on cling film wrap it around twice
13. Push cat off kitchen counter
14. Place 4th sprat on cling film wrap it around to finish
15. Push cat off kitchen counter...

Repeat ten times before starting on the other baits (bigger baits get freezer bags - yay!).


And I also need to make some new wire traces:

1. Put cat outside
2. Wish I'd thought of it earlier...

Jack's Pike #60

Roach Race V

As you can see from the photo - it didn't go exactly to plan... Back to where I found the roach on Tuesday, this time armed with a few slices of bread to pick out the bigger roach. It didn't work, it attracted monster gudgeon and tiny roach (smaller than Tuesday).

After an hour or so the bites dried up so I put a ledgered pellet out to see if there was a chub or barbel about. I missed two wrap-around bites before connecting to the chunky 4lb barbel above. Great fun in the fast dark water and on a center-pin.

I hope they are all back on the feed!

Chew Valley Tickets

My cat and I have been camped out next to the front door all week, waiting for a Chew Valley Pike Trial 2012 ticket to drop through the letterbox... But the postman didn't come!

I heard demand was higher and there were less 'draw tickets' this year, oh well, I'll have to try and find a river thirty instead...

But if anyone needs a boat partner let me know!!

Roach Race IV

A couple of hours on the river this afternoon, I'm still searching for a pound plus Wandte roach. Maggots fished under a stick float was the order of the day.

I found my target species, but they only went up to about 6oz, still I had a few of them with the odd dace thrown in, a nice way to while away a couple of hours...

Now, where are their big brothers & sisters?