Sunday 25 December 2022

Wye 22: Christmas


Merry Christmas! Back to The Wye, it's mild and the river is in it's banks for a change. But the pike fishing is tough - some locals (and very good anglers) have been struggling, very few pike have been out this winter. I think the otters are having a big impact.

There are three otter holts in less than a mile on one stretch I fish - and one angler I spoke to found 6 pike skeletons outside just one in the summer! Looking back through the blog shows diminishing returns on my Christmas pike fishing year on year.


I've got my excuses in because day one I fished a number of 'banker' swims - all day without a run - didn't see a pike, even though the conditions seemed perfect. Same story on day two, but I did take a ledger rod and bagged a few blank-saver chub (too cold for barbel).

Not giving up, there has to be a pike in there somewhere - hopefully - going to have to put my thinking cap on and track down my Wye Christmas Pike. And as a bit of inspiration here's a Wye twenty - from twenty-seven years ago - the good old days!!

4 comments:

  1. The pike fishing goes through phases on the Wye but there are still plenty to be caught Brian and I'm confident you will bump into one soon.

    Or try fishing for otters, lovely with a bit of stuffing and roast spuds ;o)

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    1. Yeah, I remember the days when you could catch eight or ten pike in an afternoon - seems a long time ago - roll on that phase again!! But I’ll keep trying (water levels permitting).

      Perhaps I’ll try a bit of otter ‘fishing’ - just need a few sticks of dynamite. Merry Christmas.

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  2. Lovely chub though!! Am sure a Wye pike is just around the corner!

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    1. The chub are helping me avoid a few more blanks - but I’m still trying to bag a Wye pike… No luck so far…

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