Three days gone, three to go and we hadn't even seen a pike, the water was still well above the +1.4 we needed - and the frogs and toads had started spawning - pike spawn around the same time. The difficult pike mission was getting even harder - but you've got to be in it to win it...
Day 4 / Saturday / Water level +2.1 - We were joined by our mate Steve, and we had permission to fish a tiny Wye tributary (we couldn't find pike in the main river). And it turned out to be a game changer. A run almost straight away - nervy, snaggy fight - a big pike in the net!
She went 20lb 0oz - very glad she'd had breakfast!! Steve followed a few minutes later with a 13lb 0oz beauty - we'd found fish! Then we fished on all day without another run. Absolutely brilliant to bag a Wye twenty - just needed Paulos to land a pike to make the trip...
Day 5 / Sunday / Water level +1.9 - Early start, only 2 days left and back on the main river. A run to Paulos - and a bumped fish - crap! An hour or so later it hit the smelt again, great fight and a 17lb 4oz pike was in the net. The only action - but - mission accomplished!
Day 6 / Monday / Water level +3.4 - The river rose a meter and a half overnight. But we'd had a big pike each, that was going to be our lot. A bit of early season addering instead - no adders yet but we did find three common lizards. Tough trip - but a cracking couple of pike!
Was waiting for this one! You deserved that 20 for all the effort, nice back up doubles too. I'm hoping the latest spate will have passed for me this weekend
ReplyDeleteCheers. I’ve been waiting for that one for a long time too!! A lot of effort for three fish - but totally worth it in the end. Fingers crossed for you on the weekend.
DeleteI’ll be watching the water levels - let me know how you get on.
DeleteGreat Fish Brian, All round success!
ReplyDeleteCheers - it was - and a win catching a big pike while fishing with a professional photographer!
DeleteWye Croc, awesome stuff !!
ReplyDeleteSeem to be few and far between these days - awesome that there’s still a few there - and we met one!
DeleteAbout time too :o) A lovely fish in trying conditions, well done Brian.
ReplyDeleteCheers Dave, really was about time! Would love to fish it in better conditions but she always seem to see me coming - but wetted my appetite - want more now…
DeleteLovely fish, great proportions - looks like it’s carrying a bit of spawn too so must be spawning time any day soon.
ReplyDeleteLovely looking fish (all of them). Caught last Saturday/Sunday so they might well have spawned by now - hope they found some jacks, we couldn’t!
Delete*Thinking about it - jacks stop feeding a few days before spawning, where the females feed right up to the main event - so the males could have been there ignoring our deadbaits..!
DeleteFantastic result given the abject conditions, now back to the Barbel I guess for the remainder of the season?
ReplyDeleteCheers. Heard the pike are spawning on The Wye so they will probably be spawning all over the county this week, but going to make more of an effort to put some pike on Pike Blog next season! Couple of weeks left of this season, enough time for a few barbel, or roach, or dace…
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