I took a group of lads to Northlands Park to fish the lake there for Pike.
We arrived to a much brighter day than forecast which wasn’t looking too good for Pike fishing. The air was cool and it was a bit breezy though so I was hopeful of getting a fish or two.
We arrived to a much brighter day than forecast which wasn’t looking too good for Pike fishing. The air was cool and it was a bit breezy though so I was hopeful of getting a fish or two.
We went over set up and soon all the lads had set their rods up with ledger or float ledger tactics. We looked at where we might find fish and cast baits into the appropriate spots. I was quietly confident that one of the lads would get into a fish quickly. This proved to be right as one of the floats dipped and bobbed, then slowly slid away. The lad picked up the rod and completely forgot to set the baitrunner before striking. He struck hard and line poured off the reel and the fish spat the hooks out. Opportunity gone...lesson learned.
Half hour later another lad did exactly the same thing!!!
I went over how to do it again to make sure they didn’t make the mistake again.
I’m a firm believer of striking Pike early rather than risk a deep hooked fish. I would rather pull out of one than gut hook it and risk killing the fish. When the next take came, the lad picked up his rod, set the baitrunner, reeled down on the fish and struck firmly. YES I thought, he got it right and the rod swept over as a rather large Pike took off. Then the rod straightened and it was gone.
When he reeled in there was not a lot left of the bait, it was ripped to pieces, but the hook had been just outside the fishes mouth. He had missed it by half an inch.
2 hours later and one of the lads rods tore off, this was more like it. He struck and the rod bent into a graceful curve, then the Pike leapt clean out of the water and as it landed the hook came out. This was becoming a joke now!
Eventually a lad called me over just as his float started bobbing about. This time I talked him through the process, and at the right moment he struck hard setting the rod into a big curve.
He played the fish really well and as it thrashed around in the shallow water I demonstrated how to “chin” a Pike out of the water safely. With it firmly in my grasp I popped her onto the unhooking mat and showed the assembled lads how to hold and unhook the Pike correctly without damaging the fish.
She was hooked right in the front of her lip so the timing was spot on. A pair of unhooking pliers and a quick twist and the hooks were out. I showed them the inside of the Pikes mouth so they could see exactly what they were up against and why we show them so much respect. I demonstrated how to hold her properly, but the lad was a little nervous about it so I held the biting end while he held the safe end.
After all the trials and tribulations of the day, a great result for Blake with his first ever Pike and she weighed in at 11lb15oz. A double to boot!!!
We packed away soon after that, a good day even though several fish went begging.
Half hour later another lad did exactly the same thing!!!
I went over how to do it again to make sure they didn’t make the mistake again.
I’m a firm believer of striking Pike early rather than risk a deep hooked fish. I would rather pull out of one than gut hook it and risk killing the fish. When the next take came, the lad picked up his rod, set the baitrunner, reeled down on the fish and struck firmly. YES I thought, he got it right and the rod swept over as a rather large Pike took off. Then the rod straightened and it was gone.
When he reeled in there was not a lot left of the bait, it was ripped to pieces, but the hook had been just outside the fishes mouth. He had missed it by half an inch.
2 hours later and one of the lads rods tore off, this was more like it. He struck and the rod bent into a graceful curve, then the Pike leapt clean out of the water and as it landed the hook came out. This was becoming a joke now!
Eventually a lad called me over just as his float started bobbing about. This time I talked him through the process, and at the right moment he struck hard setting the rod into a big curve.
He played the fish really well and as it thrashed around in the shallow water I demonstrated how to “chin” a Pike out of the water safely. With it firmly in my grasp I popped her onto the unhooking mat and showed the assembled lads how to hold and unhook the Pike correctly without damaging the fish.
She was hooked right in the front of her lip so the timing was spot on. A pair of unhooking pliers and a quick twist and the hooks were out. I showed them the inside of the Pikes mouth so they could see exactly what they were up against and why we show them so much respect. I demonstrated how to hold her properly, but the lad was a little nervous about it so I held the biting end while he held the safe end.
After all the trials and tribulations of the day, a great result for Blake with his first ever Pike and she weighed in at 11lb15oz. A double to boot!!!
We packed away soon after that, a good day even though several fish went begging.
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