Does anyone know when the pike fishing starts on Howard,not sure whether it`s 1st september or later......

cheers in advance
Mark

According to their web site Pike fishing is from 1st September to 1st March. I could have sworn though that they didn't allow it until October when I last went two years ago.

Yeah,I found their website last night.Hoping to get down there Sunday for opening day.Funny enough,I was always under the impression that the piking didn`t end until the end of March!!!!

cheers for the reply
Mark

Mark,

Let us know how you got on tomorrow (Sunday), as I say I've not been for a while as I've been concentrating my early winter Pike fishing on the River Hull, but it is pleasant spending a day at Howard. How many Cormorants did you count roosting in the trees on the last time you went?

Hi Tinca,

the trip`s been postponed till later next week as my mate can`t make it.Haven`t fished it for quite a few years now,used to be a good water back in the early `90`s.
You mention the R.Hull,is it still as good as it was about 10years ago? Never got to fish it myself but a mate did really well back around 90/91.
Will let you know how we get on at Howard.....

cheers
Mark

Hi Mark,

I've only fished the Hull at High Esk. Blanked last time but got 3 doubles including my first twenty (21:8) the time before. Best thing about it is that I never saw another soul all day last time out...Magic!

I have been fishing Castle Howard last spring caught pike every trip but only either one or two. The fishing seems to have declined + costs £4 per rod. The baliff can but funny if you have two rods set up but are only using one. I take one for plugging and one for dead baiting but only use one at a time (but for the cost I would use two in winter) each time he tries to charge me for two rods

Peter,
Re the bailiff trying to charge for 2 rods...when I fished the place regularly(firstly when Charlie Burr was bailiff,and after Richard Callan took over from him)some of the strokes pulled by pikers was unreal,specifically smuggling livebaits onto there and fishing extra rods.Knowing how often this went on it`s no surprise to me that the (relatively)new bailiff is wary if you tell him you`re only fishing one rod with two set up,even though you were obviously NOT up to no good!!Typical example of innocent anglers being tarred with the same brush as the rule benders!!!
Tinca,nice one...sounds as though the Hull is worth a look!!Congrats on your new PB and first twenty,hope you beat it again this Winter!!!

cheers
Mark

Had two sessions this week on Howard,for one low double and 2 jacks.Apparently from what some of the locals have said the water is a shadow of it`s former self.....there haven`t even been any matches on there this summer.
The removal of some roach and bream upset the balance,and chemicals are being washed in from the neighbouring fields(supposedly)which have caused the water to become crystal clear......
Will give it another go next month when the weather cools but don`t hold out much hope from what I`ve heard !!

Mark

I have no idea what castle Howard holds now in terms of Pike, but this short tale may be of interest to you guys getting ready to give it a go this winter.

5 or 6 years ago I was fishing the New River bridge syndicate waters that were run by the then bailiff Richard Callan. During one of our conversations, I happened to mention the fact that I remembered following with interest the very public argument he had in the mags with Neville Fickling concerning the size of the Pike in the great lake.

Now when he said he had photographic proof that there were indeed record breakers in the great lake, but he wasn't going to publish them because people should accept that he was a man of his word, I was a little sceptical.

Eventually, while he said he wouldn't publish them, he had no qualms about showing anglers the pictures first hand if you were on the right side of him & he asked if I would like to see them..YOU BET I WOULD!!

The said photo's turned up the following day, & as I looked at one photo after another I was absolutely gobsmacked, it was all true.

There was numerous photo's of Pike being held for the camera by Richard & his son which showed Pike which were claimed as 47 & 49lb with others claimed as upper thirties & lower forties.

I can put my hand on my heart & say in all truthfulness they looked every ounce. The record breakers were massive looking fish with incredibly broad mouths, & more shockingly they did not look bloated with spawn!!

I asked the obvious question, why did they not come out to anglers? His reply was that every couple of years or so they had to net the lake in front of the house, which was a considerable portion of the lake where of course anglers could not fish or reach with long distance techniques, one particular netting was what produced the monsters.

Apparently, great shoals of Bream took up residence in the peace & quiet of this area & very rarely left, so these enormous Pike just stayed well out of harms way & munched their way through the Bream.

As to the standard of Piking now I don't know but I do know that at one time, & have seen the proof, it held monsters.

Good luck with your winter campaign.