Wingham Pike Survey

[Steve Burke]

Certainly a possibility, Newt.

[Steve Burke]

This has been the longest period of ice cover that I can remember since getting hold of Wingham over 15 years ago. However, it wasn't quite continuous as there was a brief thaw on Saturday, January 3rd thanks to some rain on the 2nd. On the 3rd all of the Carp Lake and most of the Coarse Lake was still frozen. When I arrived at 9am the only margins that were open were where the wind had been blowing, and I had just 3 swims to choose from, opting for Left Plantation.

 

I started lure fishing in case with sub-zero temperatures the swim refroze. Luckily it didn't, but I didn't have a touch. At 10.15 I set up 3 deadbait rods but despite ringing the changes had no action to 12.35. This was on a ledgered smelt on the left hand rod that I'd cast into a deep channel. There were 3 bleeps on the alarm but on picking up the rod I felt nothing. Twitching the bait often provokes a response in these circumstances, and sure enough I was rewarded with a short pull. Nothing further happened and so, worried that I might deep hook a fish, I struck. Still nothing! I waited for several minutes then wound in a baitless hook.

 

Only then did I realise my mistake! I forgot I was fishing a circle hook! This was the first time I'd done so for years, having been kindly sent some by both Newt and Ian Cresswell. I hadn't caught on them before as on the days I tried them all the runs came to the other rods. I found them again only after our recent move and, spurred on by comments on the Forum, decided to give them another go.

 

That was the only action I had, but I thoroughly enjoyed the day. Despite the temperature, in the sun it got very warm, there being almost no wind. In fact by 1.30 I'd had to strip off 2 layers of clothing!

 

All in all, one of the best blanks I've had.

Edited January 15, 2009 by Steve Burke

[Steve Burke]

Yesterday the lake was at last ice free, although it was still largely frozen the day before. The water temperature was 44.1F (6.7F), which just goes to show how quickly the water can warm up once the ice has melted. If I remember my physics lessons correctly it's all to do with latent heat and it taking a lot of energy to melt the ice. Even so I was surprised, but I'd paid to have the thermometer calibrated in a lab so I knew it was accurate.

 

The weather was mild and cloudy with a moderate south-westerly and the odd shower. Not surprisingly after my red letter day before Xmas I returned to The Point, especially as that was the area that was getting the benefit of the warm wind. However I didn't start until 9.50.

 

At 10.20 as I was setting up the drifter rod having just finished a badly needed cuppa, there was a single bleep on the left hand rod. This was on a ledgered smelt I'd cast even tighter to the margin than usual. The rod top nodded and so I unclipped the indicator and as soon as the slack was taken slowly leaned into the fish. This time the circle hook connected with something!

 

That something stayed really deep with a firm, steady pull. I had high hopes of another biggie, but it eventually came in a little too easily when I applied pressure from directly overhead. It was hooked in the scissors, but it wasn't easy to get the hook out. At 13-12 and with a bluish tinge to the gill plate it was an excellent start.

 

At least this time I'd remembered not to strike a circle hook home - changing the tone on the alarm much higher on this rod was a good reminder.

 

Less than 30 minutes later the indicator on the same rod dropped off but on checking the line I felt nothing. I left it 10 minutes and on retrieval there was no bait.

 

At 1.15 this rod was off once again. This time the line continued to run out and so I engaged the bail arm, waited until the line tightened and leaned into the fish. I briefly felt resistance then all went slack. The bait came back shredded.

 

By now I'd set the drifter that was baited with a joey mackeral to fish overdepth in 11 feet of water, having dried different depths and areas. At 2.30 I did one of my regular recasts with all the rods. Seconds after recasting the drifter the float submerged. The answering strike connected, but it didn't feel as heavy as the 13lber. However it again stayed deep and after a short but hard fight I safely netted it.

 

Just as I got it onto the unhooking mat the indicator on the left hand rod smartly dropped! This time I connected, or rather I thought I did. However I wound in a big waterlogged branch! I had little time to ponder whether I missed the fish altogether or whether it had slipped the hook.

 

Returned to the unhooking mat, the pike was clearly a twenty and the scales went round to a satisfying 21-04. It was as fat as the 22-08 from before Xmas but a little flabbier, and the tape measure recorded the same length but half an inch less in girth.

 

 

Nestling in the net was a smelt that the pike had obviously coughed up. What's more it was clearly one that had been hooked, and the obvious conclusion was that it was the one that had earlier got stripped from the circle hook. So I'd missed her on a circle but got her on a snap tackle!

 

Once I'd taken a few quick photos she went back with no problem, but I was left wondering if she was the 22-08. Luckily I still had those pics on my camera and blowing up the tail soon showed that she was. I didn't have a pic of the 14lber I caught on the same day as that was on Peter's camera, but I wouldn't be at all surprised it that doesn't turn out to be the 13-12. I suspect the weights are down purely as they'd fed less in the prolonged cold snap.

 

Just before 4pm I was telling my brother about the catch and he was asking whether I let the big fish have its regurgitated smelt. I replied no, I'd cast out the smelt again. Before he could reply that smelt was taken! This turned out to be the last fish of the day, a jack of about 2lbs, and worryingly the circle hook was well outside the mouth.

 

Based on the evidence of yesterday I think I'll be going back to snap tackles on all the rods. I rarely miss runs on them at Wingham, except on the very odd days when I miss run after run. Regulars may remember such a day Peter and I had last year that I described in last year's campaign on the Carp Lake: http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/Grand-D...l=grand+day+out However I'll still carry the circle hooks and use them on such a day - after all anything's worth trying then!

Edited January 14, 2009 by Steve Burke

[Newt]

A good result Steve.

 

If you start to get regular light freezes, importing some ducks might help. They will group together and swim around keeping a patch of water clear of ice well after undisturbed water has frozen over.

[Steve Burke]

Wingham in the winter is very unlike how you saw it in May, Newt. We have about 750 geese roosting on it overnight plus 100s of ducks 24/7. They did keep the Coarse Lake ice free for some time, but even they weren't enough in the exceptional conditions this winter.

 

The geese come in like squadrons of bombers, usually at or just after dusk, although in the cold snap several hundred stayed all day. In fact, they make so much noise before they settle you can't have a phone conversation!

[Newt]

Geese are worthless at keeping ice away. Fool birds just walk/slide around on it and make nasty,surprised noises.

 

I enjoy ducks to eat and to watch. Geese are only good when cooked.

[Anderoo]

Thanks for that Steve, a good read as always. I still haven't given circles a go, opinion does seem very divided on them. I bet it felt good to be out fishing again though!

[Leon Roskilly]

Geese are worthless at keeping ice away. Fool birds just walk/slide around on it and make nasty,surprised noises.

 

I enjoy ducks to eat and to watch. Geese are only good when cooked.

 

 

see: http://www.wesh.com/irresistible/18501785/detail.html

[bingo]

Really enjoying these reports Steve. Really interesting to read. You're clearly someone who puts a lot of thought into things and always seem to be asking questions of yourself and your methods etc.

 

Lovely fish too.

[Alan Stubbs]

Mr Burke has a lot for which he must answer...

 

For reasons he knows, I have always resisted the temptation to go pike fishing, but the enthusisam and passion shown by people, particularly the likes of Steve himself, Leon, Fudgie and Dunk Fairley have truly whetted my appetite, and in my case, it WILL happen at last.

 

A friend of mine from work is a keen pike angler who spends a lot of his time fishing the local canals.

He has regularly invited me to a session with him as he knows I have a dexterity issues which prevents me from handling pike safely and has said he will help me out. I feel a little lure fishing session coming on.

 

Having given Steve a spinning rod and reel to pass on to his brother a few years ago, I had acquired replacements by default last summmer. Just have to go and get a few lures now.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Alan Stubbs