2 NEW FIRSTS!!!!

[Guest tony jolley]

I wanted to share an experiance with you,

 

I was lucky over the weekend to have traveled to fish with Eelfisher, on friday through to sat-day,

Were Steve took me to a special water to fish for eels for the night.

although the eels were not showing .I managed to catch my first 5lb+ Bream.

In the morning we traveled on to a local river to fish for "river pike'

This was something I have always wanted to do,

Steve, was teacher, and I the 'learner'.

I fished a live bait and caught my first river pike at a weight of 11lb 14oz,

As my biggest pike to that date was 11.04, I had ,had a new pb as well,

I hooked and lost a bigger pike, But I am more then happy with the one I caught.

I have learned alot from eelfisher over the years and this weekend as showed me the potential of river piking.

I hope to apply this knowledge on other rivers while still learning more.

Thanks Steve!!

 

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Tony B.T Jolley

[Guest trent.barbeler]

Hi Tony,

 

Eelfisher? Eelfisher? Oh yes, I remember him.

 

Great to hear about your recent fishing trip in his company and doesn't he make river piking look like a walk in the park.

 

Incidentally Tony, he makes River Trent barbeling look exactly the same!

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

[Guest danzante]

Well done Tony, i'm not a bit jealous..NOT!

 

Barbie,

 

nice to see you on here

 

Danny.

[Guest tony jolley]

Thanks Danny.

Thanks Lee.

Steve showed and also explained why, when and were the pike would move and feed,and just as he had said the pike complyed,

Lee, he does make river piking look like as you say "a walk in the park" and I`m sure that all his knowledge on the subject has come through hard work and a lot of time spent on the bankside,

I wouldn`t have known were to start, but now I do,

 

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Tony B.T Jolley

[Guest trent.barbeler]

Hi Tony,

 

Tell me chum, did he have you lying down like a red indian stalking a deer in the forest? Eelfishers attention to detail whilst being very aware that his quarry knows he's there is awesome.

 

And isn't he a very funny guy.

Roll on October when the eels go to sleep I say.

 

Incidentally Tony, Steve is taking me pikefishing eelfisher style this winter when the barbel go to sleep.

 

I cant wait. Lets hope that my sides and ribs dont split before then.

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

[Guest phil dean]

Well done tony, glad to hear from you.

 

I saw a program on eel fishing over the weekend (sreaming reels) do you use the wire above the hook to stop the fish swalloewing deeply, and if so, how is it secured..does it work??

 

Sorry, well done again

phil

 

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phil,

JOIN ANMC TODAY

[Guest 'eelfisher']

Dear BT and Trent

You pair of daft sods......stop talking silly. It is just one chap helping another chap out.....

BT has taught me loads...quite a lot about myself as well. He is always welcome to come to mine and share sessions...if I can help out with 'gained' info being passed on, then all the better.

Trent....my very good friend.

I am but your young apprentice...much I have learned so far but the lessons continue....and I am grateful for the experience and friendship.

When we go after the Trent pike....I am sure that you will show me different avenues to my style.

Interesting point to mention here....the lost pike was down to excitement in the very young BT once the fish had been tricked. We tried again for the beast but she was spooked from the time before but did show us her great beauty and size on a follow to a slowly checked bait. For certain BT's new PB would now be somewhere between 15lb and 18lb.

BT said to me......"Come back and have her yourself later Steve, when I have gone home ok"......to which I replied...."No, she can wait until you call again."

That pike has your name on it Tony....and bigger. You decide when and we will make plans to outwit her and some others.

We shall also look to secure your 1st river Barbel as well.

The Derwent shall be your learning ground....then you can fish the big river that is called TRENT.

Yours With Respect.......

Steve.

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by 'eelfisher' (edited 10 September 2001).]

[Guest tony jolley]

Trent!

Yes I did end up lieing in the grass like a red indian, (copying Steve.)

Steve! thanks for the "open invite"

I Will definatley be back to do battle with the Derwent pike and Barbel,

I will hope to take the knowledge I have started to gain on to my "local" River Ribble and Douglas, I know they are differant in many ways but there will be some things the same, I will have to start some were wont I!

Phil,

You can attach the plastic "bar" to prevent deep hooking by using a plastic cable tie as the "bar" put a small hole through the middle in the flat part and place a rubber float stop above and below the "bar" you can move it up and down the hook lenght to find the best position for it, which will allow the eel to take the bait but be hooked in the mouth, a lot of trial and error will be needed to find the right position,

 

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Tony B.T Jolley

[Guest trent.barbeler]

Eelfisher,

 

He who dances amongst the stones, knows all and feels the power.

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

[Guest 'eelfisher']

Dear BT...and those of you who love river pike.

 

Went to work in a daze after yesterdays madness in America. Decided to go to the river after work for a couple of hours to do some piking.

The weekend session seeing BT catch his new PB river pike and the forthcoming rain offered me a chance to just tinker for two hours in the silence of the countryside....knowing that the river will soon rise with the rain and put the pike down for a time and also that once home, the real world would be back on the screens again and the reality of those American friends of ours and their losses would jolt me back into bewilderment of just how crap we humans can treat each other in this non perfect world of ours.

I arrived at the Derwent at 5.45pm and set up a river rod and quickly placed 8 small baits into my bucket and then proceeded to walk past the area BT fished, under my tuition, on Saturday. Those pike and the big girl lying somewhere in the vicinity were not going to be my target on this trip...the big girl can await BT's return.....I walked further down the river to an area that holds a couple of deeper glides to the shallower surrounding river bed.

I set up my 11ft 1.25TC Barbel rod, 12lb line, slider float and wire trace to a size 2 Drennan Boiliee hook and then sent the 3 ft set up off down the river over the first deep glide.

The float moved about five feet down the deeper water and just dipped under the surface.....an instant strike saw the rod hoop round as a decent pike ploughed off across the river, line screaming off the clutch.

After a powerful fight, which was interspaced with several tailwalks and airbourne acrobatics, a lovely mottled green flanked double slid over the net. In the drizzle I admired her beauty, almost perfect bar for a crush of scales on her flank. The hook was firmly in the scissors and just popped out with the forcepts. She weighed 13.05 and was returned back to her watery home, where she slowly moved down the margin and rested up alongside a long stream of rushes. Her magic and awesome beauty shone up out of the clear river. I looked up and in the now heavier rain, a family of about 20 long tailed tits made their way from tree to tree on the opposite bank.

God it felt good to be there...and I hate the rain usually. In fact it was my wife Erica who made me stick to my original plan to go fishing, as I had nearly aborted the session before I had finished packing the car. When I told her that I was not going to bother going due to the rain starting, she just gave me that look which suggested that I was not a man but quite possibly a 'wuss' instead. Well 'wuss' I ain't, so the car was pointed in the correct direction and now, 45 minutes later I was admiring a specie of fish that I have deep feelings for...a river pike in all her glory.

I pushed the float set up down the next glide, slightly wider and longer this one, three more times and each time the float never managed to get to the end of the trot.

Three more pike graced my net and my eyes.....these were, in order of capture, 10.12, 17.02 and 15.09.

The rain was now pelting down, I was soaked to the teeth, but still smiling.

 

I returned the other four lives back to the river and broke the rod down and started my walk back to the car....the time was 7.25pm and I had just been blessed with four double figure pike from four trots down the river.... simply fabulous fishing.

 

Once in the car, the radio was turned on and the sadness that is sweeping America returned to my world again.

Those pike may well have been taken for granted by me in other times, such is the manner that I know this river, but the reality and sadness of the last two days will mean that they will forever stay in my memory.

I came home a happy man but before I got home, my heart was already reaching out for those people across the pond who have had to endure such sad losses.

Talk about the highs and lows of life.

 

Yours With Respect.....

Steve.

 

[This message has been edited by 'eelfisher' (edited 13 September 2001).]