Welsh Pike

[nifty]

Decided to fish Llangorse today, partly because I was sure I could at least get one fish from there to count for the tourney, and secondly, I hate the drive to Bala

Was on the water for 8-30am and apart from two other boats I had the lake to myself as they were both fishing the corner where all the action came from on the trip in November.

The lake was at least another foot higher than when we were there last and I launched from the field behind the car park.

Started off trolling a Sardine and heading very slowly down to the bottom end of the lake. I was about half way there when I had my first hit and struck into a reasonable looking fish. When it came alongside I noticed a whole load of line and wire hanging out of it's mouth besides my own so despite planning on netting it I thought better of it to avoid a pile of knotted mesh and carefully chinned it out, trying and failing to avoid all the ironmongery in it's mouth. Luckily for me, my trace was gotten out easily but the other trace with three feet of heavy braid still attached was well down and without wanting to cause the fish anymore harm I cut the wire at the back of the throat and released it. Hopefully it will be ok and the old trace didn't seem to have put the fish off still feeding on my bait. This fish measured 75cm.

 

 

I carried on trolling and about half an hour later as I was approaching my intended mark I had two takes in quick succession which I failed to hit so decided to drop anchor about 20yds out from the reed beds and switched over to my other rod set up with a float leger fished bottom end only. I baited this up with half herring and dropped it five yards off the reeds. It was about 15 minutes before the float lifted and then slid away and I was into number two. Again this felt half decent and after a couple of minutes a nice looking fish was in the net.

 

This one measured 78cm.

 

Straight back in and almost immediately I had another run and again it felt a decent fish. This was on a Herring tail.

 

 

 

Size? 82 cm. The biggest of the bunch estimated around 15lb.

 

The sun was now full on the water and it seemed as though every Pike in the lake was on the move in the peaty coloured water and within a couple of minutes the whole Sardine offering had been taken but I struck too soon and missed it as I did as well on the next cast with another Sardine. I don't like missing fish but I hate seeing them deep hooked so I can live with missing a few by striking early and I felt I'd already had a decent day but when the float dipped and went away again within a couple of minutes of recasting I couldn't believe my luck and this felt a better fish. When measured it only went 80 cm but was quite fat so put her on the scales in the net and watched them drop to 15lb, so less the net a good 14lber I would think.

 

 

 

As quickly as they had come on the feed then it seemed they had turned off just as quickly just after 1-30 and that was it for the day. All the fish were covered with Leeches and the bottom of my yak was alive with the horrid little critters when I came to wash her down tonight.

So all in all a "GREAT DAY" and the weather was more like May than January.

 

 

 

Stu

[s2vto]

Great report !

 

Tpw and I managed 2 pouting and a pollack between us today

 

Nice relaxing day but not very productive

 

Lets hope next weekend is better, we might be visiting you in Newquay?

[Martin Hurst]

work!!!!

[Mark Crame]

Wahey! Fantastic Stu! Good work on the fish, and great work on the pictures and report! 1cm off tieing with the Aussies - next week eh? Fantastic, really really fantastic. I am well chuffed for you. A damned fine day of it.

 

I didn't go out this weekend - but stored up karma for next instead. Going to try trolling baits and lures and have found a very promising mark to try in addition to the usual place.

 

Oh, and don't forget to register on their forum and get the buggers worried.

Edited January 14, 2007 by Mark Crame

[niko]

nice on Stuart ,lovely looking fish mate

[darnsarf]

Excellent Stu. It looks as though you were in the area that me and Phooey fancied but we blanked on our last outing.

 

Shame you coudnt stretch that 82cm to 84cm. A plastic welshman could have claimed to have won the ashes

 

NIce Pike.

 

I have to say I was tempted to come up as I enjoyed it so much last time but the Solent beckoned.

[Simon Everett]

AND, pray, having beckoned, what did the Solent give up?

[Martin Hurst]

certainly been one of those weeks Took the day off on Thu to fiddle with the yak (cooler box etc) and we had a powercut all day , then Nifty hits the Lake and finds it at a rare peak and I have to work!! Now they are forecasting worse storms for the end of the week again time to take up indoor bowls

[GB]

Nice one Stu

 

time to take up indoor bowls

 

I cant see how that would work Martin, you would need a very large pool to fit the kayak in and you would have to use floating bools

[musket]

Excellent Nifty report,as always enhanced with great pictures.

You've got me seriously thinking of trying fresh water for the first time. I'm going to have to research what I need if I decide go for a Devon Pike.I presume a licence for the fish and also have a feeling I need to join the canoeing association to paddle, for example Exeter canal.

Jon.