Nifty does it backwards

[SeaDooDavid]

I had the great pleasure of meeting Nifty (Stu) over the last few days as he is up here on holidays. What a great bloke Thanks to his knowledge I managed to bag my first and second Pike ever! an ambition of mine for some time now since reading on here about you guys catching them. Nifty kindly lent me some gear I was lacking (most of it really ha ha) and we headed out to a mark on Coniston water that Nifty had caught on earlier (saw the pic of the pike on his phone and it was BIG!) Headed off with rod and Nifty's baitrunner reel (hmm purchase coming up ha ha) and began learning how to bait up mackerel on a pike trace (hadn't realised the buggers would scoff mackies that big!.

 

With bait ready, reel set, and Nifty leading, we set off.................BACKWARDS Well that was a bit of a shock, and although probably well known to a lot of you guys, I was well surprised! BUT what a corking idea! You soon get into the swing of paddling backwards for some distance (found muscles I didn't know I had ha ha) and you can see the float in front of you as you paddle~~ Brilliant!. Trolled away for a while with reverse well and truly engaged until we got over the weed area Nifty had caught at earlier. Nifty was into a few pike who took delight in nearly biting his bait in half and shredding another Still unable to believe that pike would take such large whole mackerel, I was shocked when my float slowly vanished! I slowed down and looked for my float which I thought I just couldn't see because it was a little choppy, when the baitrunner clicked away a little line! I cranked the handle and felt a weight which I assumed to be weed as there was no real fight. Then....Bang.......Bang and yep it was a pike! It fought a little bit and I clumsily brought it to the side of the yak whilst Nifty steamed up to me to help me unhook it, as it had twisted the trace around a bit!.

 

A little jack pike was released back into the depths as I re-set another mackie for another go, whilst trying to control my absolute delight at my first pike! Off we trolled again, reversing our way accross the weed beds which seemed to be full of fish (the F/Finder was showing loads of them passing underneath us!) A while into this second troll when my float vanished again. This time there was NO mistake!! The float shot under like a diving duck and the reel screemed off line at a good old rate, to my utter amazement. Again cranked and felt the fish take line! Bloomin Nora! it was off like a steam train and I am pretty sure I yelled H~E~L~P to Nifty as I tried to get the thing alongside. I have caught some large sea fish but to be honest this pike fought like a bloomin marlin! I was using a Abu carbon sea trolling rod and it bent past half way and towards the yak gunnels and I thought bye bye rod, but Nifty's reel let off line just perfectly and gave the pike some slack!. My arms ached by the time I got it to the side of the yak, by which time Nifty had come along side to guide me through the unhooking process. Luckily, the bottom treble with just one barbless point was in its mouth, which to me was a cavernous gape of teeth! Nifty talked me through how to hold it (without losing too many fingers) and I gently removed the treble.

 

Nifty reckoned it was 6lb plus maybe, and what a beautiful fish!! Well DELIGHTED is an understatement It made my day Nifty has a pic on his phone which I think he may post up when he gets home. My ear to ear smile though wouldn't fit in the photo!!. I can't thank Stu enough for starting me off on a whole new area of fishing for me and I am well and truly....wait for it........ HOOKED!

 

Today Nifty headed over to my local estuary to have a look at the mullet (which I thought wouldn't show, as sods law normally dictates but they did!) Nifty had a few hook ups and so did I but the slippery buggers got off. At least I know that they will take the bait now, as previously I had tried with small fish strips which were completely ignored! We saw a few "leapers" too probably sea trout, some of which looked a fair size!. Below are a few pics of Nifty (brandishing the famous paddle!) firstly on Coniston and on my local estuary. The last one is me and my Hungarian water spaniel guarding a disabled parking space for me in my old age ha ha Can't figure out how to put text above or below the pics yet, must ask Richi!

 

A HUUUUUUUGE thanks to Stu for the pike and Mullet lessons. It has got me determined to do more lake fishing and bag one of those elusive huge mullet I can see flitting past me each time I go there!

 

All the best

 

SDD~~~~

Edited August 2, 2007 by SeaDooDavid

[Mark Crame]

Top report mate!

 

yep, a cracking fish to catch - especially at this time of year when they fight harder. Wait until you get your first twenty.....

[SeaDooDavid]

Top report mate!

 

yep, a cracking fish to catch - especially at this time of year when they fight harder. Wait until you get your first twenty.....

 

Hi Mark Me n Nifty were talking about you at Coniston I realise how lucky you are there being able to fish for these beautiful fish. I have had one or two years ago as a kid but these two were my first real catches. The second one absolutely made my day Pike gear shopping here we come Like stu said, a shame to live on the doorstep of the lakes and not fish em!. Likewise, am gonna go for the mullet which seemed a definite possibility to catch, with Nifty's advice!. As for a twenty! If that 6lb one was anyting to go by, then god help me ha ha!!!.

 

Cheers bud

 

SDD~~~~

[Mark Crame]

Hi Mark Me n Nifty were talking about you at Coniston I realise how lucky you are there being able to fish for these beautiful fish.

 

Aww shucks, you'll make me go red! I must confess getting envious of all the quality sea fishing eveyone else gets!!

 

Anyway, how about heading down my way for the proposed Broads meet in October (date change, exact TBC): http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=77133

 

We'll also most likely have demo boats from Ocean Kayak courtesy of Andrew at Johnsons so you can try out some toys as well.

 

A 6-10lb'er will fight perhaps better than any other weight in summer, twenties don't tend to leap and thrash quite as much from memory - but they pull! I'm waiting to get a confirmed weight over 10 from the yak, only a matter of time.

 

Welcome to the world of Esox!

[Martin Hurst]

Top report Dave , good to see your feeling better Was expecting a false moustache and glasses

I told you us adopted Taffs arent as bad as our bark! Got some tope waiting for you down here shortly , you'll enjoy them if you liked the jacks

[SeaDooDavid]

Ha ha Yep got my voice back now (the misses is delighted ) I think Stu must have thought he was talking to a budgie the first time I spoke to him on the phone ha ha!. Back at work now booo! but still got an ear to ear grin to keep me going

 

Would love a go at the tope mate already working on the FPO for the car ha ha

 

p.s. that WAS a disguise, as you know I normally look like Brad Pitt

 

Happy days ~~~~~~~~~

[SeaDooDavid]

Aww shucks, you'll make me go red! I must confess getting envious of all the quality sea fishing eveyone else gets!!

 

Anyway, how about heading down my way for the proposed Broads meet in October (date change, exact TBC): http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=77133

 

We'll also most likely have demo boats from Ocean Kayak courtesy of Andrew at Johnsons so you can try out some toys as well.

 

A 6-10lb'er will fight perhaps better than any other weight in summer, twenties don't tend to leap and thrash quite as much from memory - but they pull! I'm waiting to get a confirmed weight over 10 from the yak, only a matter of time.

 

Welcome to the world of Esox!

 

Ooooh just looked at that! I am just back from leave on them dates but might be able to get the weekend at a push (it's a bugger living this far up the UK ha ha) Right see what the FPO says

 

Cheers Mark

 

SDD~~~~

[Lord of the Isles]

Was out with my wife in the Canadian the other week and put out a rapala. Wife wasn't doing much paddling until I hooked into a reasonable pike. Was amazing how quickly she paddled single handed to shore when she saw what I was going to bring on board.

 

John

Edited August 12, 2007 by Lord of the Isles

[SeaDooDavid]

Unhooking my first real pike

 

One of my happiest moments! Thanks Stu

 

 

 

All the best

 

SDD~~~~