Suffolk piking 29/09/07

[Mark Crame]

Sunday morning was out this week but my wife was off on Saturday so after a week of crappy weather Mike and I decided to cross our fingers and take the yaks on the Broad after a few toothy critters. Arranging to meet at 6am on the broad seemed like a good idea – there to offload and unload, park the cars and go on the water. Like a fool I set my alarm for 5:30 and went to bed, waking up just before it went off, again. It seems that the lure of fishing has me raring to go unlike anything else – I am a crap riser.

 

So, down I went, kettle on, car around to the back gate and on with the yaks. Trident went on first as it is heaviest and widest – and it is heavy enough and big enough to give me some difficulty in the narrow confines of my back passage (fnaar fnaar!). Time, methinks, for a yellow and black Ferrari and a roof rack. They’re cheaper than the red ones I guess. Anyway, the Prowler 15 followed, both of them just fitting onto my rack. Rods (3½) followed along with tackle and the usual stuff and draining my coffee I headed off to meet Mike. I was already 15 minutes late, not that it mattered as it was still bloody dark! Two weeks ago it was light before 6!

 

I pitched up alongside a snoozing Mike and we got everything down to the waters edge then parked the cars. I was trying the Trident on the Broad again but with the Day Tripper paddle and Mike was in the P15 having his first experience with the fishfinder fitted. Somehow I had left half a rod at home so he elected to fish just one, saving me driving back to fetch it. It was starting to get light now, 6:30-6:45 something like that.

 

 

We went up the southern side, Mike leading and failed to catch in the usual places. We tried going up the dyke (more sniggering) but again nothing – though some boaties were taking some small silvers. However, ti was my lucky day and I got a new first -I saw my first ever real live wild otter! Sadly it was too dark for the picture to come out so I’m afraid I can’t share that. No point fishing there then! Leaving Mike exploring I tried the western edge and bays of the broad and still blanked. Linking up with him again we headed down the broad chasing swans:

 

 

They never fly when you want them to. Mike carried on fishing the southern margins and I crossed the broad to try my other usual spots, but again, although I went right down the northern edge, I picked up nothing, not a sausage.

 

Coming around past the lock gates I realised I hadn’t got my lucky hat on. 2½ hours I’d been out, how I swore! On it went and I paddled up to the bend where I met up with Mike who had to be getting back. I changed from Gold shiner and Redhead Rapala Super Shad Raps to my faithful Blue Mackerel Pattern Shakespeare Big S and the same in perch patter and figured I’d try one more run up the southern hotspot and then follow him in.

 

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

 

right on cue, on my hotspot (this time!) a hell of a good hit and the reel let a load of braid out and I was in to what seemed a fine fish. I couldn’t yet see it but it felt like a good double, really pulling with a lot of power: It took line, I took line and

 

 

Up she came

 

 

Oddly, Pike go really placid when turned on their backs

 

 

alongside now, and ready to be lifted and unhooked

 

 

A good double it felt like. I doubt if it would have made 4lb! It fought like a river pike rather than one off the broad and I suspect it had come in recently or was very hungry after a good nights partying. A beautifully solid fish

 

 

out at arms length to get some scale and show the markings

 

 

and this last picture because I just like it so much. I find them to have a really expressive face and wonderfully deep eyes. I don’t know, there is something about pike – and it’s not their teeth – that I’ve always found to be really special.

 

 

Time to go. I paddled back to the launch point and unloaded, having a natter with Mike before fetching the car and getting held up for ten minutes while the yachts came through the lock which is just next to the road bridge. The broad is still hard work for the pike, I reckon it needs the cold weather to roll in a bit more, but they are there and they are feeding albeit being picky on the lures they’ll take.

 

Sweated the mud out that afternoon in the sauna on the holiday village – I think those of you coming in a fortnight are going to enjoy that part!

[BristolLes]

Nice one Mark - glad to see you are getting amongst old Esox again

 

I had my first pike trip last week - had three to 6 lb and one lost in less than two hours - all on a rather ancient Big S - what a lure - still doing the business after all these years ! . I never had much confidence in lure fishing from the bank - but from the yak - lures continuously working / right on the tree line - can't fail to catch !

 

I'm shore bound at the moment - rivers running a little fast. Are the Broads affected much by heavy rain ?

[Turbo]

Nice one Mark - glad to see you are getting amongst old Esox again

 

I had my first pike trip last week - had three to 6 lb and one lost in less than two hours - all on a rather ancient Big S - what a lure - still doing the business after all these years ! . I never had much confidence in lure fishing from the bank - but from the yak - lures continuously working / right on the tree line - can't fail to catch !

 

I'm shore bound at the moment - rivers running a little fast. Are the Broads affected much by heavy rain ?

Les, Where do you fish ? You mentioned in an earlier post that you were making enquiries about fishing the Avon, how did you get on ? Fancy a trip one weekend ? Bristol martin !

[Martin Hurst]

Great photos especially those with the 'eyes'

[Mark Crame]

Nice one Mark - glad to see you are getting amongst old Esox againI had my first pike trip last week - had three to 6 lb and one lost in less than two hours - all on a rather ancient Big S - what a lure - still doing the business after all these years ! . I never had much confidence in lure fishing from the bank - but from the yak - lures continuously working / right on the tree line - can't fail to catch ! I'm shore bound at the moment - rivers running a little fast. Are the Broads affected much by heavy rain ?

Hi Les,The Broad I fish is pretty high and reasonably coloured but I don't think it's in a poor state really. I've seen it far worse. There doesn't seem to be much movement in the dyke connecting to the river either. The Shakespeare Big S must have caught me more pike than any othe lure - ever. It works from the bank or trolled and at times will outfish any other lure. Maybe it's the action or maybe the depth it swims at, I don't know, but I have 5 of them and really do need another blue so i can have a pair out! £2.50 for a killer lure! The Storm perch (jellies) are bloody good from the bank too, a great casting fish taker.Sounds like you had a cracking time as well - aren't they fun! I'm hoping things will get back to where they were last winter when I was taking 8 or so in a session - I think there are still too many baitfish about. You can fail to catch though, believe me! i've ahd a few blanks this season already.Cheers Martin - I adore that last one. I think I'm going to stick with head shots for a while (if I remember) as they are more appealing visually. I can leave the fish in the water then too.

[BristolLes]

Turbo

 

I fished at Keynsham (edge of Bristol) - Easy Access / Easy Parking and next to a decent pub !

 

If you are interested, let me know with a couple of dates ( prefer Satuday or during week as less matchmen to antagonise !)

 

I'll try and PM with more detail - (although not sure if I'm authorised to do that yet ? )

[Turbo]

Turbo

 

I fished at Keynsham (edge of Bristol) - Easy Access / Easy Parking and next to a decent pub !

 

If you are interested, let me know with a couple of dates ( prefer Satuday or during week as less matchmen to antagonise !)

 

I'll try and PM with more detail - (although not sure if I'm authorised to do that yet ? )

 

Les, I have paddled up the avon to the first weir, from the feeder, past Besleys tea garden. There are lots of likely spots enroute, with reed beds. lillies, overhanging trees where anglers from the bank cannot actually fish ! fancy a paddle one saturday just to suss it out, and perhaps take a spinning rod ?

Martin.

[bucketboy]

The Shakespeare Big S must have caught me more pike than any othe lure - ever. It works from the bank or trolled and at times will outfish any other lure. Maybe it's the action or maybe the depth it swims at

 

 

Hi Mark, Big S is a great lure, I have caught loads of pike with them, a few problems though, they seem to target the smaller pike, I have had a couple where the wire loop that holds the split ring has broken off while landing fish and a couple more that have sprung a leak slowly filling with water. For those reasons I have lost confidence in them and have retired them to the bottom of my tackle box.

 

Bb

Edited October 5, 2007 by bucketboy

[Mark Crame]

I have a big, yellow retirement home for them should they start to become a drain on your care....

[bucketboy]

I have a big, yellow retirement home for them should they start to become a drain on your care....

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