Strange urge to have a few last casts bags a beauty.

On Monday I nipped out late evening for a session. My stretch needs some water in it, there's lots of slime on the bottom of the river and on all the weeds and the water is a funny murky colour so I went off elsewhere. I spent a bit of time just having a look at a few things, watching the river and seeing what I could see. It's amazing what you can spot if you just take a time out from fishing, especially in clear water with the sun out. A couple of fish banked on the light gear and I was happy to be out, catching and just generally enjoying my time.It had been a little windy earlier but that had now died off and it was a pleasant, calm sunny evening.



I bumped in to a couple of old fellows and spent ages chatting to them while they were catching lots of small silvers. I'd spied a peg further down and wanted to fish it when they had gone so I nipped back after I saw them drive off. I don't know why I did it, but I just fancied a fish from this peg and I didn't want every man and his dog seeing. I went back to my car and pulled out my heavy rod, when I'd been using the light gear all night. I remembered I'd bought a Jack Cobbs lure off Matt ages ago but hardly used it, in fact I couldn't seem to get it to glide. So I picked up that Cobbs, my unhooking tools (I forgot the mat) and off I went. If I didn't catch a fish at least I was going to master this one lure.

Anyway, casting around I seemed to be getting some good action from the Cobbs finally and I was making it glide. I then had interest from, but missed a few jacks. I saw one and it was only around 3lb so figured they were all like that, darting up at speed and hitting and bouncing off. I was a bit gutted as I wanted a fish on this lure to get it off the mark now I had it sussed. I finally got to this one swim I'd been eyeing up all night. A strange urge to fish this swim and as i got closer it was as if I was in a rush to get to it.I launched the Cobbs along the edge.

Within seconds felt a bang and then it everything erupted. A huge pike launched itself clear of the water and I was hanging on to a lump. I'm not one for trying to make a pike leap clear of the water but this fish just couldn't be stopped. I eventually got it in to the edge and had to chin it out. I had no way of taking any decent photos. I'd left my mini camera tripod and also my lure bag which is not bad as a camera mount. Add to the fact it was nearly dark and self take shots in this kind of light, or lack of, are not my speciality. I had one attempt at a photo of me holding the fish but I failed miserably so I left it at that. I've a million and one photos of me and pike anyway, I was much more interested in getting the fish back fast. I did grab a couple of quickies so they are here to enjoy, a seventeen and half pound pike and my first on a Cobbs. I hope I get a similar urge to put on some lottery numbers and have the same kind of success.