Can't stop catching pike. Didn't I just say that?

So on to my second afternoon shift and more importantly, the fishing that comes before it. What fishing? What am I going to be doing? I had no idea and didn't have any one particular thing on my mind. I hate that. Often it turns in to doing something and then wishing I hadn't done that and done something else instead. Worst thing you can do is be caught in two minds or indecisive. I didn't bother setting the alarm but was still up at just turning 6am. I came down stairs, made a brew and sat looking at the interweb thingy. May be something will inspire me or I'll get an idea. At half eight I was still sat looking at the screen with my brew long since gone. I was in one of them can't be arsed moods. If I'm not careful I'm going to waste my morning. Our lass nudged me for a lift to work so with my fishing clobber on I dropped her off and then kept driving. First junction comes up, left or right? Next junction, left or right? I was making this up as I went along. I narrowed it down to a couple of places and then the next junction was the decider. Some dawdling twat on the inside lane made me choose the outside lane, it was settled.

On arrival I was still in ultra light mode and grabbed the gear without thinking. Because I'd had all those pike the other day  from the canal and had net problems, I chose the pike net this time. I know they are in here but never really given them much attention. I chucked a Burt in my bag also and grabbed the pike rod too. Not the best thing to do because for one, you have more stuff to carry and I'm forever juggling it all and then secondly I don't concentrate on one thing and always think the other lures would work. You need to stick to one style and make it happen, switching lure styles and making sure you have covered it all. After ten minutes with the ultra light gear I'd had one small perch. The piker in me was saying "get the Burt out, get the Burt out". Where were the perch? had all the big pike eaten them? I bet this peg is full of huge pike. Now I'm not focused on my perch fishing. Am I purposely trying to fuck up this morning or what with all this indecision?

I grabbed the pike rod and stuck on my clown of a Burt. I cast up the bank one way, then the other, nothing. This Burt is set up lovely, so it stops and then slowly dips its nose and then starts to slowly sink. The amount of time you can keep this lure in the water with each cast is fantastic. Time in the water is better than time out of the water. A couple of taps and then let it sink a little. If there are pike about, that rattle is sending out the message and one will be along very shortly. Another short tap and the Burt screamed out once more. There was something in distress and a pike was on it's way to find out what.

I saw a flash as the lighter underside of a pike turned and hit my lure, and in a fraction of a second the line was tightening. I reacted and the rod bent, I was in. There was a tail swipe on the surface and then the pike headed for the bottom ripping off some line. I felt like I was fishing blind having lost my polaroid glasses a week ago and not yet replacing them. I wasn't too sure how big this fish was but it felt strong. A few big tail swipes down low had the fish moving right in front of me from one side to the other but still no sight of the thing. As I put some pressure on, this lunge was stopped and the fish started to rise, as it touched the surface I was greeted with a nice lump. She didn't like it, thrashed her tail and shot across the surface. I think that was the last surge and I maneuvered her towards my net. A superb result and easily a good double.

Pike on Squirrely Burt

I slipped the big lass back and tossed out the Burt again, this time in a different direction. A few taps to make my Burt scream and then I let it hang. Another scream and again it was hit. The rod bent, there was an explosion on the surface but this time It stayed up near the surface. I could see this pike and it wasn't getting it's head down as I worked to get it in the net. A pike of about 9lb which I unhooked in the water. I lobbed the Burt back to the spot where the bigger fish came from. As if I was going to be lucky enough for another lump to be lurking there! I gave the rod a big tap and then just left it, Burt slowly sinking and out of sight. There was the tinniest of twitches on my line and I instinctively struck. The bend in the rod told me I was right to do so. Again this fish dived down and apart from a good bend I had no idea how big this fish might go. This fish went right across me as the other had before, and then as I bent in to it even more to turn it round the pike had other ideas. The spool span and line ripped out, this was a strong fish. I claimed back a bit more line and again a powerful surge ripped more line off. The first time I saw the pike it broke the surface and then with another surge it took line and headed deep again, though this time i think we both knew that was to be it's last lunge. This was another super fish and another big double, slightly bigger than the first fish.

 

Pike on Squirrely Burt

 It was now about ten to ten, I'd been here less than an hour and I'd had my fill of fish. I was soaked through from kneeling on the wet grass. A few casts later and I was ready for off. I'd cover much of the swim and was confident that the screams of my Burt were being ignored. I could have move off down stream, I could have moved to a new water but I was happy, happy with that result.



Here's a short video of the two big fish. Only a minute long as the footage captured wasn't fantastic, but you get a good close up look at them so that at least is worth sharing.