Effort equals reward

Heard it loads of times, said so myself plenty. Sometimes you forget and expect it to just happen. Sometimes you forget and go home without giving that one last push. Sometimes you push harder than ever but it just doesn't happen and you're thinking, "effort equals naff all" so stop kidding. Fishing can be full of clichés and a roller coaster of emotions at times.


I usually save a few days holiday to the back end of the year, just in case there's a kids school panto to go to or something along those lines. Seems this happens less now my two are older, which has left me with a couple of days holiday still to take before the end of the year. "If you don't take them, you'll lose them" claims the boss, who probably rolls a few over in to next year. So when to use them? I need to put them in a week or two early so I get the nod, but then that means it will most probably piss it down just before and I'll be sat at home bored stiff all day, watching the river levels on line and trying to work out if 14 feet of extra water in is still worth a go. My other major problem with putting in a days holiday is everyone seems to find out and then ask me to take them to the airport, baby sit, wait for the postman and all sorts and my day or two off is ruined. The Mrs doesn't mean to, but to make sure she didn't let it slip that I had a few days booked off I didn't even tell her until the night before. Need to know basis, and I felt no one except me needed to know.

I was up at two hours before light which meant I was surfing the web, checking the weather and river levels one last time. It had to have rained up in the hills, it always does when I have the day off. But no, all is well and apart from a bit of blustery wind I should be fine. Turned out to be pretty mild and even though I'd dropped one layer I still had another too many on, which meant I was stashing layers of clothing along the river bank. No one hardly comes here so I was sure they would be still there when I got back. Looking back along the bank from a distance it wasn't that easy to spot my camouflage gear, hopefully I'd remember where I'd left it.

Wow, some of these swims look spectacular. If there isn't a fish in here I'll eat my hat. The hat tasted a bit dry and like cardboard. Jesus fecking Christ I'm knackered here, where are all the fish? The bank is covered in soft mud, I'm having to climb down and then back up to get to each swim. I put my bag on the floor and the next time I look around it's rolled down the bank. As I clamber back up the bank the mud is sticking to my boots and I'm now carrying an extra two stone on my feet. Who's bright idea was it to book the day off work? It would be easier at work. I look back at where I started out and it's a bloody long way back to the car. Head down I trundle on, struggling with slippery bank side and scraping more mud off the boots. I was giving each swim a good go, with trusted lures both big and small. Smaller first just to try and find any fish before chucking a lump in to see if the pike were about. Effort equals reward my arse.

I headed back to the car. It seemed to take me ages. I usually walk pretty fast but paced myself or I just knew that by the time I got back I would be shattered. All this gear, all these layers of clothes and it's stupidly mild for a winters day. Finally I was at the car and I was down to my boxers. The thermal under layers were off and I was now down to my fighting weight. I sat in the car and necked a full bottle of coke, all the time trying to hatch a plan. As I drove I was eating and the plan was still hatching. I was at the point where I didn't have a clue what to do. I didn't feel confident in any of the local spots I'd been fishing and pretty much nearly threw the towel in. For a moment I was Sandra Bullock, "stay on or get off, stay on or get off?" and then Keanu finally made the call and I was off to my next spot.

I hadn't fished here in a good while. I picked up the pike rod and went to catch a pike, I was determined now. Food and drink had refreshed me and I was ready to go at it full speed again. There was a bit of a shallow pool, probably about four feet deep just off some fast water. Typical ambush spot in the summer but would a pike be here now? First cast through and something rolled on my lure and by the looks of it, a pretty decent sized fish. I flicked back out my trusty Squirrelly Burt and as it came past the same spot the water erupted again and for a brief second I didn't feel anything. Was the pike on or just doing another half arsed hit. I felt the smallest amount of tension start to build in my line and I lifted the rod in to the fish. It thrashed and rolled before I quickly slid the net under a really well marked fish. Get in, finally a fish!

17lb pike - Musky Mania Squirrelly Burt

So a fish in the bag and I was feeling good again. Amazing that just one fish is all it takes. I'd have taken a jack but a fat seventeen pounder has me bouncing. Not for too long though as I'm back struggling up and down steep muddy bank sides and for the next hour I'm having no more luck. Just ahead where the river comes towards a bend there's a bit of a decent slack. That will do me I'll have a few chucks here and then see how I feel. I can at least have a rest, food and drink and then ponder whether to keep going or make my way back. I've no idea of the time by now but I can tell there's probably a couple hours of day light left at most. With a half hour walk at least back to the car, then a drive to a new spot, I'd need to get it right or I would be wasting these last two hours of daylight. Forget that for now, let's have a chuck in here and see what happens first. It looks a decent spot to me anyway.

14lb pike - Musky Mania Squirrelly Burt

What a super looking fish. Nailed the Burt after two or three casts. Top result, I'm over the moon now. The mornings hard graft for nothing was well behind me now and I was throwing lures with a smile again. A feisty little jack smacked my lure and went mental before a bigger fish smacked my Burt and this time it was a fish of around twelve pound. Three pike in three casts now from this spot and who knows what else is in. I switched lures and put on the Savage Gear line thru trout. After about eight casts and nothing I popped the Burt back on and it was only a few casts more before I got a tap on the rod. I missed it but not long after I had one and then another and before long I'd done about four more fish, one being about twelve pound and then another stunner at fourteen. What a day, what a cracking finish and I couldn't ask for any more.

14lb pike - Musky Mania Squirrelly Burt

This swim produced loads of fish for me, but I'd also had a follow from something that was bigger. It came in and turned away as I lifted the Burt out. Was I too quick? Would it have taken if I'd ave left it there? I'll never know and I didn't let it bother me. I might be re-living the moment in my head that night or thinking about it at work all week but for now I was just focussing on the lure and where it was in the water. Casting out to the flow and letting it slowly sink and then bringing it back at different angles to cover the whole swim. The rod went solid and immediately I knew. "Big fish, BIG FISH!". I still panic. It's all part of the buzz for me. That initial whack, a brief moment in time where everything is a blur before finally you realise what just hit. When it's a big girl, it's a mixture of emotions. I was loving this. I saw her and knew she was big, knew she was a twenty and I couldn't help but be in awe. It thrashed on the surface once, before diving towards my feet, then turned to go back out and slowly rose to the surface once more. Wow, what a moment. The gills flared and she shook her head again, what a fantastic sight. The net only just got her in and I was buzzing, absolutely buzzing. Effort does equal reward.

23lb pike - Musky Mania Squirrelly Burt

23lb pike - Musky Mania Squirrelly Burt

23lb pike - Musky Mania Squirrelly Burt

Here's the video from the full day. It has to be my best video to date by a mile. Takes you on my roller coaster ride and finishes in spectacular fashion. A memory for me to cherish and share with everyone thanks to the GoPro. Watch it, I guarantee you will love it.