First trip this year - wet, muddy, but enjoyable

[Baz T]

Due to ice, snow, work, flu and car problems (but not necessarily in that order), I had not been able to get out fishing this year so far. With ice and snow gone (hopefully), flu bug eradicated, car engine fixed, and a day off work - it was time to dust the cobwebs off the rods, put some batteries in the bite alarms, don my old and smelly fishing boots, and get down to Exeter Canal.
I had some frozen bait in the fridge. I had bought them sometime in November/December 2010 when I had visions of braving those frosty mornings and icy roads to get fishing on the canal, only to find it was frozen for about 6 weeks, and resulted in the missus nagging me that there was no room for the kids pizza in the freezer (women huh! dont they get their priorities wrong or what!!! I did try to tell her smelt and roach were great toppings for home made pizza, but I dont think she believed me)
I am not an experienced pike angler, and last season over the winter months I tended to plonk my ass in a chair at a swim, chuck out the deadbaits and see what came along. Today, I decided to try a different approach and was going to adopt a more mobile fishing style, and cut down on the gear I would take, as I wanted to fish a few swims along the lime kilns stretch of the canal. Instead of taking a trolley full of gear, comfortable carp chair, and brolly or even a bivvy!, I opted for a small fold out stool which one of my buttocks just about managed to fit on, waterproofs, and apart from the necessary landing net, uhooking mat and unhooking tools, I only took essential tackle/gear. (but still lots of sandwiches!..oh yeh, and flasks of tea)
I had pre-soaked the deadbaits in smelt, and lamprey oils before I froze them, in the hope it would make them more attractive to the pike.
I arrived just after sunrise, to find a blustery wind whipping over a rainy canal. Thankfully the SSE wind did turn SW later in the day.
I had bought some FOX ledger stems and the red pop up polystyrene balls to use, as I had never used them before, and thought I would give them a try. I didnt bother with floats today, just using bite alarms only. I set up at the first swim, flicking one rod out into the margins, and another out to the middle of with wide bay. I actually had a run on my margin herring bait about 20 mins after casting out. I was in "carp angler" mode however, and as I happened to be standing over the rod when the alarm sounded, by instinct I immediately picked up the rod and struck, only to find no pike connected to the other end - think I was a bit premature with the strike!!
I proceeded to move swims every hour or hour and 30 mins, working my way along the lime kilns stretch towards the M5 bridge (Pingu will know wot I mean).
I had 3 more runs at other swims, but still failed to connect with a fish, but at least I was getting runs. I wondered if it was me - I am used to watching a float bobble about a bit, and then slowly move off before disappearing under the surface for a strike, but with using bite alarms only, I wasnt sure how quickly to strike, as I didnt want to deep hook the pike, and perhaps I was striking too early.
It rained, then it was a downpour, then the rain stopped and the wind picked up, then the wind died and the sun came out and it was too warm so I had to take my waterproof top and anorak off, and then it rained again so I had to put them on quickly again. Then it was a downpour, gale, and brilliant sunshine - all at the same time!. Each swim I went to ended up like a mudbath, and my waterproof leggings were mud up to the knees. Still, it was fun!
Towards the end of the afternoon, my enthusiasm was waning. I found some frozen roach in the bottom of the bag, and put one of them on. 10 minutes later the alarm sounded and I had a screaming run - I picked up the rod, and the line was still peeling off the reel - I struck and felt something solid at the end of the line. I had hooked it a fair way out, and it gave a real good fight - the best fight so far by any pike I had hooked, taking line off my reel as it headed to the far bank, and then when I got it near my bank it dived for the reeds at the margins several times. It must be well into double figures I thought - and eventually it surfaced and I slid the net under it.
It was a nice looking pike, but only turned out to be 9lb, so I still havent got my double figure pike yet. As it happens a dog walker was passing and took the photo for me..
It was an enjoyable day, and I learned a few things about using ledger stems and pop up deadbaits etc, so all in all it was very worthwhile with a pike to show for it too. I am still unsure whether to sit up at a swim and wait it out for the pike to come along and start feeding, or to adopt the mobile approach. I must admit I had more runs today than I normally get, so I will have to use that approach again I think to see if I can develop the runs into fish on the bank

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[scottish_and_mental]

great report mate .. nice one

[BoldBear]

Nice Pike, pictures and great report.
well done Baz .

[Mark78]

nice report and a great catch. well done.

[pingu]

Nice one barry , sounding good at last on canal

i took a family walk( no rods) on weekend and it all looked so much better

not jealous...no not jealous at all



dave

[Dubbed Squirrel]

Nice one Baz, you waited a while for that one eh? I hope the double will come sooner than later. Great post.

[oxgull]

Great report there mate! Nice to see pictures of your pike and the canal too. I last fished the Lime Kilns way back in 1976 just before I left home to run away to the army (and never went home!) We used to target the bream and skimmers in those days but there was always a few pike about. I'm off down to Broadlands near Romsey tommorow to have a crack at deadbaiting and spinning for pike so may well take a few snaps and put on here, once I can figure out how to!! Nice one!!

[Baz T]

Best of luck Oxgull, looking forward to your report. There is a thread on here telling you how to post photographs via photobucket if you search the forum you should find it. Its interesting to read other peoples reports, and pics of various fishing locations, even if the angler blanks (like I do regularly)

[count zero]

Well done Baz nice one mate its about time some fish started coming out of that canal this winter

[Lman]

great report well done mate