Out in the gloom

It was around 05.00hrs, this morning, that I loaded the gear into the car and headed off out into the mist and fog, headed for a session after pike. I drove across to a small drain, just outside Sandwich, where Benno and I had taken a few pike from in 2012/13. This was done as a reconnaissance mission for next weekend when Tom Spence is coming down, from Hemel Hempstead, to have a weekend with Ben. He's a carp angler who's never been piking - Ben has promised to get him a fish; very brave call. The plan is for Tom to have all the rods until the first bite has been converted into a pike in the net. It will mean using walkie-talkies, the rods might be spread out over 100m+ of bank in order to provide the maximum chance of a successful result. It will be just like a trip up to The Fens, in 1985, only there will be less rods and two more anglers!
This morning was a very pleasant experience. I was using the new Fusion Expert 2 1/2 lb T/C, 12 ft, rods, fitted out with Matt Hayes' centre-pins and braid. I had been ready to go eel fishing, on Saturday evening, but it was Halloween, so the grand-kids took priority and my angling had to have a massive rethink. I could have easily fitted wire traces to the eel kit, or, do as I did, get another three rods set up and ready for use at the drop of a hat. These new rods are a complete unknown, thus quite an exciting concept when fishing for a result. I'd got all three set up and baits in the water, before 06.15 hrs and watched the sun rise above a misty dawn, before the fog descended and I got covered with dew, as did the surrounding vegetation - I was soaked through, so just as well as it wasn't cold!
At 07.15 hrs a take on a Whiting (a bait that was given to me by a local sea angler) resulted in a lively jack engulfed in the folds of my landing net. Nicely hooked, in the scissors, I was rather bemused by the performance of the rod. The bottom section is as stiff as a board, the tip section has all the back bone of a jelly baby! It was a weird experience, and that's for sure - maybe it's because I'm so familiar with my usual kit that anything different is outside of my comfort zone?

If Benno and I are able to get Tom a fish like this - job done!

It was over two hours later that I had another bite. The alarm announced a steady take on a red dyed, 1/2 Mackerel, the resultant scrap being another journey into the unfamiliar as I struggled to get to grips with the action of these new rods. The end result was a 7lbs 6oz pike on the bank and a mission accomplished. I remained for another 90 minutes before heading for home, via Dad's.
It would be great if we can get Tom a pike - this venue should be as good a place as any?