With sunrise now around 06.45 hrs I'm having to leave home at 04.30 hrs in order to ensure I've got my baits in position as the light intensifies. Not overly sure why I make the effort to be there at such an ungodly hour, but it's part of the ritual I've partaken in since Pike fishing became an established piece of my annual routine. The earliest I've had a bite, in 2023, has been after 07.30 hrs and bite time seems to be closer to mid-day, than dawn, if the truth were told. Still; old habits and all that stuff, it is great to be outdoors watching the natural world awaken, even when it's bloody freezing! Two bites this morning, two Pike landed. The first was the smallest I've taken from the canal this year. Six, or seven, pounds at best. The second bite was to provide further evidence that I'm in the right area to capture my March target fish. At eighteen pounds, two ounces, this individual had the physique to have weighed more. I had to remove another "snap tackle" rig from this fish's stomach and feel sure that this is why it wasn't heavier.
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| Seemingly blind in it's right eye, this Pike could surely tell a few stories - if only! |
Having the capability to remove treble hooks from a Pike's stomach lining isn't something you discover by accident. I will remain forever indebted to the guys within The Luton Region PAC, in the 1980's, who were more than willing to share their skills and knowledge with a long-haired wannabe! Andy Windmill was the R/O during the formative years, Paul Elborne taking over the reins at the start of the 1990's. Great memories of wonderful times and so much opportunity to learn from the experience of others.
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