Laugh or cry?

I was back down on the banks of the RMC, bright and early, on Thursday morning for my final session of the 2022/23 Pike season. The weather forecast was dire, with rain for much of the day, therefore I had the Nash Groundhog brolly and a bedchair, on the barrow, as well as the regular kit. It proved to be a very good decision, as I was able to remain comfortable, warm and dry for the entire stay. I was hoping to get a chance to say thank-you to the regular gang of fellow RMC visitors, yet the weather put that plan in the bin as the rain kept human activity to a minimum. Happily Chrissy and Mo did get out, very early, and we were able to exchange our farewells yet also planning a meet up for lunch, with Bev & Rob joining us, later in the month. The rain got started around 08.00 hrs and remained a major issue for the next five hours, on and off. Unbelievably, with the rain belting down I spotted a, hi-viz, dog walker approaching, which turned out to be Kev and Mac, who'd played such a role with my photography during the previous winter campaign. We haven't seen each other since, although do have email contact occasionally. It was a wonderful surprise meeting and we had a brilliant chat, even if the weather wasn't conducive to standing around on the exposed RMC banks.

Huddled in the brolly, around 11.10 hrs, a Siren R3 announced a bite on my right hand rod. I was using the Matt Hayes centrepins on my Duncan Kay's and the bite was just like a carp on a bolt rig. A one toner! With the reel spinning freely, the fish powered off along the canal, I picked up the rod and went through the usual ritual of allowing the line to tighten before setting the hooks. The fish went nuts, surging across the canal before swirling in the opposite margin some thirty yards to my right. Obviously a very good fish, I took my time getting the Pike into my landing net. With adrenaline pumping through my veins, I was brought crashing to the ground as I realised that it was the same one as I'd caught on Monday.  A characteristic yellow mark, on its' flank, being the pin that burst my balloon. 

The third time I've landed this "twenty pound plus" Pike, since 26th January, and the second time this week yet never from the same swim. What does it mean? Is it just a very stupid creature or am I able to glean some positives from this series of re-captures? I've spent some time chatting with my brother, Sye, who's a far more talented angler than I, in the hope of getting another spin on the situation. Not too sure that everyone else will agree with our assessment but, for what it's worth, this is what we came up with.

Firstly, wild Pike (any fish) don't grow to a large size because they're stupid. Too many mistakes will ensure that at some point, or other, they get caught by an angler who doesn't know how to deal with the situation and the fish will suffer ill effects as a direct consequence. So, as an aside, this particular individual is testament to the bankside treatment that I was able to administer which has ensured its' continued good health. For this skill-set I will be forever indebted to the Pike Anglers Club of GB whose dedication to Pike welfare has been a beacon within the UK angling scene for decades.

My results along the canal suggest that my location skills are pretty good and I am able to present an attractive bait, on an efficient rig presentation. What I'm not able to do is choose what fish actually picks up my offerings, I can't put labels on. I think that my baits certainly play a massive role in my success. I use big baits, 6 - 10 oz and am a firm believer that the biggest Pike are lazy, opportunist, feeders who look for maximum return from minimum effort. My use of colour dyes, flavours/fish oils and buoyancy aids means that my bait offerings are as far removed from "straight out the packet" items as I can possibly make them. My RMC campaign is now ended for the winter and it's on to pastures new as the days grow longer and the temperatures, hopefully, begin to rise. I really enjoyed my time on the bankside and am already thinking about next winter and how I might use the lessons learned  to lure that monster which I'm convinced lives in the murky depths of the RMC.

Oh yeah, just as a parting gesture the Pike gave me a "love bite" on my thumb as token of our friendship - how kind!