The Carp "double" in every month of 2023 looks doomed to failure. I just ain't feeling it anymore. Bev's injury has played a part but, even without her tumble, my heart really isn't in it anymore. "Never say never" as I might just fluke a double on a short afternoon session and re-ignite the flame, however, it's now late November and conditions are telling me to get out after Pike. The RMC is calling, but the section I favour is still carrying a lot of extra water due to recent high rainfall levels. Bev and I took a drive down to Giggers Green just to allow me to gauge the situation. Utter mayhem being my impression looking at the filthy, debris filled, water flowing towards the sluice at West Hythe. It'll require a good week, without further rainfall, before the canal will start to fine down and be fishable again. In the mean time, I have a simple quest to catch a double-figure Pike from a new venue.
"Black Dyke" as named by Gareth Craddock Will my hunch pay off? |
I've certainly taken a few Pike from this particular drain, over the years, yet the best one was around the 9 lbs mark. It is part of a massive drainage infrastructure which is in place to prevent flooding across the East Kent area and, as such, connected to many other drains, dykes & ditches via sluices and junctions across the flatlands. I've met anglers, whilst on my travels, who tell of decent Pike being caught from the venue yet haven't seen one for myself. Tomorrow morning I am planning to cast a couple of baited rigs into a section of this drain that I've never previously fished. What's the worst thing that can happen? If I don't try, I'll never know, so the adventure continues.