Pike Hunting

 Recently I have been trying to get out and hunt down a Pike and in the process finding a few new places to fish, so for the day I was to meet up with Jeff jnr for a days piking on a Thames tributary in the lovely freezing cold weather.

 Up at 5:30am for an early start as I had to meet Jeff before we set off on our way, the time in the car went by pretty quickly as we just nagged about fishing tales of the past and what tactics we would employ to outsmart some winter Pike, after about an hours drive we turned up to our chosen venue and had a scout around to spot anything in the margins but nothing offered itself up so we headed back up river to the swim we turned up and got prepped and ready.

 I set up first and cast out a whole sardine at around 2foot under my pike bob and allowed it to circulate around the swim which was a large back eddy that was offset to a main current on the far side, when my bob stopped moving so I gave it a little pull but nothing, so I recast closer in and about a minute or so later the float did the same, so I pulled into again when my bait rose a Pike rose with it at about 8lb but not realising at first that it was a Pike on I didn't strike so it spat the bait almost immediately and the Pike was gone and back down to the bottom.

 Losing that fish so soon gave us confidence that there were a few here and they were feeding so Jeff got set up with the same tactic and we both were lying in wait and for the next half hour we waited but we didn't get a sniff, out with the spinners and shads to try something different and again almost straight away I got a strong take when a Pike came from under our feet to nail my green and yellow Mepps, it has to be said the fight was pretty drab with only one half hearted attempt at a tail walk.

My little Esox 4lbs 7ozs.

 

 After landing that Pike again the swim went all quiet so we decided to head down river and try to find some Pike elsewhere. Jeff below wishing he had one that big or even just a bite!!.

 

 

  For another hour or so we tried everything to get a Pike or 2 to show themselves but it was fast becoming a difficult session and coupled with the fact it was perfect conditions for Pike, it was a little hard to take but just maybe they were not in the stretch we were in, in big numbers, as dusk fell Jeff maintained his hunt for an Esox but changed over to putting a half sardine on the bottom and watching the rod tip, plus I changed my tactic to going after a big Chub by casting out a big lump of luncheon meat with a 1oz lead in the hope of a fish, as the light failed Jeff called it a night as the temperature was dropping noticeably from a meagre -4C that it was for most of the day and I did get a couple of enquiries on my meat but it wasn't anything substantial and by 4:45 we packed up and headed back to London, not catching as many as we hoped but at least we saw activity which kept us interested throughout the day, maybe another time.