John & Davey go pike fishing 1/3/10

[davyr]

John and I sensibly reserved the warmest, sunniest (one might almost say "Spring-like") day of the year so far for our combined assault on "Another Venue Within Easy Striking Distance of Stoke-on-Trent".



Arriving around 8:45 am, we soon each had a pair of deadbait rods fishing spots between 20 and 40 yards out. I had sardine on one rod and lamprey section on the other; John was fishing roach and mackerel section.



Nothing of note had happened by midday, by which time I was half-way through my lunchtime sarnies. We then received a visit from someone we assumed was the baliff, but were obliged to withdraw our hands from our pockets when it transpired that this was another angler, roving out from the far-flung town of Wigan in search of new waters to plunder.



My sardine rod chose that moment to produce the only run of the day. As soon as I struck, I knew that my 43-year-old PB (a magnificent 6lb) was in danger of being eclipsed.

After a brief tussle, John put the net under a very lively fish that turned the scales at 8lb 13oz - a tiddler to some, but a glorious new PB for me!



Unfortunately, things started to go downhill after I'd unhooked the fish. The unhooking itself was straightforward enough, but then the pike decided that it wasn't in the mood for having its picture taken and made a determined effort to return to the water via (for some reason) a bankside tree.

John, however, was determined that it would not succeed and flung himself full-length on the bank (dropping his cap in the water in the process) to keep it from its goal.

Somehow between us we managed to wrestle the fish back to the unhooking mat and I got a reasonably secure hold on it for John to take a photo. This explains the worried look on my face (I think). The chap from Wigan very decently restrained himself from laughing in a derisory manner at these antics.



Nonetheless, the fish was returned none the worse for its adventure and swam off very strongly.



No more action was had, other than a liner on my lamprey rod, which may well have been a carp or a bream out for a bit of a wander in the sunshine.

John made my day still further by presenting me with a bag of lethal-looking lures that he swears are "surplus to his requirements" and several of his excellent home-made polyball pike floats.

He really is a Very Very Nice Man!

[John]

It was a return to a venue I fished a lot 15 and more years ago. With nothing more to go on the choice of swim was based on what I considered the best swim then. At least the task for the day was completed a fish for Davy. For it to be a PB made it more than worth while.

My gusstimate of the weight as I netted it was out by 2lb. I must do better

The weather was kind to us and the company great. A very enjoyable day. What made it even better was a no show by the bailiff so the £5.00 day ticket money stayed firmly in my wallet along with the undisturbed moths.
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Suffer fools gladly.........NOT

[JeffR]

A PB for Dave and an unopened wallet for John - I wonder which meant most to each of them?

Good angling chaps! ...shame there's no Youtube clip of Johns fish wrestling
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If at first you don't succeed...failure may be your style

[John]

Jeff you cheeky sod I'm not tight just careful with my money, Honest.

The pegs fished were very tight. Yes we had flat areas, either concrete or at the top of the slope behind us. I cant remember a more frisky fish How i held on to it I dont know. Perhaps sheer determination that a pic would be taken. My cap was soaking after its dunking.

On top of all this I caught my finger in the gill rakers. I know pike have an anti - coagulant on their teeth but some of the meds I take thin my blood which doesnt help. Blood flowed the unhooking mat was covered how I kept it off the camera I dont know.
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Suffer fools gladly.........NOT

[ray]

congrats davy, now you gotta go and catch a bigger one.

glad the weather held out for a while for you both.


ray.
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tight lines and paddle safely.

[JeffR]

I'm a self confessed whimp John - I always use a glove - one of those red rubberised gardening/industrial ones
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If at first you don't succeed...failure may be your style

[John]

Jeff I've tried several gloves over the years and found them to be a hindrance rather than a help. In fact there is a canvas glove in the bottom of my bag.

Me being "ard" yeah right I prefer bare flesh. I now accept the occasional graze as an occupational hazard.
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Suffer fools gladly.........NOT

[davyr]

I, on the other hand, having a high platelet count and not being on medication, am a fast clotter.

But I still had to beg a plaster from John.