Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

06 March 2003

'Joe's' pike.

I mentioned last week that my friend Joe had lost a good pike, probably due to not striking firmly enough. The fish had taken three times and eventually would not bite again so we had to leave it. Anyway, I said that I would try and catch it this week to see how big it was. My first attempt was on the Monday and, as usual bait was difficult to come by. I ended up wobbling a small dead roach and although I spent the best part of half-an-hour in the spot where Joe had lost his fish there was no sign of the pike. I did catch a smaller fish in the mouth of a feeder stream (a male running with milt as a matter of interest) but that was all.

A couple of days later the weather became quite a bit milder and I decided to have another go. Again the bait refused to cooperate but just as I was about to pack in I hooked a fish of about half-a-pound. There were no more bites so I decided that I would have to make do with my single bait. I walked down to the river with my rod set up, the bait in a bucket and my hopes high - to cap it all the sun was shining and it was very springlike.

I tied on a wire trace armed with a single circle hook, slipped a bottle cork onto the line, half-a-metre above the trace, lip hooked the precious bait and lowered it into the appointed spot. It swam round for about a minute with the cork bobbing and ducking before it slowly submerged and stayed down. I tightened the line and could feel the weight of a pike on the end. A smart tighten of the line resulted in a screaming reel and a bit of a struggle before I was able to land the fish.

It was almost certainly Joe's pike of last week and weighed just over eighteen pounds. After taking a couple of pictures I slipped it back into the river - a good five minute session!

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you.'get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

INFORMATION SPOT

COARSE FISHING

March 6th 2003

Joe piking - last time.

My first view of the fish.

Ready to land.

Beautifully hooked.