stevetheangler

On the 18th October I set off on my first pike session of the new season to Pike Water 5…

Not the best weather to be out in – dull, overcast, drizzly albeit the car’s thermometer registered a warm 12’C as I drove enroute to the venue at 0745, arriving around 0815 and pleased to see no other cars on the car park so I knew I’d get my preferred swim.

The intention of the day was to floatfish with maggot initially until around 1030-1100 in order to catch some livebait … but with foresight I did pack some deadbaits in case the silvers weren’t co-operating … and they weren’t as I only managed one in two hours of fishing in difficult conditions – facing into the breeze (which was a southerly so theoretically did that right) with light tackle … and on return from last week’s holiday I had filled new line on my reel as I had discovered that I’d probably only 20 yards on the spool but it seems I’d overfilled as, with the breeze, a few tangles around the reel’s flyer and handle ensued.

Also my reel seemed to have got groundbait stuck in the handle’s handle and that wasn’t rolling well … improving during use but still wasn’t right at the end of day so thgat’s due a soak in a bowl of soapy water and an oiling … plus bale arm was sticking due to same problem…

Anyway, at 1100, the pike rods were put into action. 2 x 2.75lb carp rods, 40lb braid, standard snap tackles with size 6 trebles with folded down barbs – but not folded enough at least on one point as I’ll come to shortly. Plus not the wire traces I’d intended to use which were fitted with a size 8/10 single for bait holding and terminated with a size 2 single for the actual ‘active’ hook but seems I’d not got those in my bag – need to search the garage and find them! Anyway, one rod was fished with the livebait and the other a sardine both floatfished,

Then …

Setting the scenario … my seat with tackle bags, then to my right my rod pod and rods, further right and other side of rod pod was my unhooking ‘cradle’ with scales, camera and, more to the point (pun?) my pliers and wire cutters…

I wind in one of my baits and see one of the hooks has pulled free so go to re-hook and whilst doing so the other hook catches hold of my towel and snatches and pulls the loose treble into my right hand thumb which passes into the flesh and then out again about 1/8 inch away from the entry … attempts to free are scuppered by the ‘note quite flattened’ barb and the fluffy towel hanging off the other hook doesn’t help … tried to flatten the barb further with my forceps but they are not up to the job … so now have to get to the wire cutters which involves carrying rod and towel, climbing over the rod pod and other rod, disentangling rod tip which gets entangled in a bush .. all managed with just a modicum (read as ‘muted screams’) of pain and I finally get to snip the embedded hook at the bend and remove the remaining hook and with the help of forceps pull the barbed point through and out…

Also I started to feel ‘the need’ coming on to use facilities … and as I wasn’t really enjoying the day I decided to call it quits and return to the comforts of home …

ANYWAY … things have become a bit better today … had an e-mail from ‘Improve Your Coarse Fishing’ magazine saying I’ve won a runners-up prize in last month’s magazine competition, 5 bags of ‘Advantage’ groundbait worth £19.95 :)