Autumn River Pike Brace

On another kind invite from Clearwater's Ollie Johnson, I could not resist paying another visit to his local waterway after some river pike. After the one that got away last time being easily an upper double, the taste was in my mouth to try and catch a personal best river pike.

We arrived and bumped into Andy Little again, who was catching plentiful quality perch. He informed us that there was a big pike in the top swim, therefore Ollie and I went upstream to investigate. Pike were seen patrolling near a wall settling in the streamer weed close in from time to time. After one missed take, where a small jack dropped Ollie's bait, he very kindly let me have a cast. I flicked the bait very close to the wall and waited. Action was instant with the float bobbing down aggressively before starting to whizz across the water's surface. Just after Ollie informed me the pike was turning the bait in its mouth, I wound down and struck. From this moment the drag started screaming as I tried to cup the spool and slow the surging run, but with the agility and muscle of river pike, this was like a steam train and unable to be slowed easily. This intense battle became nerve racking as the fish swum close to the wall, trying to cut me off on the concrete. I eventually managed to turn the fish's head with some firm pressure and then guide it into the waiting net. I was a very happy angler as this fish was likely to be my personal best river pike. At 11lb 10oz, it was a new PB, which I felt was an overwhelming start to the day as quite frankly, I haven't had too many fights like this!

A welcome double on the first swim!

After this, Ollie and I rotated pike fishing and trotting but nothing more was to be managed apart from the inevitable game fish on this certain river. After photographing a pretty perch for Andy downstream before he had to go, he informed Ollie and I that there were some big pike showing in his swim. After Andy had packed his gear away, he pointed exactly at the crease where I had lost the big pike last time and had the scraper double from.

I flicked my paternoster rig out and waited. It was not long until I received my first take, but my nerves got the better of me this time and I struck early, meaning that the hook pulled out on this fish. After casting a few more times to get it perfect, I again waited and tried not to let my nerves get the better of me this time. I was holding the rod with the line in my fingers, and suddenly felt a bang through the whole of my arm, like an electric shock! This was followed by the float moving slowly before picking up pace and starting to dip under the surface. I gave this fish a few seconds and then wound down. On contact with the fish, the rod absolutely arched over, and all hell broke loose. I knew I was into a better fish with it absolutely rocketing off into the pacy current setting the reel's drag to absolute meltdown! With my adrenaline at critical level, I was shaking and at times losing concentration. With the weight of the fish and this current, the strain I had to put on was a lot more than I'd usually dream of. After one very hairy moment where the fish almost buried me into a nasty snag, I managed to steer the fish and it eventually managed to slide into the waiting net held by Ollie. Ollie and Andy recognised this fish and knew it would easily smash my personal best river pike and give my actual personal best pike a run for its money. After a quick unhooking, we zeroed the sling and weighed the fish. At 18lb 8oz it had equalled my personal best and smashed my river best. Andy kindly did the honours with some really nice photos and we watched the pike swim off resiliently which was very encouraging!

Nice big girl and personal best river pike!

Big thanks goes to Ollie for inviting me again on this beautiful stretch and his photography, as well as Andy with his advice and the nice shots!

Tight Lines,

Tom