With the continued mild weather, the mobile lure approach mentioned in my last blog entry was an obvious choice of method for the opening of the pike season on my local reservoir. With water levels well down some areas that had produced previously were left high and dry, a quick scout around in the boat with the echo sounder showed an area of 8-10ft running alongside a marginal weed bed, a perfect ambush point for a pike.
With a warm south westerly breeze blowing parallel to the weeded area, conditions were perfect to make long drifts, to explore the area fully. From the off we had obviously made a good choice as a procession of small pike crashed into our rubber lures. As the wind picked up during the morning we began to get some larger pike between ten and fifteen pounds every drift, as well as a follow from a fish that looked all of thirty pounds! The very next drift produced a low twenty, which really made my day, a couple casts later and I noticed a swirl about 25 metres downwind of the boat, quickly casting a 6 inch perch pattern lure into the area produced a solid take, as the fish came to the boat I instantly knew that this fish was going to the culmination of my long search for a really big pike, my good friend Steve Moore done a great job on the net, and unhooked and weighed the fish of my dreams whilst I tried to compose myself, the scales settled on 31lb 14oz, a couple quick pictures and I watched her swim away strongly from my grip. The action continued and I ended up with around twenty fish, ten over 10lb including fish of 20-12, 21-10, 25-00 and 32-14.
As well as the local reservoir, I’ve also had a couple sessions on an Oxford pit in the hope of my first 20lb gravel pit Pike. On my arrival I was surprised to find several other piker’s in the area I was hoping to target meaning a start in a previously unfavoured area was the only option. Taking to the dingy I found a couple clearer areas among dense weed beds, I dropped a couple of markers on the spots then headed back to the bank to position the baits. Casting heavy dead baits and playing lively pike takes a toll on any rod so I was pleased that I had my favoured 3lb Neoterics that handle the abuse with ease, yet retain a perfect playing action.
With the water being very clear I wasn’t surprised that night time produced around 80% of the takes, with a string of doubles including my hoped for twenty with fish of 22-8 and 23-10. All in all a great start to the winter predator campaign.
Mobile lure fishing top tips
- Take a variety of lures to find what works on the day
- Use a Korum Latex landing net, the mesh is far more hook resistant than conventional mesh
- Travel light to explore as much water as possible
- Try to work your lures to imitate an injured fish; this will always outscore a straight retrieve
Top gravel tip pike tips
- Dont ignore the margins
- Always fish well into darkness
- Plumb around first to find clearer areas to present baits effectively
- Ensure you are on the water at first light to spot fry or small fish topping, the pike won’t be far away
