Exciting! Let's start with the results; 9 pike and 56 perch - not bad for 5 hours on the pike ponds with a light lure set up. Weather was glorious and Storm Curl Tails accounted for all 65 fish. Sixty five!
Here's the rub though; 8 of the 9 pike were this years - beautiful mini predators - and pike are pike and I love them all. Looks like they had a successful breeding season this year - good news for the future.
Bad news though - a lot of the bigger females didn't survive long after spawning. It's part of nature and some years you loose a lot of pike - but I did have a follow from a double - I'll be back for her.
The perch were mad for the Curl Tails - they managed to destroy 3 of them - and they don't make them any more. Maxing out about a pound I'm hoping I'll find some bigger ones - next time!
Blimey, what a start. Miniature pike are just lovely little things.
ReplyDeleteI know, part of me wants to set up an aquarium and take one home. But I *probably* won’t...
DeleteIt was always an ambition of mine to have a long aquarium, pike in one end, small section for minnows at the other.
DeleteI ended up with carp, chub gudgeon etc.
Mine too. I am tempted but the issue is in a couple of years I’d have a 3 or 4lb pike and putting it back would be a problem - the ponds are over an hour away from my house.
DeleteGreat Perch that. Well done. 65!!!!
ReplyDeleteCheers, hectic start to the season - just need to convince the bigger pike to play now!
DeleteGood start to the pike season that! I’ve been working from ‘home’ and out of London since COVID, so should get a few more trips down to the wye this year. Hopefully catch you on the bank sometime!
ReplyDeleteOnly small, but great to get some on the scoreboard on the opening day! Are you near The Wye? Let's hope for some good weather (not floods). Look forward to hearing what you catch - tight lines. And I'm sure I'll be on the bank at some stage - hopefully see you there.
DeleteThey all count! I’m back at my parents in Worcestershire for the time being, so not too far away - certainly beats getting a train out of London back here for some weekend fishing! Yeah I hope this current rain doesn’t set the tone for the whole winter!
DeleteBeing that close you’ll hopefully be able to fish around the floods - great stuff. Getting a train out of London we have to take the conditions we get - and who knows how long we’ll be able to travel if new restrictions are imposed. Hope the river fines down soon so you can get on it early season...
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