Well, I went out AGAIN! Wife and children went of to the zoo - being a wednesday when her friend has a day off - so I went off to the Broad again. Weather was due to be iffy in the afternoon but I'm pretty much bone from the neck up so that wasn't a problem.
Dropped off, I launched (dry) from the side and paddled out, dropped my two Rapala's down (CB9's, blue mackerel and red head). Just getting into my stride after 5 minutes when:
He didn't need boating, just unhooked in the water at 1lb 11oz.
Smiling he was
A good start, I was really wondering what might happen if it went like that all day! The thing is with trolling in relatively shallow water where there is some weed about (and you are going close to seek out the pike) you never know what's going to happen - you keep an eye on the rod tips, alternating (like Biggles) and wait to see if they either stop vibrating, start jumping or just go tight/jumpy which indicates weed. Sometimes you have to glance at where the line is to spot things, like
which translates into
or 2lb 11oz in Imperial measures. As opposed to the 1lb 6oz of both this
and this, my personal best for the species
that's a perch by the way, and it has a beautiful dorsal fin which i couldn't hold up due to the camera being in my other hand.
Shortly thereafter on my way in (thinking y wife had called and was coming to pick me up) a 1lb 4oz jack took off
So I hoiked him in
And stuck his head near my nuts
Having a couple of lads nearby, i had to pose again - and they'd never seena pike before.
Now, these are the successful hook-ups. I had a good few runs which resulted in dropped lures and two hook-ups with big fish which both got off. One while taking a pic which was probably 5lb or so, and which threw the lure while jumping clear out of the water and tailwalking - usually a summer thing - which is the one of the splash and the rod already seen, another hook up of maybe 8-10lb that tore off and then came close enough to see before throwing the lure, and another, bigger one, that took the other lure as I was bringing it in straight after, being alongside when it took and I saw a swirl and a big golden flank when it hit the lure (and missed) - difficult to estimate because water magnifies etc but it was a very good fish.
So, my wife not being there, and not coming yet when i managed to get hold of here, i went off again, picking up
I figured it to be weed but it weighed in at 9oz!!
Unlike the fish that came next, after a missed run, at 2lb 11oz
By the way, I paddled around repeating the weights inside my head all day so i could remember them to tell you lot!! Anyway, I then had a stunning bit of excitement and some absolutely shockingly Keystone Kop-like moments. First off, I had a run which dropped (these are surprisingly common). then a run on BOTH rods, which also both dropped off. Then bang - I wa sin to a bloody good fish. He was up and out of the water, clutch screaming, and off. Turned the kayak too. Anyway, I start getting him in, and hauling the landing net from its position hooked under the front hatch straps I catch the rear portion of the handle by the thumb screw. This results in the rear portion going into the water and drifting off vertically with ar trapped in the spike, looking like a periscope. Now I'm down to a 2 ft handle (and a 10ft 6 rod). This'll be fun. So, unhooking mat over the legs, and in I bring it. Unhooking mat over the side and off she runs again. Unhooking mat back in place, wet nuts, and alongside once more. Battery on the camera is getting low so no fighting pics, and besides I don't want this bugger escaping. Net under (eventually) and the lure snags in the middle, meaning I can't get the fish in properly without some deft handling. Finally managing it I get her aboard. This one is longer than the diameter of my net (I'd estimate 10-12lb) and it's bloody angry. keeps flipping around. Eventaully i get the hooks out of her mouth (she ain't opening up!!) and then have to bugger around to remove some line caught between her jaw plates - line is running across her mouth on the inside. get this out, she flips, goes over the side. I grab her tail, have a hold, but she's too slippery and off she goes. No pic, no weight, y biggest yet by far in the yak, and guess what? I have the line in my hand, i have thelure she was caught on sitting in front of me, but my other rod (with 50 yards of braid out) is missing the trace and lure -and the line in my hand is from that rod. What happened to my lucky mackerel CB9 I know not. I've had it for 15 years too. So, happy but a tad fed-up, I tie on another trace and clip on the CB13 redhead that did so well yesterday. Two redheads out and things went haywire.
Runs left and right, reels screeching and big fish thumping away on the end but not hooking up, an 8-10lb that went UNDER the kayak and threw the lure, and then
a 5lb 1oz pike to finish the day. These big ones all came on the bite in a space of 20 minutes or so, then went off again - I couldn't get a run after. 8 pike boated, 1 perch (personal best) 4 pike seen that got off (all big fish), countless runs and a fantastic day out on the yak. It doesn't get better than that. I NEVER had fishing like that on land. I feel fitter too but really need to get some waterproof trousers (was soaked from the waist down) and some waterproof footwear (suede desert boots are dumb in a kayak, especially when scupper stopeprs get caught on the heel and pulled out!!).
Getting out was when I realised how cold and wet my lower half must have been (although I didn't feel cold at all, any of the three days this week, and had extra clothing at hand in case I did). It was difficult to get out of the yak. It was difficult to stand up and get moving. i'd been in one position for 6 hours or so.
So, shopping list - waterproof lower half and a cushion for under the seat (unhooking mat being used for, well, unhooking). Handy luggage - lunch, coffee. Not that I'd have stopped to partake - tok me 5 hours before allowing myself to stop and swig some water!!
A cracking day. No need for me to drive to Wales at all! Which reminds me, there is a holiday village that backs onto the broad, that has a marina accessible from it, and has reasonable rates…..if Llangorse is a success how about a second meet in the new year over here?
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