Kayaking Angler: Simon and Mark Go Piking...28/10/06

Simon Everett and I decided to get together and have a days piking today as he would be almost in the area. And so it was that midday saw the two of us launching from a slipway onto the broad for a 5 hour session. having lost my mackerel CB9 a few days prior, and having been wet from the waist down I was sporting a magificent set of Mustad Bib and Brace beneath my lifejacket and had bought a pair of Wychwood shallow floaters (trout and firetiger) which were attached to my serviced and greased reels (one of which was to throw a spring before launch leaving the clutch impossible to tighten and giving me a reverse-winding multiplier. Great for lure fishing, shite for trolling!!)

So, off we paddled with a fair bit of wind and a dull sky.

Having trolled out for a while without a hit we headed across the broad to a hotspot I'd found previously. A good spot for Simon to try with his fly as it almost always results in a run on the lures. And lo and behold a star did appear in the east, and his name was Simon, and he did cast his fly amongst the waters...

And they did part before him...

and he did have his 'one on the fly', a 3 pounder who was released unweighed in short order.

First blood to the away team, with the home team 'Wallering' in his wake!

having politely given my guest the lead (cough) I then began to unhobble my piking shoes and put on a pair of Rapala Magnum redheads - CB9 and CB13. The Wychwoods were set aside while I drew even at 4lb 6oz, (photos to follow)

Then, after coffee and a chat with a fellow local piker, it was off to see what Simon was up to. I had to stop of course, with another of 2lb 4oz having a crack at my lures. (photos also to follow).

Well, I sorted that out and fiddled around and then came upon a most interesting discussion being held by Simon and the aforementioend local (honestly, I didn't bribe him to keep you occupied while I snatched that 3lb'er from beneath you) (photos to follow).

Well, it was time to head further up, and tales of another place that was producing gave direction to our bows, Simon pulling ahead as I nattered, finally following him up, getting close when

What's that?

Oh.One of these

An 11oz monster had ferociously assaulted my lure and had to be forcibly removed. It was now 4:1 to the home team. A discussion shortly before had been along the lines of quality/quantity - me stating I'd rather have loads of small ones than a couple of big ones. Simon being of the opposite opinion. So, to spite him I caught another, at just over a pound.

that was after losing a good one (5lb or so) that scared the crap out of a motor boat's occupants who were helping the dinghy club cover most of the broad. taking the lure up to the surface it spalshed out 3 or 4 metres away from them. Laugh? I nearly **** myself. Until it threw the hooks.

At 5:1 boated it was decided that down the other end was the place to head for. Trolling through my hotspot I was surprised to only have one run. This turned out to be a moored yacht, which was soon unhooked and put back. Fortunately unwitnessed.

Running through again, back the way I'd come, resulted in nothing. But here came the away team, running down the wings and POW! From the halfway line:

Get a load of that! And what does that do to a rod? Bends its

shakes it

Any way she wants it. She being 'Annette'.

And lo, it came to pass that a monster had come up from the depths and accepted the proffered sacrificial Rapala Super Shad Rap in Goldfish clothing. A PB for Simon I believe... even if the bloody scales only recorded it at 12lb 2oz (we both think it was nearer 20). These naughty scales need a thorough testing tomorrow. Whatever the weight, it was a fantastic fish and well done indeed.

Nothing much happened from then on. I nattered to another local and emptied my thermos, and then off we went to the other side of the broad. A bit more watching Simon trying on the fly and then it was time to head in. Of course, i couldn't resist sticking my lines out. And he couldn't resist taking them:

At 2lb he felt bigger initially, then went as stiff as a board and gave up. Unhooking him, I noticed marks down his flank that lead me to believe he had nearly been dinner for something far bigger. But he soon went off, and in we went, finishing the day at sunset with a fish.

Credit: 8 pike between us. Debit: 1 lure and 1 landing net between us. A tie on weight overall, if the scales are correct, but Simons fish is clearly the biggest landed on a yak there this week. I have yet to get one to that size on mine.

The bulk of the photographs will follow in a few days as they are on Simons camera. A brilliant day out, thanks Simon, it was a pleasure to fish with you.

here are a few more pics from Simon: Apart from Simons I'm unsure which are which except for the last, but refer to the first post and try and jiggle them...

The trouble with 2 lures being out and wind/current:

easing the fish over the net, not pushing the net to the fish

The way to do it - fingers/hand under the gill cover at the front - avoid the filaments so you don't do any damage

which allows you to get the hooks out freely as the mouth will invariably stay open giving you plenty of room (a perch is harder to unhook than a pike by far). Don't worry about the teeth as they are far smaller than those on your average household cat or dog.