SUMMER DOUBLES

Every now and then you have a session were it all comes together. A recent trip to the station stretch at Great Bedwyn was just one of those. I’d been planning on a pole fishing day, finishing off with a few hours piking… not a common place mix of methods, but variety has been the key to my fishing this season. Also going along with a wide-ranging choice of attacks will often turn an average or poor days fishing into a successful one.

Getting to the swim early, a carp rolled in front of me… to much temptation! Luckily one of the rods I’d bought along for the pike fishing later in the day was still tackled up from a recent carp trip. A rummage around in the box produced an old packet of whisky boilies, just the job! I introduced a handful of freebies tight against the reeds, and then cast the baited rig amongst them, well satisfied as it landed just inches from the bank. There’s a good marginal depth of water in this particular spot and the carp like to patrol along the edge of the reeds feeding on the water snails etc. although they will occasionally come out into open water, a bait tight to the edge greatly increases your chances of a run. With no alarms on me, it was a case of putting on the bait runner and keeping an ear open for that whirring of the spool. No more than half an hour had passed before the rod almost leapt from the rests as a powerful carp hooked it’s self against my semi-fixed bolt rig and surged off. After a couple of lighting fast runs the fish was subdued and came to the net. A mirror carp lay on the unhooking mat, and at 13lb it was a great bonus way to start the day!

The pole fishing was going as planned with plenty of big skimmers and perch falling to my double red maggot bait. And then the first of two surprises! The float went under and at first I thought I had snagged a large twig, but then as I unshipped my pole a large American Signal Crayfish appeared in front of my net! Hooked fair and square in his mouth, he gave me no end of grief as I tried to unhook him, with pincers at least 2” long this made unhooking pike seem like child’s play! I have since gathered that worryingly, these non-indigenous pests are becoming more frequent visitors to the bank. Although their presence is threatening the existence of our native crayfish, this was still a first for me. Surprise number two was in the form of a 7lb pike hooked in the scissors on a size 20 tied to 1.2lb line. After taking my elastic backwards and forward for fully 15 minutes this lively little fella finally gave himself up! My first pike on the pole, and although it effectively ended the bream sport, it made for an entertaining sideshow!

As lunchtime was by now fast approaching, and with it heavy looking skies, I packed away the pole and took the box etc. back to the car and carried on with my more usual “speci approach”. Fair dues to all you match fishermen, but I know I find the comforts of my reclining chair far more inviting! On a day where everything went well it was no surprise that the first pike to take a sardine weighed a little over 10lb. After this I had a dropped run, making me think that maybe my baits were now a little big on the day. I changed down to a sprat and cast it back out to where I had just had the run. Just 5 minutes had passed and sure enough the float was heading at speed down the canal. An acrobatic scrap ensued before this fish went into the net. I have found that though sometimes a little harder to tempt, once hooked a summer pike, does tend to give a more aerial and exciting fight than one hooked in the more traditional period. The pike was in pristine condition, with beautiful markings and at 11lbs was a super fish to finish the day off. Interestingly the small sprat was only just in her mouth with only one treble in contact, this would explain the previous dropped run and prove the decision to down size my bait the right one. Double figure carp and pike in the same session, I leave the water a happy angler!

Till next time…

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