Took a mate out for the day on my boat on Saturday.
The aim was to get Tom his first Zander, but with bright sky's and a low clear river I knew we would be up against it.
That coupled with the fact we could only stay until around 4pm, meant we it would be tough going for Zander.
Anyhow, we spent the morning trolling, taking a number of nice Pike to low doubles.
Around lunch time we decided to anchor up on a nice feature that I've taken a good few Zander off in the past.
We fished a couple of small fresh Roach deadbaits on the bottom, under floats and I paternostered a livebait just off the side of the boat.
We were halfway through a pack of bacon when Toms float upped and slithered away.
As soon as he set the hooks I could tell it was a decent fish, and after a great scrap a decent Pike came up in the water beside the boat.
I was leaning over the side with the net ready and at first sight I thought it had a bloody great growth on the side of its head, but as she surfaced I realised it was a smaller Pike in its mouth.
As she thrashed on the surface the jack came out of her mouth and they both went into the net.
Now if I tell you that Tom's Pike went 18lb 4oz (a PB for Tom
) without the jack, and even taking into account the jack was
part digested, I'd put it at about 6lb.
I'm fully aware that Pike will take a smaller Pike no problem, but this fish was around a 1/3 of the size of the 18.
Here are a couple of photos I took............
Tom's PB @ 18lb 4oz
No apologies for the photoshop edit
Just as I came to net the Pike, she spat out her lunch
Side by side, beauty and the beast.
Greedy sod............
We eventually finished the session with more than a dozen Pike, of which four were doubles, so not a bad session.
Steve
The aim was to get Tom his first Zander, but with bright sky's and a low clear river I knew we would be up against it.
That coupled with the fact we could only stay until around 4pm, meant we it would be tough going for Zander.
Anyhow, we spent the morning trolling, taking a number of nice Pike to low doubles.
Around lunch time we decided to anchor up on a nice feature that I've taken a good few Zander off in the past.
We fished a couple of small fresh Roach deadbaits on the bottom, under floats and I paternostered a livebait just off the side of the boat.
We were halfway through a pack of bacon when Toms float upped and slithered away.
As soon as he set the hooks I could tell it was a decent fish, and after a great scrap a decent Pike came up in the water beside the boat.
I was leaning over the side with the net ready and at first sight I thought it had a bloody great growth on the side of its head, but as she surfaced I realised it was a smaller Pike in its mouth.
As she thrashed on the surface the jack came out of her mouth and they both went into the net.
Now if I tell you that Tom's Pike went 18lb 4oz (a PB for Tom
) without the jack, and even taking into account the jack was
part digested, I'd put it at about 6lb.
I'm fully aware that Pike will take a smaller Pike no problem, but this fish was around a 1/3 of the size of the 18.
Here are a couple of photos I took............
Tom's PB @ 18lb 4oz
No apologies for the photoshop edit
Just as I came to net the Pike, she spat out her lunch
Side by side, beauty and the beast.
Greedy sod............
We eventually finished the session with more than a dozen Pike, of which four were doubles, so not a bad session.
Steve
.
