Tuesday 1 January 2019

Say Cheese, Mr Pike

Date fished 31/12/2018
4 rods in by 8.40 fished till 15.30

Ellis and I decided to head back to the Tees in some swims we saw last trip. We were hoping for chub and pike and not to end the year in the same way as we started - we both blanked on 1st January 2018!



A short walk, which would have been shorter had I not offered up a "short cut" to our chosen swim, and we were soon fishing. I had a new batch of cheese paste with bread crumb in the feeder for chub and sardine for pike. Ellis had mackerel for pike and steak for the chub, if nothing else we were teaching the fish all about fine dining!






The conditions were different to the previous trip, and apart from the bitter cold wind, we could not put our finger on what was different. As you know, I use the Finygo app for all my trips, and I will be checking the air pressure, wind speed, direction, temperature and river levels on both these trips to start to get more of an understanding as to what conditions were different. This will help us in future trips, well that's the plan!

As we waited in the cold wind, pies and Christmas chocolates were eaten to keep warm. First blood coming to the steak as three loud bleeps sounded on the alarm. The bite didn't materialise and we stayed on the blank.

A large fished swirled by my pike float, so I sat poised, but again no bite came. This has happened alot, we are not sure if it's fish attracted to the bait just checking it out, or actually fish attracted to the float!!



We waited, suddenly a large fish, suspected to be a Pike as Ellis saw its tail swoosh over, splashed 5ft in front of us. Ellis moved his pike rod so quickly in the spot, I thought he was gonna get whiplash!! Unfortunately nothing took the elasticated on mackerel and we remained on the blank.

By now, I had nearly drunk all my coffee and my choice of gilet over big coat was proving to be a bad decision. The wind was chilling me to the bone. It called for sandwiches!
As soon as I took a mouthful of sandwich my cheese paste rod twitched and hooped over. I grabbed it, and with a sandwich hanging out my mouth I struck into the fish. Fish on! Playing the fish, obviously a chub, I quickly stuffed the sandwich in,  the chub also doing the same with its cheese sandwich!
Bringing it to the surface, Ellis was waiting with the net. The water boiled and a long fish took another lunge downwards. I realised this long chub, was going to be a good fish, maybe a Tees pb. I brought it up again, and we soon saw the fish. A lovely long looking Pike!!
A huge eruption of laughter followed, as Ellis exclaimed "a pike on cheese paste!? I have seen it all now!"

Ellis slipped the net under Mr pike, and the release in tension meant the hook popped out in the net. I was lucky, but it was hooked squarely in the mouth!

Chuckles continued for the pics, and a 4lb pike was saying cheese for the camera, literally!!





Soon we were both sat behind our rods, again braving the cold. It all got too much for Ellis and his body deciding the best way was to hibernate! A "quiet" hour followed as he snored away! Keeping us safe, I watched a Hunter on the far bank in full camo, with rifle silencer and tripod, I assume he thought the noise was a bear, but it was just Ellis!

As I greeted Ellis with a morning for the second time of the day, he laughed at the hour he had dozed for. Realising he needed to catch up, he pulled out the big guns and decided to wobble deadbaits. A quick rig change and he was ready, first cast hitting a snag and losing all his tackle! Second cast doing the same, he really was mastering this wobbled dead bait method!! We laughed together and remarked on its effectiveness, if for nothing else but loosing tackle!

It was soon time for a change, walking back to the car, we noticed some likely looking spots.

Deadbaits were cast in and we waited. Ellis was hatching a plan, to avoid the blank, surely a tackle change to maggot would catch him a Grayling. Adapting his pike rod, to the well known rig of 15lb line to 2lb bottom, with a feeder and hook, he was ready!
Holding his rod, he immediately felt fish. Reeling in to re load his feeder, I noticed he was off the blank. A minnow hanging on for dear life! Again laughter followed and we were happy.


Second cast and Ellis was on 2. Third cast, 3. This was a gudgeon, Ellis saying " he had not caught one since he was 10, and maybe his first on the Tees" this really was turning into a great trip.


Another move and he was in again, a new species for me, as I had never seen a bullhead before.



It was soon time to pack up and trudge back to the car. It really was a funny trip, plenty of laughs, snores and fish (eventually) what more could we ask for to end our fishing year??

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