Pike problem in a mixed bag?

Date fished 17/6/2021

7am until 4pm

It's just after 5am and I am laying in bed. My digs are spot on for what I need. Had a hot shower, walked to Sainsburys to buy some food and have a big tv in my room! Perfect. I had a good night's sleep and now am thinking about today's trip. The rain is coming down quite heavy and the forcast has changed to rain most of the day. I am off to the Tees to trot the float through in the hope of bagging a good mixed bag of fish. 

I will get up now and get going. Speak to you later. 

I met Ellis at 7am at the car park of a club water. We walked down to the river and I picked my usual swim.

Ellis went in a swim he "found" downstream. We were both feeding maggots and using maggot or worm on the hook. When Ellis was finally settled in the Bush, I mean swim!, we started to fish. 

Perch were the first fish to arrive, and I soon had a few in the net. A few small silver's and the net was definitely getting mixed. Then as I brought a small (unseen) fish to my net, Boom!! A Pike grabbed it. I played the Pike on my float rod, size 18 hook to 2lb bottom. It swam all around the river but the hook and line held. Ellis came to assist and remarked how " Pike never bite through the line, it's a myth!" Eventually I landed the Pike and a 4lb Pike was defo a mixed bag! 

Ellis went back to his swim and we fished on. I had no more  Pike issues but some of the Perch I caught went off like Pike. Twice they nearly snagged me on the far bank, it was over 20 metres away!! Ellis was catching a few too and soon I heard a big splash from him. A Pike had grabbed his most recent fish. 

I won't tell you what he said next, but rest assured the myth is not a myth!! 

We carried on and we were both catching fish, mostly Perch. Then Ellis caught a good sized one ( I had two or three and lost one that were "good") suddenly a Pike grabbed the big Perch. Ellis jumping back as it happened inches from the bank. Sadly/gladly (you decide) the Pike let go but Ellis landed the Perch with not a scratch on it. A magnificent perch of well over a pound.

We stopped for lunch and decided to go look at my Perch and take some pics and release them. I had several large Perch with the biggest weighing 1lb 6oz, equalling my pb. 

We sat and chatted and ate, we had not chatted much as the swims were so far apart, all the communication was shouted! 

We decided we could both get in Ellis's swim so we went and fished in there. I caught a couple of Perch but it was very quiet. We decided a longer move was needed and headed upstream. I found a swim and Ellis went for a wander. Nothing was going on with worm, we had caught lots of the larger Perch on worm so I switched back to maggot. Straight away I was into small Roach and Chublets. 

Ellis came back from his wander and had seen a 4lb Chub try to eat a Perch he was playing to the net. He went off to catch it. I stayed with my tiddlers. Soon it was too much and I picked up all the gear and followed. I hadn't seen where Ellis waded, I just assumed he stayed near the bank, so I set off that way. When the water was an inch below my nipples I called for Ellis. All my bag, gear and kitchen sink were soaked. It seemed I needed to walk in the middle of the river, that was shallow, not the edge! Silly me! 

I managed to find the swim as Ellis was changing onto ledgered meat. I kept with maggot and worm. First cast, his rod bent over. Chub was on. Second cast, same thing. Both about 1lb 8oz. 

I wanted some of this!! If Ellis could ledger with a centre pin reel, I am sure I can with a closed faced reel! 

I changed my tackle over and cast in. Boom! Chub on. Three identical chub in about 15 minutes. 

We fished on hoping for the bigger one. Suddenly I felt the tell tale tapping of a Chub moving the bait. I struck and the fish dived for the far bank. It was in a snag. I moved up and downstream and as Ellis was about to wade over, the fish came free. It swam around Ellis, nearly through his legs and we finally netted it. We weighed this one. Exactly 4lb, Ellis was right when he saw it earlier!! I had poached his Chub. 

Ellis fished on but there was no Tees Barbel, which really would of topped the day off. As we strolled back uphill to the car, I declared what a great day it had been and how much fun (and fish filled) our trips are. Two 4lb Chub from two rivers in two days, Pike to 4lb on trotting gear and Perch to nearly a pound and a half for us both! It might not seem like a mixed bag but that is amazing. I am still grinning now! 

It was such a good trip, it even has its own highlights reel below!!