Pike Fishing by A.R. Chumbley

29/12/2021

8am until 3.30pm

I always wondered what it would be like to write a book. Let's see how it might go. 

A snappy cover pic would probably be something like this: 

Then I would detail how my fishing trip went, maybe like this:

A red sky in the morning.... well you know the rest. However, Ellis and I are not shepherd's, so we didn't let a red sky stop us going fishing. We met just after 8am at a section of the Tees we usually fish in summer. We usually trot the stick float with maggots and catch some decent fish. We also get plagued with Pike when we have 2lb hook links and size 18 hooks. So, today we came with 15lb line, trebles, newly made traces and Pike gear only! 

A gentle down hill walk got us to the river. Quite a bit up on normal level and with some pace, but the gauge said it was dropping. Some mild weather expected later in the week, so hopefully the Pike would be on the munch and we would find them in the slacks. 

We walked to the first swim and cast in. We had decided to fish in every swim together, with only one rod each there was enough space. I had (very old) Lamprey as bait and Ellis had Mackerel. As the floats bobbed around in the water we chatted about past and future trips, work, life and generally just caught up. 

It was Ellis that saw my float start to bob, twitch and slowly slide away. I was straight on the rod, fish on. I soon realised this was the first fish on my new (now 12 months old) Pike rod and I didn't want to lose it. I played it carefully and soon it was guided to the net. Ellis rested it while I got ready. Soon the fish was unhooked (easy with barbless trebles), photographed, weighed and returned. A pristine Pike of 8lb 8oz definitely worth a good few pics! 

We tried a while in this swim, but no more fish so headed downstream. We fished our way down to where the trees blocked our path even though we think our club water continues further along this bank. We will have to consult the maps. By now the skies had darkened and the rain heavy. The wind soon picked up too and the day was turning miserable. We turned around and headed back up stream to fish some swims we had walked past. Every swim was fished for 20 to 30 mins, two rods. Checking all the slack water, even that only inches from the bank. We were sure another Pike would be waiting. 

Eventually we were back to the first swim and we swapped positions ( I had caught my fish on the left, so Ellis now fished here. I am a goodun!?!) and fished on. Nothing doing the second time so we headed further upstream to areas we had not fished today and never seen before in summer! They were always covered by thick vegetation. We found a perfect looking swim. After getting snagged, but getting all my tackle back, I sat back and we both watched Ellis's float, desperate for it to slide away. 

Sadly the float stayed still and as the sun came out and dried us off, we tried our last swim. Ellis even got the lure rod out and tried with a large lure to knock the Pike over the head, when that didn't work it was time to call it a day. A slow trudge up the hill to the cars. Once the cars were loaded, Ellis gave me a Christmas present. Not a typewriter or dictionary to aid my writing skills, but a soup thermos. It seems my envious stares of him tucking into hot soup on cold winter days had not gone unnoticed!!

So back to writing my book. Two things I think I would struggle with:

1. Editing and selecting one picture. Clearly, as seen above, I just put all the pictures in as I couldn't choose.

2. My books title. I don't think Mr Hartley would appreciate me just nicking his!