Is it better to have love and lost than never loved at all?

I had the privilege of fishing a new water today, I will be lucky enough to be doing a bit of a campaign there this winter. The water which I will simply refer to in future bloggings as 'The Lake' is a lovely place. It does though have a reputation of being notoriously hard, but with a bit of effort I'm told the rewards can be great.

There is no litter, the venue is very well kept and isolated and best of all I'm told that it holds a good head of Pike, and there are one or two monsters hanging about.

Well this makes good reading doesn't it! So I set about having my first session on there today.

So you can imagine my delight after only being there for three hours to see my float bobbing and my reel stripping line. I was in! And I was connected to a right old lump to boot.

After a brief fight and some bullying to stop it making for the nearside bush I readied the net, when out of nowhere it tail walked about three foot in the air and disaster! It shook the hooks.

I stood on the side of the bank, legs shaking - I was a despondent man, thinking about what might have been. It was a good fish, easy an upper double, I'd rather not dwell on it's size too much.

Despite sitting anxiously until the sunset. I didn't get another take. I now know that the rumours are true, there are some good fish in there, and anyway who did I think I was turning up for my first session and almost catching one of the lakes lunkers.

In a strange way I'm glad I didn't catch it, I'm glad she got away. I'd rather a challenge and the sight of the magnificent beast will make me all the more keener for my return!

So to the question. Is it better to have love and lost then never loved at all? You bet it is....

A Jack from Sollom

The weather today was typical of the weather that we have endured for the best part of November so far.... Crap! More rain and more high winds expected. The weather is absolutely killing the fishing, the drains are still pumping and are perhaps more suited for sailing than fishing of late.

I looked out the window this morning and was greeted by a rather dismal sight. I sulked my way downstairs grabbed a bowl of Shreddies and proceeded to put SKY channel 242 on. It was 'Lake Escapes' and would you believe it!? It was the episode where Matt Hayes was fishing with Gordie on Windermere. They were happily landing some mid double fish when - in an instant I paused what they were doing, switched the TV off, grabbed my gear and went fishing. To me watching fishing programmes is a little like watching porn, it's not too long before I'm excited and wanting to have a bash myself. I trust you get the analogy!

I decided to have a bash on the canal at Sollom. It would seem I wasn't the only person with this idea as Paddy was also there trying to winkle a Pike off the same section I had headed to.

It was a pretty quiet session though. I fished one rod on a suspended dead bait and I fished another bait hard on the bottom. Both baits didn't get any interest until I was just packing up. A Pike of around 5 or 6lb had taken the bait off the bottom. Thanks to Al who'd popped down for a chat for the photo.

Piker Sniper

A sore loser me? Never!

A day on the reservoir with Al was arranged, we arrived at dawn and quickly got about setting up. If the weather forecast was anything to go by we were in for a right battering today. And a battering we got, heavy gusts and rain to match made for a day fit for only the keenest (maddest) anglers. Johnny Panto and one of his fishing buddies had also decided to fish the reservoir today, but rather than make the place cramped they headed for the opposite bank.

It's at this point that I'd like to continue the fishing report with some tales of my landing some excellent Pike........My bait runners stripping line so fast that there was steam coming off them. My line singing a chilling tune as I played the fish in the hurricane like winds. I'd like to say that my rod was bent over double - crippled by the weight of a huge Leviathan as we jostled with each other, each wishing to be the victor in our battle.

In reality though I blanked! Allan though fared a little better, landing a lovely condition Pike of bang on 10lb's.. (I hate you Al) :)

And that was the only action that we had all day. Panto and his mate on the other hand did a lot better. Landing Pike to 16lb. (I hate you Panto) :)

Back on the drains

It took me ages to decide where to go fishing today, do I head back to the canal or chance my luck back on the drains? After much deliberation with Panto I decided on the latter.

The conditions were not favourable, the water was the colour of chocolate, and there was still a good tow on the water. I laid my baits on the bottom but after a couple of hours staring at motionless floats I got to thinking that a different approach maybe called for.

I changed my rigs over to a paternoster and fished my baits suspended in the water.

This did the trick as within half an hour of doing so I was in to my first Pike of the day. A good fish of around 9lb possibly a scraper double was giving a good account of itself. Sadly this was yet another fish with a torn mandible, I'm not sure as to how these fish are ending up like this. It's possible that a wire trace was left in it's mouth at sometime. I'll have to put it down to some bad angling by other anglers. We all though I appreciate have to start somewhere. The best advice I can give to budding Pikers is to find somebody that you know that is experienced and ask to go with them.

Soon after the same rod from the same spot was in again. This time a rooting Jack Pike of around 4lb's had fallen for the old suspended bait trick.

Panto who without catching today earned the title 'Jonny Blanko' was wise enough to make his escape before the heavens opened. I on the other hand got a good old soaking. I have as yet to master the art of packing up before the weather sets in. I'm afraid that my mantra of "Just 5 more minutes" is often my downfall

The day I out fished a Piking legend (Technically)

The drains were still coloured up and pumping quite hard, so I decided to head on to the Leeds Liverpool canal. I spoke with Gord and he said he'd like to join me. Those of you that know Gord will be aware that he is pretty good value for laughs and stories, the detail that he goes in to when he regales his piking adventures from the past make great entertainment, So this in mind I was probably in for a good day's fishing.

We arrived at out spot just after daybreak, and within the first 10 minutes of setting up Gord was in to the first bit of action of the day. Judging by the bend in his rod I was expecting to see a small Jack Pike, I was rather surprised when through the splashing and swirling of the water a clonking Perch of 2lb's was revealed. A cracking fish! (Photo taken on Gord's camera will obtain soon)

The next fish on the bank fell to one of my rod's, a Jack Pike of around 2lb's wasn't going to break any records.

A couple of hours passed and I was in again, a slightly bigger Jack of - maybe if I was lucky just over 3lb. I was catching fish though so that's all that matters.

We arranged to meet Jonny Panto, so we packed up and moved to a different stretch of the canal. Within around 5 minutes of us joining The Panto - he was in... A better fish of between 6 and 7lb had taken a Sardine

So in summary... I have as yet to land a canal double. I shall though - albeit tongue in cheek consider today the day that I out fished the Piking legend that is known as 'Gord Burton' although he may not have caught any Pike I have to admit I'd swap 1000 Jacks to have landed his Perch.

Lets just say the fishing in the afternoon went a little slow, well we had to amuse ourselves somehow :)

My moment of humiliation........

After placing my hand in the bait bucket and proclaiming "Feck me this water is bloody cold" Gord in an act of machismo proceded to sit with his hand in the bucket for a good 10 minutes.

My near fatal heart attack.........

We were on our journey home discussing Piking matters when suddenly Gord shouted "STOP! STOP! STOP! STOPPPPPPPPPPP!" Well I bloody shit myself, "WHAT?" I said half scared to death, "What's wrong?" He'd spotted a road kill Pheasant on the side of the road, "I'm not letting that go to waste" He said.

Panto gets to grips with Gord
Gord's in trouble!

Buff! Panto delivers a devastating blow!
Gord's nose crumples from the power of the hit!
Another hit, he's done him again!
With body shots too quick for the human eye
Gord is victorious
A little hand warming
The Road Kill