The Pike Pool

Is it always like this on ere mate?. 

A couple of years ago on the old forum a PM arrived in my IN box from a fairly well known northern specimen angler who was a friend of friend but was not in my close circle of angling mates, it went something like this, “All right Pete, Pete Foster here heard you have had a few decent Perch of late any chance of a bit of a heads up mate”.

Well being newish to the forum and knowing Pete might reciprocate with a day after the Pike on one of his waters I offered my services on my local water.

The date was sorted and a week later we met for the first time before dawn broke at the rendezvous point, We had a couple of things in common apart from the urge to catch predatory fish namely stomach size, greying face fuzz and a Border Terrier attached to each others heel, although his is crackers and it includes diving to the bottom of water ways to retrieve bricks as one of its pass times, any way I digress back to the session.

We trekked the ¼ mile to the pegs and got set up as the sun raised his head above the Eastern hedge row, both Pete and I were fishing more or less identical rigs in link ledgered lobworms on one rod and the same bait float fished on the other.

On the first cast on my ledger rod I had an immediate bite, the light bobbin rattled to the rod and I must admit it took me by surprise and I wasn’t even close enough to the rod to strike, embarrassed was not the word but knowing that Perch were in the swim I played a trump card that can work a treat in the clear water conditions we were fishing in that day, i tweaked the bobbin back down to the floor in erratic jerky tugs and stood back waiting and sure enough not ten seconds later the Delkim began to sing, this time I was ready and I struck into what was obviously a good sized Perch.

The Avon hooped over and the fish took line impressively from the reel punctuated by that bang bang bang on the rod tip which is the trademark of a big Perch when caught on the right gear, Pete appeared on my right shoulder and pretty soon we could see the fish twisting and turning in the crystal clear water, and it looked a good un to boot, “pass us the net Pete” I asked, but as I looked round to grab it I noticed my float on the other rod disappear, “grab that float rod Pete there’s one on there as well” at which Pete struck and began playing another heavy Perch, Pretty soon the first fish slid over the drawstring and Pete passed me the float rod and I continued to play the second fish to the net now being held at the ready by Pete and still containing the first fish which was pretty soon joined by its school mate.

Now because this had all happened within the first five minutes of starting fishing and the fact I had two fish on at the same time it wasn’t until I lifted the net and placed it on the mat that I realised what it contained, there laid out before me was surely the fish I had been after for the last three years.

Pete’s target had been a three pound Perch and it was this question he was now asking, “is it a three Pete”, “Well that one is matey” says I pointing to the smallest of the two “but that fucker aint”, a great big stupid grin spreading over my clock.
Out came the scales and the smallest was weighed first just to get my bearings as when you get the first couple of big Perch of the season Twos look like threes and threes like fours such is the impressive stature of the Perch, the needle on the Reuben’s swung round to 3lb4oz confirming my first impression, “if that’s 3lb4 the other will piss 4lb” I said aloud, and I must admit it was with shaking hands I lifted the shrouded leviathan clear of the ground, the dial facing Pete I waited with baited breath, “4lb6oz” warbled Pete (well it sounded like music to my ears) .

“Get in there you fecker” I uttered as Pete offered a hand shake, and it was at this point Pete asked
 “is it always like this on ere mate”,
 “oh yes mate, I Fecking wish"I replied.

Within five minutes of the session starting I had a landing net containing only two Perch with a combined weight of 7lb10oz one of them being my dream fish which just goes to show how simple it all is really, Place bait in front of hungry fish, catch fish end of, “if only it were that simple”.

We carried on the session and the day continued to provide great sport for both Pete and myself, my diary confirms this, and the entry records five more Perch over 2lb to me and if my memory serves me right Pete just missed out on a three with a fish of 2lb14oz  amongst a bag of five twos,on the very next trip he achieved his target with a cracking PB Perch of 3lb6.

Unfortunately the day ended in some discomfort for me as I fecked my knee up when I bent down to lift the keep net to sort the photo’s and I ended up in casualty. “That’s why I look miserable in the pic” (that’s my side of the argument and I am sticking to it lol.

I am sad to say I still fish with Pete and he still hasn’t put me on a decent fish yet lol.

Pete