The day was a frosty one, with clear skies. The temperature was about 0-1c. The ground had a layer of frost on it which crunched under foot?
We arrived at first light to be the first anglers there, Mark had already got his kit out of the car and was busy getting his warm winter clothing on by the time i pulled up? I arrived just after but soon had my winter clothes on and tackle out of the car? We choose two pegs which were about 60 yards from the lower car park? We settled down and tackled up ready to fish?
It was a very quiet start to the session, there was plenty of small bait fish showing and topping with the odd bigger fish making an appearance. We tried different areas around the swim but my oppinion was the pike were elsewhere this day? Anyway with nothing happening i wandered up the river to a swim right next to the car park.
A young lad was fishing the swim for small roach and dace, he was getting bites, having plenty of them whilst i was talking to him? He reported that he had caught a few fish but every so often there would be a swirl and possibly something bigger down there which would make the fish scatter. Sure enough whilst talking to the lad, the swim erupted with roach and dace trying to escape the predator which was down there?
Anyway once i was back at our swim i told Mark about the swim and made reference to moving down that way soon. An hour passed and i had made the decision to move, i gathered my gear together and made my way towards the swims that were near to the car park. by a stroke of good fortune, the lad was packing up and invited me to have his swim, i didnt need a second invitation and set my tackle down.
I made my way back to Mark and told him of the available swim, he soon gathered his tackle and soon both of us were in the swim. I decided that because Mark had not caught a pike, and there was definatly something dowm there that Marks rods were the ones to go out and hopefully catch. The waiting game was on, but the swim was alive with small fish and some sort of predator that was down there chasing them. The float soon bobbed then slid away, Mark struck and was into his first pike, a quick battle followed but his first ever pike was on the bank, a nice fish of approximatley 10lb. A quck photo on the mobile and the fish was returned safely and unharmed to fight another day. The pikes stomach was very large, so i assume she had had some good hunting of the prey fish whilst down there. No more fish were to come to the net but either some more predators were down there or she decided to make hay whilst the sun was shining to use an old phrase.
Anyway time had beaten us and it was time to go home, Mark buzzing all the way to the car and all the following week at work too. Me, well i blanked again, but to see the enjoyment on Marks face when the fish was on the bank was enough for me to enjoy.
Heres to next time when he can return the favour he he.
