Lazing In A Slack.

Frank the plasterer had often spoken of this swim and I knew it well too. On the Barrow south of Carlow town. A text book pike swim, medium to fast flowing water with plenty of adjoining deep slow water. A perfect scenario for the pike, they laze in the slack water keeping their heads down and run guerilla raids into the fast flow to abduct their prey at will. Great theory!
To say I was keen is an over statement, I'd just finished ten days on the trot at work and was not really pushed to spend the day somewhere thats never produced a big fish for me (I had other plans). A few jacks to deads and lures was about the best I could account to this swim over the last couple of years.
I decided to leave it to chance! Maybe something would happen... Thats pike fishing, very often when your luck is down, when you least expect it, something special can happen.
So at the very last minute I threw the gear in the boot. A few ledgered deads were strategically placed tight up against the crease and the coffee was made. A couple of hours in and after moving the baits around a few times the pike remained tight-lipped, literally! It was time to tweak the gameplay settings. I grabbed the lure rod and started to cover water, Frank set up a dead under a slider float, leaving it to drift slowly about the swim. About a mug of coffee later, the float dropped. The silhouette of a roach against the morning sky proved to be too much for one restless fish...

Frank gets his fish.

The WaterWolf is on the prowl.

The WaterWolf has been out stalking the banks again, the water came right and my old mate Archie was on a roll. Throwing some of his own lures, a couple of big girls just couldn't resist his charm offensive. Archie will be showing his WaterWolf Lures at The Ireland Angling Show 2013 this weekend, stand H1. Drop by if you get a chance.

Mark Archie Andrews, WaterWolf Lures.

Get the full "low down" on Archie and WaterWolf Lures in one of my previous blog posts, check it out here!

A new years revolution

Christmas and the new year scuppered all my best intentions and plans of a festive Piking spree. I had thoughts of pre and post Christmas sessions, frost crunching underfoot, screaming runs and floats sliding away into the early morning mist. Needless to say, between decorations, lights, visiting family, extra shifts at work and a constant stream of TV repeats........it never happened. Christmas Eve to New Years day just flew!
So today after a few quick calls a not very much planning a new year (revolt) visit to the river was on the cards.
Frank the Plasterer, Alan Burkie Burke, myself and the junior piker! Were enlisted.
The rough plan was to fish a secluded cut away from the main flow in the hope that some fish may have retreated to the quiet depths to ambush any shoals of prey fish that made an appearence. After some time in the cut things were looking bleak, the two lads groundbaited a swim and worked feeder rods whilst Alan and myself twitched lures and deadbaited..........the swim appeared void of fish.

After a lengthy debate (all of two minutes) a move was decided, upstream to the main river, just above the mouth of the cut.
RESULT! We were there less than an hour when Alan met up with two fish to static deadbaits in the space of twenty minutes. The first about 7 or 8lb a real scrapper, the second was good deal smaller. Two great fish none the less!

Alan saves us all from a blank!

Another brave jack comes to the bank.

 With our enthusiasm renewed we fished on but had no other takers. On a more curious note, the two lads on the feeder rods did bait up the new swim yet never met a fish! Where have the shoals gone?

 Thats it! The lines are wet again after the festive break. We're back out piking on the Barrow, welcome to 2013..........Watch this space.

A Morning in Muine Bheag

A short burst of heavy rain a couple of days ago brought the levels flying up almost over night. It was holding steady yesterday afternoon and had already started to fine down, I figured it may be dropping by today - I was right, it had dropped over four inches by the time I got to the bank just after 9 this morning. I must admit I didn't really have a plan..... do I ever!
As the river is still quite high and pushing through I knew I'd be heading for a backwater or canal cut. I had a few deads in a bag, a few lures, flask, sambo and a luxury I don't usually bring, a light collapsible chair!

Drawbridge at Muine Bheag Lock

Yeah I must admit I fancied a morning of "lazy fishing" parked in front of the deads sipping a hot brew. Normally I'd prefer to head onto the main river, travelling light and covering lots of ground investigating all the nooks and crannies where the pike may be holding up - not today. I headed to a spot that I've not fished since the early summer when I brought my son lure fishing for jacks, this was semi urban piking at its best, a place with a lock, basin, drawbridge, old mill and  lots more. Was there the potiential for a fish or two?  I got the rods out, it was time to find out.

Two rods out, the usual set up employed, a half mackerel hard on the bottom and a pop up smelt both strategically placed at the edge of the basin. I sat back and reached for the flask, about an hour later I reached for the flask again... nothing had happened. I moved the baits and tried a small trout popped up - still nothing. I reeled in the deads and went for a wander with the lure rod.

I fished the lure out beyond where the deads has sat, bringing it back just over the dying weed. Got a knock on the first cast, I put it out again into the exact same spot and brought it through as slow as possible waiting for the take.... nothing. Had I spooked the fish? The lure flashed in the morning light as it flew through the air once more, at this stage I was on the third or fourth cast. I tried to almost "wobble" the lure back toward me. This was enough! The fish came once more and didn't miss this time.

So much for my "lazy fishing" parked in front of the dead baits waiting for something to happen - I could have blanked. Sometimes the fish just need a bit provocation to spark their predatory instincts and sometimes the fishermen need to get up off their backside and go look for the fish!

                                                                           "What a great morning"

River Barrow Piker "Junior" Strikes Again & Again....

 After the birthday excitement of the other week it was time to see if my boy could maybe come across a few pike on his new set up. After having a great start the poor lad has managed to get himself into awful bother the last few times out, numerous snags some of which to my amazement were not even in the river! (the far bank and some poor unfortunate's boat come to mind) not to mention birds nests, various loops and knots. All these have meant disappointment and little or no fish for him of late.
So a deal was made that I would not fish this time out but act purely as "ghillie" and "river guide". Yes the blind leading the blind comes to mind but nevertheless that was the arrangement.
He really wanted to end his run of bad luck and blanks especially after seeing the photos of my recent double. He wanted a fish! and I therefore needed a strategy!

Of late I've just been fishing one rod, short lure sessions, these have produced fish but I thought he needed an extra edge if he was to come home successful so with his lure rod already set up I as the responsible "ghillie" set up another rod, a static dead bait popped up. We could now move from swim to swim, I could mind the deadbait whilst he fished lures either side of it.

I picked him up after school and off we went to the first swim a place where I've caught a number of jacks. A smelt on the pop up rig was positioned just in the shade under an over hanging tree and the young angler threw lures as directed by the ghillie! This strategy did not entertain the pike they were having none of it, not even my magical popped up smelt could generate a run. Time was running out. We took a gamble, threw the gear in the boot and moved upstream a few miles to another spot. It was time to up the game. I swapped the lure for a sink and draw rig, set it up with smelt and showed him where to cast. I was getting ready to put the static back out when I heard him say "I've got one"......but it was gone just as quick, I told him to leave it in the water, we both waited as the smelt began to sink slowly once again. There was a boil in the water the fish came a second time. No doubt this time, he was in, all hell broke loose as the jack let it be known he was not impressed with being duped by his evening prey. We landed the fish, got it up on the mat where a impromptu unhooking demo was given and after a quick photo call the angler took great pleasure in releasing his catch.

 We were still recounting our great result when he was nailed again! a smaller fish this time but far more lively. I couldn't help but laugh as the fish ripped the braid off his reel as he attempted to control what seemed like a rocket propelled pike! After another unhooking demo we said farewell to the river and the pike as he slipped back into the night.

On The Double

I haven't been on the riverbank since Sunday and blanked then even still I could feel mild withdrawal symptoms setting in. I wanted to get out and about, see what was going on and what state the river was in. The weather's been pretty much a mixed bag this week but theres been a noticable drop in temperatures again especially last night, we were down to 3 deg. having said that theres not been enough rain for any flood the river is only up an inch or two. I'd noticed  from my local travels over the last few days that theres been quite a bit of activity on the river, I'd seen a few boats out trolling and the bankside brigade have been out in force too. Was anyone catching? I didn't know, I'd not heard anything for a while such are the joys of being a solitary fisherman! I wasn't going to catch anything sitting at home, the forecast looked reasonable so with any luck I wouldn't get soaked. I'd got a few new lures during the week and fancied trying them too so I threw a stripped down (lure only) kit in the boot. The mission keep moving / travel light / cover water, no exploring or new swims today as I only had a few hours. I had two places in mind both have produced jacks on a fairly consistant basis maybe there would be some bigger fish about willing to feed with the onset of cooler temps, taking the current levels into account I figured these would be as good a place as any to start.

With the school run complete I was on my way to the first swim, conditions appeared ideal a cool misty morning with the hint of a bright crisp day to follow. I wondered if it was my imagination or had the trees already turned a good deal, everything appeared distinctly autumnal this raised my expectations even further. I first went to the swim that has most recently produced fish.  A new addition to my "working lure" list the Rapture swimbait was first to hit the surface, as it came closer I could both see and feel it knocking in the water as it sent out vibrations to my unsuspecting quarry. I was sure something was going to happen at any moment.........but it didn't. Nothing, not even a knock or a follow! I went through all the lures old and new, up and down the bank I covered alot of water at all depths....... Nothing. The mist lifted and the river lite up as the sun shone through.....still nothing! This went on for just over two hours until I grabbed the gear and headed to the second swim a couple of miles downstream.

First double of the season, 11lb 7oz.

This is a very small weedy swim near a slack it could be fished thoroughly with a lure in less than an hour. I put on a Savage Gear 4Play and got down to business, after forty minutes I was preparing myself for another blank when it happened! I had twitched the lure back one more time and was about to take it out of the water when a late taker forced me to keep it in the water a moment longer, one of those takes when you see the whole thing happen under your nose (nature in action) incredible! Stealth attack, seize and retreat all in the longest split second you could ever experience.
Such was my position on the bank that two anglers in a boat were good enough to come by offering to lend a hand if I was unable to land the fish (bit of a stretch but I got there in the end)  and a passer by the name of Sean was kind enough to take a few photos. Came in on the scales at 11lb 7oz (first double of the season) and went back kick'n. Many thanks to all especially the fish!

Scraping the bottom of the bait box.

The river remains at summer levels or at least very close to them and the water appears clearer than ever. How long this will last I don't know considering the forecast Met Eireann are giving for the coming week. In the meanwhile its a great time to be out doing some lure fishing to get the season under way. The recent drop in temperatures seems to have woken up the fish somewhat, they appear more willing to chase and investigate a decent flash and vibration in the water after their summer respite. I've been experimenting with a few swimbaits of late and must say I'm pleased with the results especially their versatility in the manner in which they can be fished. However I keep coming back to a couple of what you might call "old reliables". Call me old-fashioned but I find it hard to kick the habit of using some of the more traditional lures, the likes of a copper spoon or even the classic Abu Toby both have saved me from blanking on many occasions. The old saying  " if its not broke..... don't fix it" comes to mind. Here's a very recent lure caught Pike, fell to a copper Toby when he jumped out from under the bank just before the lure came out of the water! I love to get that last second smash on the line at such close quarters - puts the heart across me every time.

 With so many new lures on the market its often very easy to lose the plot. "One of these, one of those, yep need a red one, a sinker, a floater....." so on and so forth. I often wonder if many lure anglers are also avid lure collectors, do both go hand in hand or is there a point  when we have enough (can you ever have enough lures for the job). Personally I would try make sure to have a fairly complete and varied arsenal of lures ready to tempt the Pike under different conditions. I must admit though I'm impatient, I keep going through the lures until I find something they like and then fish with that. By doing this I've found that I now have what you might call a short list of "working lures" and I rotate these. Sometimes a lure will become relegated when the fish cease to respond to it and others will be promoted as it were. However the Pike can be most fickle whats hot today maybe completely useless tomorrow, thats quite often when I reach for the bottom of the bait box, break the routine and wet an old school retro lure! and they very often do the trick. Don't be too quick to dismiss some of those older lures, they may just surprise you next time out.

 
By the way don't forget to check the trebles and split rings if you do decide to dust off a few of those old lures. You may just meet an old school fish!