A morning Pike.

I had decided last night that quick trip to the river may be in order. I was curious to see the level and how clear it was running. It has slowly dropped over the last couple of weeks and has now reached its average "summer levels" having remained very high in July and August. Visability and clarity is now very good too its easy to see a lure at 5-6 feet depth.
All this coupled with overnight temps of 4-5 deg. and a brisk westerly wind prompted a rod and a few lures into the boot late last night.
I did the school run and a short drive later I was walking across the fields to my chosen swim. It was the first time out with a new rod and reel, (both of which will get a user review in the not to distant future) I was just getting the feel for things when my lure was hammered, there was a large boil in the water as what appeared to be a reasonable fish took the lure just under the surface, it went straight down, feeling through the braid it appeared to be chomping on the swimbait possibly trying to eject the supposed prey fish. Quite a fight ensued as the fish attempted the same chomping manoeuvre whilst jumping clear of the water (classic head shaking stuff) a number of times. Shortly after the white flag was raised and it came to the bank. A quick photo or two later and it was kicking its way back into the swim.

I fished the swim for another while but as is often the case on the Barrow, if you get one your as well to move on. I moved upstream to the back of a reed bed and it wasn't long before I got a knock but it was just that, as the fish came short plucking at the lure. I covered it a number of times but this one appeared shy!

It was getting late now the sun had climbed in the sky and it was getting warm, the fish had gone quiet. Time to retire for the day. I changed to a small spinnerbait and had a couple of last casts in narrow tree ridden channel. No fish-but what a great follow! just as the lure was coming out of the water there was a long golden green flash in the margin, a push of its tail and it retreated to the depths.