Mid-November sessions

That twenty came on the first day of a weeks holiday during which I was planning on getting on the bank as much as I could.

My next session was a short one in between school runs, two rods, one float paternoster lives in the margin the other a ledgered dead which would be cast around the various areas I tried.

Some interest on a ledgered smelt in the first peg, but I pulled out on the strike, no doubt a jack as this stretch is full of them. 

Nothing in the next few pegs, then a positive take from the margins to save a blank. 

The next day I was up very early for the 2.5hr drive down to a Lincolnshire drain I’ve visited a couple of times in the past. Aiming to be at the water for first light and hoping to have the place to myself I was a little suprised when I pulled in and there was 5 cars already on this short stretch.

Not ideal but still plenty of space towards the lower limit of this fishery so I dropped in there. Plenty of space for three rods, so I had two on lives and one on ledgered deads.

The stretch was alive with activity, constant swirls on the surface from pike feeding on fry. Definitely a lot of pike in the area but getting them to take baits was difficult.

I’ve struggled with similar scenarios in the past, but usually a live fished close to the surface gets a fish, not  on this occasion though.

Eventually a margin fished smelt was taken by a short stocky fish, typical of the stretch.

Two more followed in the next hour or so, both smaller.

Despite working hard and fishing into dark I couldn’t tempt any of the larger specimens that live in this stretch. My third visit and and I’m yet to catch a double it but it throws up mid twenties each season so I’ll be back again in the new year.

Well the bad run continues......

Well the bad run continues. After a very early start and a 2.5 hour drive we arrived in Lincolnshire to find we had the stretch to ourselves. The water was heavily coloured due to the constant pumping, which is normal for this time of year, weather was reasonable, with fish topping as we arrived, things looked good.

I've only fished this drain once before, a difficult session in freezing conditions but we managed steady action from jacks throughout the day. Ben's fished it about half a dozen times, never blanked and the pike are always of a good average size.

Despite the promising conditions things seemed slow from the off, hard work catching baits and no interest until lunchtime. Ben missed a couple of runs before connecting with a jack, half an hour later another take for Ben a short fat fish just short of double figures. My only take of the day was aborted when a mass of floating weed hit my float and line, the pike sussed something was amiss and rejected the float paternoster live bait.

A couple more fish to Ben's rod, another jack and double both on float paternoster lives.

Just shy of 12lb, the largest of the day

Despite fishing well and trying hard I couldn't buy any interest, deads went untouched, popped up baits, free roaming lives and twitched baits all ignored. One of those days for me, which seems to be a regular occurrence lately and a good day for Ben.

A 5 hour round trip for a blank, a bit of a kick in the balls really but I was pleased for Ben as this will be his only pike session of the season due to work commitments.

The rivers have been at a consistent level for a few days now, so I'm heading out for a chub session after dinner. The plan is to try a couple of different stretches and fish for a few hours into dark on the second stretch.