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Boxing Day Pike.

Alan Tomkins

For as long as I can remember, it has been my habit, much to the chagrin of my family who are left to pick up the pieces of the previous day's festivities, to spend Boxing morning in the field, either in pursuit of pheasants, or pike.

I tend only to shoot by invitation these days (hint!) and as none were forthcoming, this time it would be pike. The water I intended fishing has a fairly reliable feeding spell around dawn, so at 5 a.m. I crept out of the house after taking a mixed bag of frozen sardines and sprats from the freezer.

A half hour's drive, and a twenty minute walk and I was on the bank, in one of my favourite swims. In the dark I set up the rods, and baited one with a sardine mounted on 2 V.B. double hooks, and weighted with two swan shot attached just above the trace. On the other I set up a sunken-float paternostered sprat, suspended a foot from the bottom with a size 8 treble in the tail. Both baits were cast about 40 yards out, and 50 yards apart along the edge of a slight ridge I had found while diving in the lake during the close season. I had in fact found a very interesting feature about 100 yards out, but the wind was wrong for me to drift baits out there, and my Tri-Cast 2 1/4lb carbons, while being excellent pike rods in every other respect, particularly in that I find I am completely unable to break them, are not up to the task of putting pike baits to that distance. Perhaps I could reach it with fine line and shock leaders, but I feel it is very dangerous to the pike to fish in that way, and generally use heavy line straight through.

The backbiters were attached, and I sat down to enjoy a cup of tea, hoping I'd get a chance to finish it before being interrupted by a pike. It was now beginning to get light. Conditions seemed quite good - it was mild, with a light southerly wind and an overcast sky, and it seemed quite likely that the dawn feeding spell would materialise. An hour later, the bobbins hadn't moved - so much for that theory! This water often confounds you; on the coldest of mornings, when you could reasonably expect the pike to delay their feeding spells until later in the day you often get a run as soon as you put the bait out. Then, on a mild morning, when you may think the pike would be up and about at first light, if not before, it can be midday before anything happens. I wasn't worried though; Boxing day forays are casual in the extreme - just being out in the fresh air after the excesses and 18 hour television marathon of the previous day is enough; a pike of any kind is a bonus.

After another quiet half hour I decided to re-cast both baits. Though I would be casting them back to the same positions, I have found on this water that a re-cast will often provoke a run. The 'spraternoster' went straight back with no trouble, but unfortunately, I overdid it with the sardine, and it came off. I took another one from the coolbag, and started pushing the baiting needle through it. This was a little difficult even with my mega baiting needle, as the sardine was still frozen solid. It was almost through - just needed one good push to finish the job. I held the bait tightly in my left hand, and pushed the needle hard with the other. For a moment it stuck, then suddenly it shot through - straight into the hand I was holding the bait with! It did hurt, and a large globule of blood began to spread over my finger. Turning this misfortune to my advantage, I thought I would use the blood as an attractor, and smeared it all over the sardine before casting it out. I have long had a theory about blood and pike, and have got as far as ringing the local slaughterhouse to enquire about obtaining buckets of fresh blood. I've never quite managed the logistics involved in getting some out on a fishing trip though. One day... Mind you, on a good day's pike fishing there is often blood a-plenty around (mine!). Out went the gory sardine, and once more I relaxed in my chair, and sat watching the rod-tops.

Ten minutes later the 'sardine' rod knocked. If this happens I don't wait for the indicator to go off, but pick the rod up and 'feel' for the fish. There was one there alright, so I wound down and bent into it. An obviously big fish began to move away from me, hugging the bottom as it swam along the deeper channel. With no snags, and 15lb line, I had no real problems until I got the fish in close. There was a sunken Lada in the margins (I wonder why!) and I thought the fish may try to get into it (on second thoughts - it probably wouldn't - anything but a Lada!). Just in case the pike's car recognition wasn't too good, I let it tire itself out before bringing it into the margins. It was a big fish, and as it came over the net I thought it could go over 20 lbs. In this area, 20lb pike are quite scarce - I think there are more 40lb carp! As I lay it down on the soft grass I could see that though it had the length of a good '20', it was a little lean. It still looked as if it may make that magic weight though. Up on the scales it went - '19lbs 15oz' - would you believe it! I checked and re-checked, but could not get it to weigh different. 19lbs 15oz it was then, my fifth pike of over 19lbs 12oz, but under 20lbs that season (and no, they weren't all the same fish - not unless they changed waters anyway!).

As I was preparing the camera to take a photograph or two, another angler turned up and offered to do it for me. Owing to many people's total inability to perform the relatively simple function of focussing a single lens reflex camera, I am usually reluctant to let anyone I don't know photograph my fish for me - especially big ones. However, today I had pinched my wife's compact auto-focus. All that was required was for the photographer to position the fish in the centre of the frame - that shouldn't be too hard, should it? Well, to be brief, I now have a superb picture of a group of thorn bushes, some thirty yards in front of which, and squeezed into one side of the frame is a very blurred angler who looks a bit like me, holding a very blurred pike which looks like it might go almost 20lbs! Be warned! Luckily, I took a couple of photos myself, of the pike laying alongside the rod, so at least I know what it looked like.

I banged the pike on the head and popped it in my bag - only joking! - I bet that got you going for a minute! The pike was most carefully returned, and swam off making a large detour around the sunken Lada. I took another sardine from the coolbag. Despite much poking and squeezing, my wounded finger refused to offer a single drop of blood, so the sardine was cast out without its gory coat. I lacked the courage to intentionally puncture my finger with the baiting needle - but there's a thought for masochistic pike anglers! I just had this picture of desperate pike anglers chasing each other round the pits brandishing cut-throat razors!

Two hours passed before the drop arm on the 'spraternoster' rod fell back two inches. I picked up the rod, releasing the indicator and leaving the bale arm open, held the line lightly across my index finger and watched the bow it made as it entered the water. The line began to twitch, so I tightened into the fish. Well, I meant to - there was nothing there. I left it for a minute, in case the pike wanted another go at it; but it didn't, so I wound in and examined the bait. It was unmarked - curious. I cast it back to the same spot, and went to re-connect the indicator. I had some trouble doing so as it kept falling off. It's surprising how daft you can be sometimes - of course the reason it kept falling off was that the pike had the bait again. You might think I'm a bit slow, but I bet I am far from being the only one who has ever done that! I picked up the rod and 'struck' immediately. Another good fish was hooked, and followed a similar path to the first, though this one fought much harder, staying on the bottom and making strong runs. As I tried to pump the fish towards me, it put even more power into the runs, and I was forced to backwind. I'm not sure if it was me she was trying to avoid, or the Lada! The fish are usually well hooked on these small baits, and with strong tackle, there was no cause for alarm. Again I allowed the fish to tire itself well away from the sunken car, and a few minutes later, another big fish was in the net, looking at least as big as the first one. I took the weigh sling down from a nearby tree where I had hung it to dry (why do fish always wait until you've got the sling dry before picking up the bait!?), wet it and zeroed the scales with the sling attached. In went the pike, and as I lifted, the needle flew round - 17, 18 ,19.... oh no! 19lbs 15oz! I couldn't believe it! I checked, re-checked and checked again - but there it stayed - 19lbs 15oz. At this point I expect some of you will be thinking it was the same fish I caught earlier. Though I have in the past caught the same pike twice in a day, this was definitely a different fish, having a distinctive well-healed scar near its tail.

This time I set the camera up on the tripod, and took some photographs myself. I am pleased to say that these came out reasonably well and if I can find the negatives, should accompany this article. One of the nice things about fishing on Boxing day is that there is always something interesting in the house to make your sandwiches from; and usually a small drop of something for the hip-flask as well! Having re-cast a fresh sprat, I sat down to a regal meal of pheasant sandwiches and mince pies, washed down with a few mouthfuls of warming malt whisky. What more could you ask?

I'd promised to be home by 12 o'clock. At 12.50 (!) I had another run on the sardine. It wasn't though another 19lb 15oz pike - this time it was a scrappy little jack of about 5lbs, which also kept well clear of the Lada! They learn early, don't they! I gave him a talking to, and him asked where his mum was, before putting him back. I was tempted to have another 'last cast', but felt if I stayed much later, it may actually be my last cast! I decided I had better pack up. It had been an excellent morning even if neither of the pike had made the magic 20lbs. Perhaps they will next year...