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The Surface Mouse

Trevor Salmon

When I had my new computer installed some time ago, I at long last gave in to my daughter and linked it to the internet. Having been a keen Pike fisherman for as long as I can remember, with a new toy to play with, I suppose it was only natural to punch in 'Pike fishing' and turned up Charlie Bettell's layout based in Norfolk. (www.esox.co.uk )

Charlie goes into some detail about taking fish with a surface lure when the water is clear and the fish are following the lures in. This brought to mind a recent trip to Breakaway Lakes at Melton. When I had a great time taking 4-5 lb pike on a small spoon, but missed more than I took as they were following the lure in but would not strike. A jerked deadbait solved the problem but weed in the shallows kept hanging me up.

I've never tried a surface lure so I contacted Charlie and he recommended a Possum Lures Silver Shad available from Brundall Angling Centre at about £9.50. This is O.K. for all those rich fishermen out there but at the rate I lose lures I would need to take out a mortgage just for one weekend. Mine usually end up decorating trees, bushes and any other obstruction within 50 yards in any direction so I thought, "let's see if we can make something that works".

A visit to my local Pet Smart to pick up some dog food turned up a packet of 12 furry mice with a hollow plastic body that should float. Let's face it, we've all seen mice going for a swim on a hot sunny day haven't we? Well it is possible I suppose and they only cost 12p each.

A small cut along the joint of the fur at about the belly button allowed me to insert 6 small shot into the hollow body to act as a rattle. This was sealed with mastic. A small barrel lead was set into the mastic before the fur was pulled back round the body. This was to act as a keel and to feed the trace through. Just add a short length of 20 lb wire trace, a small treble hook, two beads and a swivel and it was ready to try. After a few false starts, I managed to position the lead so it floated with the rear end down and the head up. As if it was swimming, the towing trace stayed underwater so the head left a very realistic wake on the surface. Total cost about £1.00

Now all that was left was to take it down to Melton and have a go.

Back to the drawing board as they say. They floated when I tested them in the bath but the added weight of the trace and swivels plus the waterlogged fur made them sink. Aside from this, they made a nice wake on the surface on a slow retrieve and provided I kept them moving they were quite successful. Three small pike between 3 and 5 lb were picked up in the margins within half an hour, but many more were seen following them in.

While I was playing with the white mouse along the edge of the bank, a young lad watched with fascination as what looked like Tom or Jerry from the cartoon came tripping through the water. "What do you expect to catch with a mouse?" he asked and creased up when I replied "Catfish of course." He was then amazed as a nice 5lb pike took the mouse within 6 ft. of the rod tip, coming nearly completely out of the water in an explosive strike. Nothing gets the adrenalin going like a pike snapping within inches of your nose. In fact it can scare the s**t out of you, but there's nothing to beat it!