Out gunned by the Big Gun!
I have just returned home covered in mud and blood after an enjoyable day with good friend and local angler Toby Merigan. We’ve just spent the day on the Somerset levels in search of a few pike. It was originally planned that Pete was going to join us, but due to the tight deadline of the printing of our new W&S catalogue, he was busy working away in an office somewhere for twenty-four hours straight with Bob. Ah, the joys of being a boss!
I met up with Toby after the short drive up the M5. He was going to take me on one of the drains that criss-cross the levels. In years gone by, local anglers have caught some good-sized pike from the area. But talking to them today, they say that the numbers of big pike getting caught are fewer and fewer. Never the less, they do hold a lot of pike. So after a short period of settled weather, I was well up for a days fishing.
Typically when we turned up the weather had deteriorated and it was dull, drizzling and windy. But that tends to be pike fishing. I looked across the barren landscape through the grim weather and thought of those lazy summer evenings fishing for rising brownies. I pulled up my hood, grabbed my gear and then thought, here we go! This is the type of fishing that fires me up. It was also an excuse to try out my new toy. I had just got my hands on new a Scott X2S rod and had been dying to try it out.
When we got down to the drain, the level was up and quite coloured. Toby decided to opt for big n bright. I’m sure it would have worked, but due to the wind it was quite a chore to cast, so he down sized to a 6/0. Pink was his choice and a colour that had been doing well in recent visits. I opted for black! Why don’t I listen? I was still busy casting away with the new rod, whilst Toby was bent into his third fish. All to the same fly. Not big fish, but all very nice on a grim February day.
About an hour later, after watching Toby have his fill of fish I changed over to a fluro-pink bunny, and with a slow figure of eight I was soon battling with a Somerset drain monster. Pink was certainly doing the job. I got the fish to the top and slipped it into the landing net. The total weight was about 4lb. Including the net! We spent the morning fishing and walking along the drain, casting into likely looking holding areas. One thing that was apparent was how the pike wanted the flies to be positioned. Casting 45° across the drain certainly seemed to be more productive than when cast straight across the drain. I quickly had a few takes and Toby had a couple more fish.
As we walked along the muddy banks towards the reeds, we soon noticed silver fishing spraying out of the water. For any pike angler this usually gets the heart racing. As we neared I asked Toby for one of the flies that he had been using. He did- but it cost me half a bag of Revels. I tied it onto the trace and I cast it alongside the disturbed bait-fish. Within the second twitch of the fly, I was in. I looked around and spotted that Toby was also into another fish. He was doing well.
By lunch we had managed a total of 10 fish. I’d managed to contribute the least and smallest fish so far. Oh well, the day was still young. We walked back along the drain keeping our eyes open for any movement and we had a few more casts until we reached the van. Did Toby have another fish? I can’t remember now. I know I didn’t. I was more concerned that I had eaten all my food whilst fishing. So Toby was good enough to share his sandwiches with me.
After lunch I was fired up. We decided to cross over to the other side of the drain. The wind had been blowing off the wrong shoulder all morning, so it was nice to get into a bit of easier casting. And it wasn’t long before we were both into a few fish again. This time I managed a few in quick succession. Id fished this stretch a couple of years ago, whilst I was thinking about moving down to the West Country. We did well then. If I remember right we had quite a few pike throughout the day. So I was looking forward to the walk along it.
Toby said he hadn’t done very well along it before, so it was nice to see him striking into a fish. Whilst unhooking the fish we noticed that there were a few silverfish still its mouth. Maybe it’s me. But I find it quite fascinating to see what the pike have been feeding on. I remember unhooking a large pike once and finding a pair of duckling’s feet sticking out of its throat. I changed over to a mirror flash bait pattern that Id tied and straight away I was into another small jack.
By then end of the day we had managed to catch 24 pike between us. Toby had a good day. He managed to catch 15 of them. I was glad to have managed to get a few fish on the new rod and it was another water that I had started to learn. It can be hard moving to a new area and learning all the new waters after fishing your home waters for most of your life. But it’s certainly enjoyable. Thanks to Toby for the good day. And thanks for the pink materials you donated to me. Ill get cracking at tying some of those flies and be prepared for next time.
Tags: AAPGAI, Fly Fishing Devon, Fly Fishing Pike, Fly Fishing tuition, Mark Bailey, Scott Fly Fishing School
