Change

Saturday was nonstop busy busy but Sunday saw a couple of hours free so Isaac and I ventured out to a local pool to enjoy one final spot of Pike fishing for this spring, extending the traditional season by just a couple of days. The weather was very kind with a clear sky and warm sunshine, much more agreeable to an eleven year old than shivering on a winters day. The pool was crowded so we settled into a quiet corner that I’ve never fished before. We shared three deadbait rods and Isaac was equipped with his light lure rod and commenced pinging his ‘Angry bird’ lure around. His casting was erratic and that had been a consideration when I chose swims but he improved as the morning wore on.

It didn’t feel right to be Pike fishing with the weather so warm and nothing obliged us by taking a bait or lure. Isaac borrowed my camera and ventured off to photograph the ‘wildlife’ but the only animal he managed to snap was me. It was nice to be out though and all around were the early signs of spring. There was blossom in the hedgerows, buds in the bushes and the first green reeds by the water’s edge. With the noon day sun overhead we packed up and returned home for a much needed sandwich.

So that pretty much brings my Pike season to a close and it has been a strange one as our weather remained as unpredictable as ever. Different conditions, different methods, different places, thankfully I’ve caught enough of the right kind of Pike to have enjoyed it immensely. A year ago I was all Piked out but right now I’m looking forward to the autumn already.

But before then something different. I’ve still got unfinished business with the Tench and Carp in a certain Suffolk swamp. Last year I managed a big Common so this year I’d really like a big Mirror, most of all one of those almost mythical huge Tench. However that won’t be all the fishing I do through the spring. I haven’t done much lure fishing for several years but with Isaac enjoying chucking his ‘angry bird’ around it’s a good excuse to give it another go this spring. It won’t be fishing as such, more a walk in the countryside with fishing rods.

It’s now that time of year when I have to brave the black hole that constitutes my shed and reorganise it for warm weather fishing. I usually try to do this by emptying everything into the yard and then put it back bit by bit. In the past this has taken hours because I’ve reached into the darkest corners and dragged out tackle that hasn’t been used for years. Why do I keep it? Probably for the memories it all holds. These shed clearances usually run out of steam as I’ve ended up running out of daylight and the last few bits get bundled in. This weekend I’ve been more sensible and just sorted it a bit at a time, there’s still a bit to do but all the major stuff is sorted. For the next few months I will mostly be Tench and Carp fishing.

The end is nigh

Early February’s fishing consisted of a couple of rain drenched, wind blasted blanks on local waters. Levels were well up and the clarity adversely affected but I needed fresh air and solitude so made the effort without reward. In the past, flood water at this time of year always seemed to encourage Eel activity and the one time my float moved I retrieved a Smelt minus its head…

Fishing at the special place was affected by the weather too as ridiculous wind speeds prevented me from taking the boat out. Thankfully things calmed down enough for one session later on in the month. I spent a couple of days on the water, the weather was mild, dry and comfortable but as expected the fishing was slow. However I’ve fished these waters long enough to have learnt a few spots where I can expect to find Pike more often than not. I managed to catch a couple of nice fish from ‘known’ spots, this is all well and good but I learned nothing new. Most pleasing was a good fish caught from a lovely looking bay that I’d never gotten round to fishing before. Even after all these seasons there are still areas in this system that I’m yet to dangle a bait. I love challenging fishing and I’ll continue to learn my way around the system as long as I can physically handle it.


My final trip north was a two day session in dry, mild but windy conditions. Once again the weather made things really comfortable and it was fantastic to be afloat, free and alone in a special wetland wilderness. The pike were hard to find and when I did they were in that finicky pre-spawn mood. Several times both live and deadbaits were picked up and dropped, before I got the chance to set the hooks. It began to look like I’d blown my chances for the year.

On the final afternoon, in bright sunshine I dropped a livebait out and before I’d even managed to get another rod out line was ripping off the baitrunner. Was my luck well and truly in? Would this be one last whacker to crown what has been a pretty good season? Sadly not but it was a double figure fish and one that put the smile on my face in the circumstances.

There was time for one last move, I dropped down in an unfamiliar spot and was rewarded with three quick takes, two were dropped but I did manage another Pike to finish the season. The sun set and I went home. The Pike have had it tough in Broadland in recent years but they are amazing, resilient fish and they keep bouncing back. For a travelling angler catching them consistently is a challenge that I love and I can’t wait to get back at them next season.


For years I’ve been trying to get a good photo of my favourite bird, the Marsh Harrier and this weekend I got lucky.

Then & now

A thread on the PAC facebook page got me thinking and remembering the other night. A member asked a question about ways to pop up a deadbait. I only skimmed through the replies but there was a lot of good advice amongst the banter but only a fleeting mention of my favourite method. There are many ways to present a bait off bottom but the method I use has advantages that give it an edge over the various different ways of making the bait buoyant. My method is nothing new; the Float Paternoster rig has been used for over a century. What gives it an edge? Firstly the paternoster set up keeps the bait, hooks and mainline clear off the bottom and free of any debris so it can be chucked out and slowly twitched back to the bank. This way you cover water and search for fish but by keeping a close eye on the float you learn loads about the topography of the water too. This reminded me…

…In the late nineties I was fishing a chain of “New” pits, I’d been keeping an eye on them for a year or two but now was the time. Ownership and fishing rights were a grey area but the guys working the gravel weren’t bothered as long as no one made a nuisance of themselves. However there was a red Toyota that had to be avoided at all costs. There were a handful of Pikers in the know and most made an effort to stay concealed, those that didn’t were ejected. I always got a buzz fishing the new and unknown and the thought of getting one over Mr Red Toyota added to the fun.


The pit on a calm day

On one weekend I’d planned a trip to the fens but high winds and heavy rain put me off. I knew a spot on one of these pits where I could set up behind a mound of gravel and be sheltered from the elements. This was conveniently placed on the mouth of a large Pikey bay. Two deadbaits were cast to features; a snaggy peninsula opposite and the marginal shelf. The third rod was a Float paternoster rig, the bait on this occasion a livebait was cast across the bay mouth, the inline float cocked at a depth of 14 feet. After a while I began twitching the bait towards me and after a couple of pulls the float lay flat. I’d found a shallower area, this was interesting, a small feature in an otherwise deep bowl. Within minutes I had a take and a nice fish of around nine pounds netted. I put on a fresh bait cast out then slowly wound back until the float lay flat before clipping up. Once again I didn’t have long to wait before another nice fish came to the net. I repeated the trick twice more that day and landed fish to low doubles and subsequently caught many more Pike from this small hump that was two feet shallower than the surrounding water. That lesson sunk in and I’ve used it to find features and catch Pike ever since. It’s particularly effective when using livebaits but it still works well with deads!


Magic pit Pike!

I fished those pits on and off for a few years and caught stacks of Pike from them but never a real big one. Friends caught twenty pounders but my scales always got stuck at nineteen pounds and I caught a few at that weight. We could have fished other places that held bigger fish and took less effort but those places didn’t have the magic. Time goes by, the pits are unrecognisable nowadays and they definitely aren’t my cup of tea any more. This winter I’ve done a bit of pit fishing but as much as I’ve enjoyed it, it definitely lacks that bit of magic that comes with the unknown.

Now back to the present. The weekend was manic with shopping trips and Saturday clubs and my Madi’s fourteenth birthday. At one point there were as many as six teenage girls in the house, lots of chatter, laughter, baking cakes and music. We played Madi’s new ‘Paramore’ CD in the car and it was actually pretty good. I like to think that being brought up listening to Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, Happy Mondays… proper music, she’s not totally brainwashed into liking Cowell crap. Nine of the last ten days had seen heavy rain fall on the Suffolk countryside but this weekend was mild with bright sunshine. It was too good to miss so Isaac and I disappeared for a couple of hours by the waterside.

With all the rain we’ve had it was no surprise to see water everywhere but I hadn’t banked on our chosen venue being so full. One look at the mucky coloured water convinced me we’d be better off elsewhere so after retracing our steps we headed off to another stillwater that was high but fishable. We were settled and fishing by the late morning, enjoying the sunshine that has been all too rare since the turn of the year. I fished a sprat under a float to the right (no paternoster today!) whilst Isaac expertly positioned his bluey at the foot of the marginal shelf. We’d brought lure rods too but the high water cramped us and there was little room to use them this time.



We were only there for a couple of hours but plenty of time for Isaac to explore the flooded vicinity, (without getting wet) and explain his latest theory for video game world domination whilst demolishing his crisps. We also discovered one of the first signs of spring, Snowdrops growing in the woods around us. We didn’t tempt any Pike into taking our baits during this brief trip but we were glad to have made the effort to get out in the fresh air.



I made a decision to take things easy during the mid-winter period, fishing mostly locally for short sessions. With the everyday realities of a busy family, work and the whole Christmas thing something has to give at this time of year. When I’ve been fishing it’s been slow but I’ve managed a decent fish from every place I’ve tried however next winter I’m thinking of doing something totally different locally, well see...  Hopefully we’ll have a couple more local trips and it would be great if Isaac can increase his PB before the season ends in just six weeks’ time. The ‘back end’ of the season can be unpredictable and sometimes damn tough but the days are lengthening and we may get the kind of weather that makes it a joy to be out. So having taken it easy for a couple of months I’m refreshed and looking forward to a crack at the special place.

A light in the gloom

Like most of the country here in the East we’ve had our fair share of rain over the last week or so. The rivers are on the verge of bursting and not a viable option at the moment. Many of the stillwaters are affected by flood water too. On those that flood regularly it makes little difference to the fishing, if anything it may improve things for a bit. On other places an influx of coloured water is alien to the Pike and the fishing becomes very difficult. The weather had cut down my options but there were still a few places I could go and still be in with a good chance, how far could I be bothered to drive?

The alarm took three attempts to prise me from bed this morning. As the kettle boiled I enjoyed a fabulous sunrise through the kitchen window. If the forecast was accurate I’d see very little of the sun today so best enjoy it while I can. With more grim weather approaching I decided against travelling too far today but had an urge to fish somewhere a bit different and ended up on a water I haven't visited for ages and in a spot I’ve never fished before.

It was a lazy start to the day and it was about 0800 before I was fishing, the water looked high but was thankfully clear. By now it was dull and breezy but dry so far. I float legered a bluey close to an overhanging bush that was too good to resist. This was along the bank to my left, slightly shallower here with a gentle slope. I legered half a herring away to the right, leaving most of the swim clear for a bit of lure fishing. Apart from a pair of brave Carp anglers bivvied up on the far side (as has every piece of water in this vicinity) I had the place to myself.

At 0825 I noticed the float on the left bob, that’s a fish no doubt. I didn’t want the other anglers to notice anything so switched the alarm off then opened the bail arm. I glanced up, the float was definitely on the move now, heading out towards deeper water. I turned around to pick up the net and by the time I turned back, line was flying off the spool. An un-missable take, I picked up wound down, rod bent…bump bump… gone. Bugger! I swung the chewed bluey back out then sat down cursing. How the hell did I manage to bugger that one up? I realised that a few years of mostly boat fishing has changed the way I strike. I would normally wind down tight and sweep the rod low to the side and sometimes take a step or two backwards. If you step backwards in a boat you could get wet. My boat rods are stiffer than my antique twelve footers and do the trick with a firm sweep up and backwards. I need to calm down a bit but no matter how many Pike I’ve caught I still go into a blind panic when I get a take. Long may it continue.

An hour passed and the wind was now a proper stiff southerly, whipping in drizzle from time to time. The sun was well and truly drowned behind dense, foreboding cloud. I’d persevered with the lure rod fishing mostly a springdawg and a reaper jig. I’ve caught loads of Pike on the former but none so far on the latter but they look the part and I’ll keep on trying, honest Elliott! With rain on the way I rested the lure rod and moved the Herring a little further out in deeper water. The lure rod had revealed a little weed in this area and my bait should be on the edge of it.

Half an hour passed, the rain was coming and going, not too bad but enough to make me retreat to the shelter, the rods were out of sight so alarms turned up, or so I thought. I heard a plop…what the hell was that? I stood up expecting to see ripples somewhere close but there was nothing... But something wasn’t right. Then I noticed, the backbiter arm had dropped. Like a muppet I’d forgotten to switch it back on! Line was trickling out so with heart thumping again I put the net in place then wound down and struck properly! Fish on! The old Tricast took on a proper curve and a nice sized fish plodded around. She fought quite well for a deep winter fish but thankfully stayed on this time and was soon in the net. It took longer to untangle teeth from the net’s mesh than it did to nip the double hook out of the scissor then I slipped it into the weigh bag and found she was heavier than expected. The Pike in this water are dark, almost brown and beautifully marked with yellow spots, worth a photo for that reason alone.



The wind strengthened and the inevitable rain swept in. I tried to keep active, moving the deadbaits around the swim but when the weather is rough I can’t keep it up. After a while ‘fishing’ turns to ‘sitting it out’ and this isn’t enough to keep me by the water side when a warm house and hot food beckons. I was distracted by the birdlife, all the usual suspects I’d expect to see hear most notably the Kingfisher. This morning I was treated to more unusual visitors, a pair of Egrets settled in the trees opposite. I decided on the ‘one last cuppa’ tactic, if nothing happened by the time my mug was empty I’d pack up. I should have known that taking the shelter down would see the heaviest rain of the day fall upon me, sod’s law. With everything drenched I squelched my way back to the car and home.

Familiar

An unexpected phone call one evening lead to me suddenly finding myself with some spare time the following morning, now what could I do with it? The weather forecast promised a rising barometer with double figure temperatures, possible showers and a fresh wind from the southwest, pretty damn good conditions for the waters I fish. I thought about heading off to the special place but there wasn’t really enough time so I planned for somewhere fairly local. There was a spot where I’d seen a decent fish follow my lure a few weeks ago. I felt I needed to give it a try. So with tackle, bait and food all sorted I felt enthusiastic and confident for the following day.

I didn’t feel quite so enthusiastic when the alarm sounded in the morning but eventually managed to crawl my way out of bed. A rushed breakfast while the kettle boiled then I was away, arriving at my destination just as light was breaking. There was a decent breeze and a bit of cloud cover but thankfully no rain as yet. After a bit of a walk I arrived at my chosen swim and as I would be fishing at close range, set up away from the water’s edge. A float legered Bluey was placed next to one overhanging tree on the right and a Smelt lowered into a similar position to my left. I like deep margin swims on pits! I’d brought two other rods with me; one rigged up with a paternoster rig, baited with a spratt. The other a lure rod on which I fished shads, spoons and springdawgs. The plan was to mostly use the lure rod but when the rain came, chuck out the paternoster and settle back under my shelter. With the paternoster presenting the bait clear of the bottom I’d whack this rod out and twitch it back a few feet every few minutes.



By 0815 I’d covered the area with a Shad and a Springdawg so cast the paternoster then settled back on my chair with a cup of tea. The next couple of hours passed quickly, I left the two static deadbaits alone but kept twitching the paternoster and swapping it for the lure rod for spells. Unlike some places I fish there’s no reason why lures shouldn’t catch me fish on these waters but it’s just not happening at the moment. I’m trying old lures and new ones but on the last few trips nothing’s happened. It’s been a few years since I’ve done much lure fishing, lots to learn all over again. Likewise it’s been a decade since I’ve fished gravel pits with any kind of regularity but I grew up fishing this type of water and still feel at home. So far I’ve managed to at least find Pike on every trip bar one. I've fished pits on and off for 35 years, the way Pike behave doesn't change unless angling pressure becomes an issue.  It occurred to me that gravel pit Piking requires far less effort than most of the fishing I’ve done in recent years. Fishing other types of water is much more physically demanding, Pike aren’t as predictable and it takes more effort to locate them. When it all goes right the feeling of achievement is much greater too. However nowadays I struggle to find the energy to keep driving the miles and launching the boat in the cold and dark of mid-winter. Fishing that is a little less strenuous is a nice change every now and again.

Around 1020 an ominous looking bank of cloud was approaching from the west so I cast the paternoster again then swapped the other two deadbaits around. The Bluey was now on the left and the Smelt on the right. With the first drops of rain flattening the water I turned the alarms up and settled back under shelter. Conditions were good; something should be happening, surely time for a move, but where? I decided to wait for the rain to pass over.

Ten minutes later the “Billy’s backbiter” was whistling and I was quickly out of my chair and into the rain. The newly cast smelt had been picked up and line was trickling off the spool. As I wound down it was apparent the fish had picked up the bait and run out into open water, away from the tree. The strike me a decent resistance but I was using mono on this rod and it felt all wrong! I wound down again and took a couple of steps back to make sure everything was solid. I can’t remember the last Pike I played on mono! It was obviously a nice fish which plodded and swirled on a short line. At one point the head broke surface and for a while I thought I was into a real surprise. With the fish just out of range of the net I noticed that it was only attached by one of the double hooks, this looked like it was just nicked in. I really didn’t want to lose this one so eased the pressure a bit but managed to bring my first fish of the year over the net.



The hook came out with one twist of the forceps but it took longer to remove the other from the mesh! This fish wasn’t as big as I’d hoped but well worth putting on the scales and a quick photo. The camera had to be placed inside the shelter as it was still raining hard. One quick snap then I slipped her back into the pit.

With a fresh bait dropped back out I hurried back under shelter. As much as it felt strange playing that Pike on mono I wondered whether the light hook hold would have held had I been using braid? The rain hung around for an hour and I mostly spent this time drinking tea and peering out of the door hoping to see one of the lines start moving. With the end of the rain came the sun so out went the lure rod again. I fished on for a couple of hours by which time most of my rain sodden gear had dried. If I’d had more time I’d have moved swims as I definitely fancied my chances for another fish or two but I packed up content with one nice fish.

My craving for fishing had been satisfied with a short term quick fix. Now it’s that time of year when I begin counting the weeks before the rivers close again. That’s more than enough to motivate me into getting in the boat again. Yes the effort is greater but the potential reward is unequalled, anywhere. The law of sod will probably bring loads of ice and snow now...

Thank you Angry Birds

Once Christmas bedlam has finished we have New Year and whilst I take part in the former I usually try to ignore the latter. You may have noticed I’m not exactly ‘Mr Festive’ at this time of year. When I was younger I usually spent 1st January recovering from alcoholic apocalypse whilst drowning deadbaits, I’m not sure I ever caught anything though. On one particularly miserable New Year’s Day I found myself wondering what it was we were actually celebrating. I went out and got pissed because that’s what you did, but why? The numbers on the calendar change every day, weird really. Then again it’s probably just one last excuse to get rat arsed before we all go back to work. Nowadays I know what I like to do on 31st December, a nice glass of Shiraz and Jools Holland on BBC2 then wander outside to hear the church bells, works for me nearly every time. This year the bells were drowned out by fireworks, anyone who’d had an early night were reminded too.

Today I wasn’t the slightest bit hungover so Isaac and I managed to sneak out for a couple of hours to make our first visit of the year to the waterside. It was a cold day so we didn’t venture out until late morning when the temperature had climbed a little. By the time we left the house there was a breeze from the south and a little cloud had drifted over. For the first time in ages it would be dry but cold, a couple of hours would be our limit today.

By midday we were settled in on a local stillwater fishing a deadbait each. These were placed close to overhanging trees in quiet areas while we lure fished with other rods. I’ve stirred my son’s interest in fishing again through devious means. He’s a fan of the ‘Angry Birds’ video game so one of the new Rapala lures found its way into his Christmas stocking. There’s been an eight foot spinning rod lying untouched in the shed for years so I sorted out a little Mitchell reel, stuck on some braid and now he has a nice lightweight set up he can practice his casting with. This ruse worked, Isaac was enjoying himself, switching lures, casting and winding in with enthusiasm. His casting was erratic but he only caught one tree and most importantly he was having fun.

After a while the cold got to Isaac so he sat down to warm his hands inside gloves. He then went on a little wander, to explore the tree lined banks and have a look around. It was good for us to get out into the fresh air as we’ve been stuck inside too long. I’d had a couple of days when I could have ventured out fishing for a few hours but the weather had been foul and I couldn’t drag myself out of a warm, dry house. Isaac sat down again. I’d foolishly accepted an Xbox challenge so he amused himself describing the thrashing he was going to give me at “Fifa”, I had no defence.

Talking of thrashings, the Australians have finally hammered in the final nail putting an end to our long drawn out suffering. In 2010/11 the best prepared, most confident, in form team ever to leave England arrived down under. They hit the ground running, played brilliant cricket and won in style. This time around it was the total opposite; they said the right things but didn’t look like they believed it. They started indifferently in the warm up games and were blown away in Brisbane, things started badly then got worse. In truth England were only competitive on about five days throughout the whole series, only Broad and Stokes can walk tall. Australia’s batsmen done enough and their fielding was superb but their bowlers were brilliant putting a good captain in total control. I’m struggling to remember a test series as shambolic as this, there’s been several bad ones but none so bad as this.

England will now rebuild but there are six players that are certain to be in the team if fit. Apart from Broad and Stokes there are four players for whom England will say; “form is temporary, class is permanent”, these being Cook, Bell, Pietersen and Anderson. On the other hand Swann is gone for good and probably Carberry, Tremlett too. It’ll be a long road back for the likes of Bairstow, Bresnan and Rankin too. I like to think there’s a way back for Trott and Prior if they can find form.

Isaac warmed up and recommenced chucking lures in random directions; I moved my deadbait a little to the left. After a few minutes we noticed Isaac’s float steadily moving off. I was first to the rod and pulled the line out of the clip before handing Isaac the rod. He wound down tight and pulled pretty hard, for a few seconds there was a fish on… then the line fell slack. I think I was more disappointed than Isi, he’d found the whole thing exciting and was pleased to have ‘nearly caught one.’ Ten minutes later my float was on the move, being close to a snag I had to hit it quickly but I hit thin air. In hindsight that was a big lump of Herring… “Do you think it was the same Pike Dad?” I think he could have been right, we’ll never know.

We may well have had another chance but half an hour later we were on our way back to the car. We’d both enjoyed ourselves but if we’d hung around much longer Isaac would have become cold and I’d have trouble tempting him out again. As for me I’m itching to get fishing again, as soon as possible, whatever the weather.

There goes another

I was up before the sun, tuning in the radio while I filled the flasks. News from Australia was dismal, I decided to spare myself some suffering and leave the radio behind. I lazily made my way to the water, it was growing light when I pulled up in the car park and there was one other motor, sure enough the angler was in my first choice swim. We exchanged waves as I wandered off to try somewhere new. Like all the lakes in the area the water is clear and weedy, I under armed a Herring next to an overhanging tree and left this area quiet while I cast a springdawg around, to explore the extent of the weed. By now it was 0800 and the sun was rising through the trees, the sky was clear and there was barely a breeze. Not what was forecast and not good Piking weather on these waters. Having found some clear water I chucked a Smelt out and sat back with a cup of tea, more anglers were arriving, all were friendly. Every now and then I cast a lure around but the weed made things difficult, after an hour I was beginning to have my doubts about the swim but a breeze was beginning to ruffle the water and cloud was building.

At 0915 I noticed the float bob and was on it quickly, with the float inching towards the tree I wound down and bent into minimal resistance, which soon turned into no resistance as whatever was on the end let go. I quickly dropped the Herring back on the spot and my arse had hardly touched the chair before the float was moving again. This time the fish stayed on long enough for me to pull it to the surface, a jack and I wasn’t too bothered when it dropped off for a second time.



With the wind increasing and cloud gathering I figured I was in with a shout so kept moving the Smelt around and kept persevering with the lure rod. After dropping the smelt in close I sat back to make another brew but before I had a chance I noticed the line twitch on the freshly cast rod. I pulled the line out of the clip and it trickled out slowly. After dropping the net in front of me I wound down and pulled, the rod stayed bent with a decent weight on the end. Before the Pike realised what was going on I’d dragged it into the net, here the fish woke up and thrashed the water in front of me. I held the net here for a minute until the fish calmed down then quickly lay down the mat and got all the kit ready. The hooks were just behind the scissor and popped out easily. This one was definitely worth weighing and worth a quick photo on the self-timer. Back into the lake, she slowly sank away.



I’d attached a poly ball to the trace on that rod. I had intended to pop the bait up but when I checked the smelt was a ‘slow sinker’ but whatever, it had done the trick. Dave Lumb mentioned a good method for popping up deads on his blog recently. I really like the look of it and will be giving it a try, like most of the best ideas it’s really simple. Check it out here http://blog.lumbland.co.uk/2013/12/i-thought-it-was-all-over.html

As the day wore on the wind increased and the cloud descended blowing drizzle with it at times. I rate these conditions for stillwater Piking so confident there would be a few fish on the prowl I worked my way steadily along the bank. I kept the deadbaits moving and cast lures around at times but the latter was still difficult. Despite my optimism I didn’t tempt any more fish into taking a bait and as the light began to fade another bout of drizzle convinced me enough was enough. It had been too long since my last fishing trip, I really needed a bit of chill out time and was happy with what I’d caught. And that will almost certainly turn out to be my last fish of 2013.

Some of that end of year crap I usually find myself typing...

So where the hell did that one go? Was it twelve months ago that I sat here full of Christmas cynicism, trying to find some words to end the year with thinking “where the hell did that one go?” Away from the water I spent many memorable hours and days with my family and friends in various situations. I’m blessed to know so many lovely people who put up with me. We managed to watch loads of live music, highlights being Eels playing a blinder in Norwich. The lil lady and I were so hyped up afterwards we went for a two hour midnight walk under a glorious full moon. It was a freezing cold March night with moon shadows and frost crunching under our boots but fantastic… Later in the year we made it to the Latitude festival which was brilliant again. Here Hot Chip & Kraftwerk were my faves but there was just so much good stuff going on and for once the weather stayed dry. 

I’m still addicted to Test match Cricket & following England has been frustrating. Yes we won the Ashes but we did it without playing well. I managed to get to the Oval for the first day of the fifth test against Australia, I think I must have jinxed the team because that was the start of Australia dominating…arguably? Then autumn and the calendar speeds up and it’s the return Ashes, a tired team that doesn’t want it enough or just a bloody shambles? As I type this there is a hint of a fight back, a bit too late. Whatever, this series is the end of an era for England and we passionate fans.

Last gig of the year was Happy Mondays with Shaun & Co on top form. Before you know it bloody Christmas again! Don’t get me wrong, I like the forty eight or so hours beginning the moment I hang the car keys up on Christmas Eve. It’s the month of bollocks that precedes it that makes me growl. It’s good to have these distractions when life in the real world throws shit at you. There’s always shit, it’s just the depth that varies. This year was a little deeper but I have big boots. Then there’s fishing…


2013 began cold and stayed cold for months, this made fishing hard work. The Pike were unpredictable and hard to find, the cold made it physically tough too. I managed to catch a few doing different things in different places but the highlight was seeing Isaac christen his Pike rod. By the time the river season closed I was Piked out, knackered, my bones ached and I yearned for warmer weather and different fishing in greener surroundings.

It stayed cold for months, frosts in April and single figure temperatures in May. My Tench and Carp fishing started slowly and continued that way, I could catch from the easy water with no problem but I didn’t bank a single fish from my favourite warm weather venue. Despite this I was learning lots and enjoying my fishing, that fish always seemed just around the corner.



The sun came out in July and the waters began to look how they should in the summer. At times the winter fishing had been an endurance test but now it was a joy to be out on the bank. Coincidently my fishing fortunes improved too and I had a really successful and enjoyable few weeks; my best Tench and a string of big Carp. It was really interesting fishing as I was learning all the time and for once I didn’t want summer to end. The previous Pike season had been tough and I wasn’t sure I had the energy for another.


My favourite Carp of 2013

It didn’t take long for my Piking mojo to return and the autumn season with the reeds still green was joyous, exhausting, bewildering and exhilarating, just as it should be. It was fantastic to be back on the water in a special place in comfortable conditions! On one trip I only had two takes in 40+ hours on the water and they both came within seconds of each other. On another I managed my best fish of the autumn from a new spot after a spur of the moment move. I spent many happy hours just chilling out and watching the Harriers. Then the salt tides came and who knows what next?

The definition of Irony? Just when the Broads Authority come to their senses and start to use improved methods and a more sensible attitude, nature at its most uncontrollable smashes in to the east coast with another tidal surge. Anglers are lucky to have great men on the ground looking after our interests so thanks and praise once again to Pike anglers of the year, John Currie and Micky Cox along with all at Norwich PAC/NDPC.



I think it was the autumn when ‘Mr Angling’ John Wilson upped sticks and moved to Thailand. JW did much to enhance Angling and its image to the general public. I’m sure he must have been the first person to celebrate Pike as a beautiful fish to be respected and above all returned alive, on national TV? However, away from the camera, it has to be said, he could be a grumpy old git. But then so can I! Matt Hayes had a new series this year too, another rod race thing and pretty good too but am I alone it finding his banging on about fly fishing bloody annoying?

I haven’t seen as many Otters in Norfolk this year but I’ve seen a dramatic increase on my local Suffolk waters. One water controlled by a local club has a serious problem that wasn’t apparent twelve months ago. I know of a Koi pond close to a brook that has been raided and chickens were taken too. Other waters where Otters have been present for some time have shown a large increase in numbers. In mid December I watched four juveniles swim past on a local stillwater. Established pairs are breeding and these will have to travel further for food.


My second favourite Pike of 2013

My local G.A.P.S club is taking the only sensible option and will begin fencing their waters very soon. This will take time and money but it just has to be done. Personally I much prefer natural looking waters and hate the sight of fences. It could also be argued that this will move the problem onto somewhere/someone else, including places I love to fish. Even taking these things into consideration the club has no choice, the fences must go up.

One of the happiest fishy things of 2013 has been seeing first-hand the G.A.P.S. club develop and grow. I’ve been a member for a couple of spells since the early eighties when I never felt part of the club. To my mind there were too many silly rules and I just joined because it controlled waters I wanted to fish. In my opinion there have been times when the club has (to put it plainly,) not been run for the good of all anglers. It’s great to see anglers of all types now having a say, making good decisions and making G.A.P.S. a club I’m proud to be a member of. So thanks to David Page and all of the current committee, long may it continue!

So then the fishing year is split nicely down the middle. The winter and cold spring was difficult all round but once the sun came out the fishing was good and all things considered, 2013 was a pretty good year.