Brekkies, Buddies and Roaches

 

Lots of this and that this week. Whatever that means.

Bit of work gardening, walked there and back, a twelve mile round trip. I was channeling the pre Victorian peasant groove and oddly satisfying it was too.

I've been over the hooooge reservoir piking and roaching. Plenty of them there roaches but I really am having a tough time on the pike.

The shoals of roach are enormous, despite being hammered daily by hundreds of grebes, cormorants, herons, egrets and kingfishers. I've even seen an osprey twice this autumn, hovering and then crashing down into one of the bays. It's a beautiful place.

I also took Pezza and his dad Ken, two newbie anglers, sea fishing. They have both been out several times unsuccessfully. I knew just the spot, a little promontory in the estuary. With high tide falling on dusk I was confident of a few fish. Well, actually I thought they'd have a shed load.

For the first hour, not a touch. As expected with the clear water. " How often have you fished here and not caught anything ? " said Pezza. Tut tut, no room for negativity, all will be well as darkness falls.

The sun sank over the Essex marshes and within a few minutes the rod tips were rattling. For the next hour and a half carnage ensured as whiting came ashore two and three at a time. Some really chunky fish too. Job done.

Very enjoyable evening for everyone.

I also spent a couple of mornings "supporting local business" at the legendary Manningtree Station Buffet. Family run business employing local people, English breakfast with two coffees £4.50. And it's top quality stuff. Try it yourself.

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"It's Nice Just Being There"

Ýes and it's a bloody good job it is too because I'm not catching much right now.

The pike pit really is one of those places where that old chestnut is true. You can get well out the way of everyone and just take it all in.

My criteria for choosing a swim this time of the year is as follows....

1. Is it out the wind ?

2. Will it get the sun most of the day ?

3. Will it produce pike.

Ideally I want all three. Can't be getting cold these days.

To be honest I am catching a few, just not enough. Never mind, I'll keep trying. Hard life isn't it ?

I have cooked up a different plan for the next trip in a couple of days. Fingers crossed for a bit of success.

More Poike

Yes, more poiking. Took the moon faced Bomber, Bazza along at the weekend.

He wanted to catch his first decent pike. I warned him of my recent run of one-fish-per-session. No worries he said, I'm happy sitting down waiting, chatting and cooking bacon and sausage sandwiches. Perfect.

I set the rods up, cast then out and ten minutes later Bazza saw the rod tip knock. Take it I said. He wound down, said it felt like weed and a few seconds later it surfaced thirty yards out, a ferocious explosion as it thrashed and then took off, ripping line of a very tight clutch. This happened three or four times and went as hard as any pike Ive had in ages.

It then kited round, a big head appearing on the surface and just as the head shaking started I scooped it out.

A fookin' clonker. Was he pleased ? Just a bit.

We then sat there all morning eating and talking with no more runs forthcoming. Not bad though, eh ?

More piking tales soon.