An invite to Poach!

We were on the canal at long itch last Saturday, yes, in all that rain. As well as feeling uncomfortable with the damp conditions an old back injury had flared up on the Thursday which added to the days discomforts. I did try to shelter under my brolly but it wasn't good for my back, however, our gear did stay nice and dry. The rain did eventually ease off and it became a rather pleasant afternoon.

Very welcome in all the rain.

Barry was first of the post with a small Zed followed shortly after by another of a similar size that looked as though it had just been grabbed and chewed on by something very toothy. I was struggling to get anything to sniff at my bait and just to rub salt into the wounds Barry pulled out a third fish, a Perch.

It took a good couple of hours but something began to show an interest in the wrigglers I was fishing on one rod, the hope was for a big Perch and the bobbin danced as something began snacking on the worms, it wasn't the fish I was hoping for, it was a rather small excuse for a Zed.

Things went a bit quiet for a while then Barry started to get some dropped runs but did manage to bank another Zander, he then lost something a little bigger. Now, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, after losing this bigger fish Barry said I should try a cast to where he was fishing, I was on it like a shot as you don't often get a licence to poach a mates swim. It only took a few moments for the line from the tip to tighten and the bobbin twitch as something showed an interest in my bait, I struck and felt a resistance that was much bigger than the Zed's Barry had been catching, it was a Pike.

Poached Pike and some trendy headgear.

I really don't know how I managed to bank this fish as the single size two hook wasn't even stuck in the Pike's jaw, I just lifted the baited hook out, it must have been just playing with it's dinner.