Archive for the ‘Pike Fishing’ Category
Monday, January 14th, 2013
A hard frost lay on the ground as we approached the secluded lake through a foggy murk, moorhens dipped and splashed while a family of swans glided across the mirror calm water. Dank and cold, David and Robbie pointed to where they had landed five pike to 9.lbs plus and experienced numerous runs throughout the session not a fortnight previous. That day was warm and breezy from the south, today being chilly, grey, and still conditions couldn’t have been more different. Discussing the possibilities while choosing our respective swims, we set off around the frost encrusted bank to stake a claim before proceeding to tackle up.
Each fishing a ledgered popped up dead bait along with a roving sliding float set up, we cast onto a weed bed covered by ten foot of water lying about fifty meters off shore. Using frozen roach and dace for bait on this occasion runs were scarce, six for the day converted into one medium pike. That said, noticing a line straightening, a float dipping before sliding under, or the sound of a pod buzzer creates a level of excitement only anglers can identify with. Yes there is frustration when one leans into a running fish and the connection doesn’t materialise, however the electricity generated narrows the quite gaps in between while sustaining the determination to carry on. “The next one will be a lunker“. As the fog closed in and light faded around five bells three lads knew it was 5 – 1 to old Esox, but that’s OK aren’t we anglers not fishermen. “Where are we going next week?”
Tags: Angling, Dead bait, Fishing, Float fishing, Ireland, Ledgering, Lure Fishing, Pike, Pike angling, Pike Fishing, Wire trace
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Thursday, December 20th, 2012
Pike fishing and the south east of Ireland are rarely uttered in the same breath, this winter however David Murphy has bucked the trend, seeking out and connecting with old Esox in a variety of still water, canal, and river locations close to his home base of Carlow. Fishing ledgered and float presented dead baits David has landed numerous pike up to eleven pound in weight. Targeting a twenty before the spawning season gets into full swing, who wouldn’t bet on him achieving his goal.
On this occasion David set off early on a misty morning to a canal venue which is presently fishing very well for silvers. Ledgering a dead roach, his one and only run resulted in the fish photographed. Weighing about 6/7 pounds it won’t set the pike world on fire, but it continues Dave’s hot streak while adding further to his bank of pike lore.
See also: Pike from a Bog Lake.
Further reading: Trigger Happy Pike.
Tags: Angling, Canal, Canal fishing, Dead bait, Fishing, Ireland, Ledgering, Pike, Pike angling, Pike Fishing, Roach
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Sunday, December 9th, 2012
Success in fishing is derived through layering of experience, in essence a combination of theory and practice. To that pairing one can add the routine of regular fishing trips. Knowledge gained of fishy behaviour in tandem with natures changing cycles becomes stored in the subconscious, where at a future date and time, the angler confronted by a particular set of conditions, seemingly without thinking makes a correct tactical choice which results in a good fish.
David Murphy and his fishing buddy Robbie have pike fished a local water on a number of occasions over the past twelve months building up a body of knowledge. Allowing for the time of year, it is no surprise that their last two visits have resulted in some excellent returns, with four pike to 11.lbs gracing the bank yesterday.
Building on experience gleaned from previous trips the lads successfully employed both ledgered and float fished dead baits, roach and dace on this foray, resulting in a cracking afternoons fishing on what was a calm, bright, frosty, day.
Tags: Angling, Dace, Dead bait, Fishing, Float fishing, Ireland, Ledgering, Pike, Pike angling, Pike Fishing, Roach
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Monday, November 26th, 2012
Anglers who fish for large predators such as pike talk about triggers, those little understood factors which motivate the fish to commence hunting or feeding. Fluctuations in water temperature, atmospheric pressure, stages of the lunar cycle, amount of light, pure hunger, or combinations of all play a part in rousing the predatory instinct. One day a water known to hold pike can seem devoid of fish, the next it comes alive, Saturday the 24th of November being a fine example of the latter.
A cold frosty morning found David Murphy rigging up at a favourite pike water. Employing two outfits both baited with roach, he float fished one and ledgered the other. Having fished the venue on a number of occasions his best haul to date had been a couple of fish. Little did David know when lobbing out his first rig, that this trip was set to go down in the annals.
In David’s own words: “It was a ripper of a day, the rods were flying off the stands, we must of had about 8-9 runs. The two pike were caught on the floats using dace and roach. The ledgered baits produced a number of runs of which there were two screamers. On one the line shot off the spool nearly causing a birds nest, this happened twice. You couldn’t leave the rods as about every 15 mins or so there was a fish on. The pike Robbie caught actually broke the top treble hook and we lost three pike by the bank, it was a cracker of a day.”
What more can you say, well done lads, that’s why we go fishing……….
Click on: Playing the Pike Percentages.
Tags: Angling, Dead bait, Fishing, Float fishing, Ireland, Pike, Pike angling, Pike Fishing, Roach
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Thursday, November 1st, 2012
The river Barrow has a large pike tradition, many to specimen size having been landed over the years. However, as this writer knows only too well, they do not give themselves up easy. Like any form of fishing, building up a bank of experience is the key to success, with a little luck thrown in of course. That said, anglers make their own luck, usually by researching their chosen quarry, methods, tactics, and most importantly putting the time in fishing.
Having done his homework David Murphy chose a swim noted for its coarse fishing potential, regularly delivering good bags of roach, dace, and hybrids to match anglers. Occasionally a pike or two tempted by rich pickings advertises its presence by attacking a hooked fish destined for the keep net. Aware of this fact David sussed a couple of pikey locations and ledgered a dead roach presented on a running paternoster. Result, three runs and his first ever river pike knocking eight pounds plus.
Tags: Angling, Co. Carlow, Dead bait, Fishing, Ireland, Pike, Pike Fishing, River Barrow, Roach
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Thursday, June 21st, 2012
David Murphy loves to catch predatory fish, especially pike, bull huss, and conger, goes with the territory I suppose given that he is the bass guitarist with up and coming metal band AeSect. Ledger fishing a local pond with frozen roach bait David was initially pestered with small jack pike, then he got a more purposeful run.
Biding his time David struck and connected with a lively fish which gave him the run around before being netted. Close to ten pound weight the pike was carefully unhooked and released, swimming off to fight another day.
Tags: Angling, Dead bait, Fishing, Ireland, Pike, Pike Fishing, roach bait, running ledger rig
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Monday, February 13th, 2012
Living in Wexford I do not have access to great pike fishing and invariably have to travel. Yes, Blessington isn’t a million miles away and does reward experienced regulars with large fish, but for consistent sport Cork, the north east counties, and Longford/Roscommon/Leitrim are the places to visit. Long range piking is hit and miss in terms of catches, keeping an ear close to the ground helps, invariably though it’s a question of using the noodle, trying out new venues, and keeping a record of conditions and returns.
Sunday the 12th of February dawned foggy and still, conditions that would persist throughout the day, and with air temperatures hovering around 7 degrees David and I felt confident of a result from our planned trip to the north east. Choosing a water that had intrigued me for a number of years we did our homework, collected fresh rainbow trout for bait, and headed off. Two and a half hours later we pulled in at the venue chose our swim and set up.
Depth increased gradually from the forested shoreline to a drop off approximately ten meters out which quickly fell away and bottomed out at I believe ten meters. Ledgering fresh rainbow with the tail cut off to reduce spinning and release blood David cast to just beyond the lip, while I placed a bait well into the deep. Tightening up and setting the bait runners we waited. Within a half hour my line dramatically dropped, a slack liner I lifted the rod and carefully wound in to connect, the line kept dropping. Reeling harder I struck into nothing, so continued on to inspect the bait, teeth marks said it all.
Twenty seconds later line began peeling off Davy’s reel, the same fish it had to be, counting to ten he struck into nothing, “that’s one lucky fish”. From then on David’s rod was charmed, suffering another dropped run David eventually connected with number three. Not big it gave a good scrap though and was in perfect condition, beautifully mottled. Shortly afterwards line began peeling again, after another lively tussle a similar sized jack was landed, and that was it for the day.
On another occasion they could have been doubles or bigger, that’s fishing though. Five runs, two fish, a nice day out, and further knowledge gained. Talking to local people out walking, the water is known for medium sized pike, but fish to 28 lb have been recorded. David and I witnessed the potential and most definitely will be back, an abiding memory being a heavy swirl amongst a shoal of roach fry as light closed in….
Tags: Angling, Bait runner reel, Dead bait, Dead baiting, Fishing, Ireland, Ledgering, Lure Fishing, Pike, Pike Fishing, Rainbow Trout
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Friday, January 13th, 2012
A pike fishing trip to Co. Cavan with Gary and Dave bore testament to the old saying, “It’s not about catching but being there that counts”, or words to that effect. Rising at 06.00am to partake in the first of a number of planned “hopefully weekly” sessions after Esox lucius, we pointed the car northwards for the 130 mile journey to our chosen water. Equipped to both lure and bait fish the weather could not have been more clement, with the air temperature registering 10 degrees, blue sky and fluffy clouds, a marked contrast to the icy cold of January last.
Arriving at our chosen destination we quickly set up dead bait rigs and cast out to varying distances ranging from about 15 to 40 meters. Gary offered ledgered mackerel and a popped up roach, while Davy and I plumped for whole fresh rainbow trout. Fishing into a hole which dropped off to 30 plus feet the venue had been good to us last year with pike into double figures. Setting up a lure rig and leaving the dead bait to fish away I walked towards a likely corner and cast a rubber Storm roach towards some reeds. The lure hit bottom after about seven seconds and I commenced to sink and draw. Fanning my casts, on about the tenth attempt my jerk rod arched over. A hungry jack skittered across the surface, how he engulfed the bait I’ll never know, but what colouring, a beautiful fish.
By 14.30pm and with no more pike forthcoming we decided on a move to an adjacent lake. Shallower but with the water temperature registering 7.2 degrees we reckoned that fish might move in close. Casting a range of dead bait rigs up to fifty meters out into about eight to ten foot of water we waited for developments. Again fishing was slow, but as dusk closed in my bait runner started giving line. Gently lifting the rod I counted to five then leaned into the fish. My ten foot rod curved into a light resistance, shortly after another jack pike hit the bank.
Perfect in every way, Gary carefully unhooked the fish before slipping it back gently into the water. By now a glorious sunset was closing off the day, windless and still it was a joy to be out, the lake reflecting its surroundings, a beautiful setting. Only two jacks punctuated this trip, but hey they could easily have been doubles and at least we caught. The sky filled with purple, pink, and blue as the sun set behind the drumlins. Ireland maybe deep in recession but days and evenings like this help relieve the gloom. Fishing, you can’t beat it…..
For further reading click on: Pike Hatrick in Co. Cavan.
For further reading click on: Piking Afloat.
For further reading click on: Dave’s First Pike.
Tags: Angling, County Cavan, Dead bait, Esox lucius, Fishing, Ireland, Jack pike, Lure Fishing, Pike, Pike Fishing, shore fishing, Storm lures
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Friday, December 23rd, 2011
Itching to christen his new pike kit David Murphy headed towards a local midlands water. Not having fished the lake before and on his first session of the winter season, Dave’s first priority on arrival was to assess the venue. Deciding to fish close to a reed bed on the far side he set up his 12′ Shimano rod matched with a 6000 size bait runner reel, before casting a dead roach bait into a likely corner close to the reeds. Ledgering, it wasn’t long before the rod top nodded and line spilled off the reel. Striking, Dave felt a light resistance and shortly afterwards landed a jack of about five pounds.
Coming up to lunchtime David connected with a larger pike which after a five minute fight was surprisingly lost at the net, only being lightly hooked in the lip. Well into double figures, a disappointed Dave re baited and cast into the same hole. Ten minutes later his perseverance was rewarded when he wound into a purposeful slack line bite. This time there was no mistake and after a spirited tussle a fine well conditioned pike graced the bank. Carefully unhooked, Dave placed the grand fish back in the water where it swam off to fight another day.
Tags: Angling, Dead bait, Fishing, Ireland, Pike, Pike angling, Pike Fishing, Roach
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Monday, January 24th, 2011
Three times this winter I have walked the towpaths of the River Barrow from Goresbridge to Clashganny, and now upstream of Carlow casting various pike and perch lures to no effect. Plugs of various sizes and descriptions, bulldogs, storm lures, leadhead jigs, mepps, have all tried their luck but still no takers. Bright days, dull days, noon, last light, I haven’t tried first light could that be the reason? Were there no fish in the stretches that I tried, hardly? Was I just doing something wrong, working the lures incorrectly? Anyone out there got any clues?
Perseverance is the key and the need to tap into more information. Large pike are caught on the Barrow every year as the specimen reports prove. Video clips of perch and pike being caught on the river are posted on you tube, friends have scored with both species. I met three fellow anglers yesterday who recently landed a ten pound pike on a lure from the stretch that I fished. The words “just be there” come to mind. If your not fishing you ain’t going to catch fish, so keep fishing it will happen sometime, the door will open, a chink of light, after that you never look back.
It’s not just the fishing though but getting out in the air that is important. Participating, meeting people, visiting new places, sights, sounds, and smells, what surrounds the fishing that is what is important. Yes catching fish is the ideal end result but not the be all. Lies!! No, but if the drought persists? It won’t. A mottled green leviathan is out there its eyes piercing the murk every sense acute to the electrical impulses emitted from that struggling roach, she focuses, she targets, like a zeppelin she floats adjusting her position to strike. Three sweeps of her paddle like tail, eyes intent, mouth agape, BANG, fish on……
Tags: Angling, County Carlow, Fishing, Ireland, Leadhead jigs, Lure Fishing, Mepps, Pike, Pike Fishing, River Barrow, River fishing, Roach, Storm lures
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