The hottest May Day on record would not have been my chosen day to go pike fishing but having booked a boat for Bruce and I a couple of weeks back it had to be done. Talking with Bristol Water fishery staff there were no major concerns regarding water temperature as it was still only late Spring and water temperature and oxygen levels were not causing concern.
So with fishes welfare covered what about ours? Plenty of water, sun-cream, sunhat and light clothing. The occasional dunk of the hat in the lake to cool the head. Fly Fishing for pike is hard work but when it comes right the rewards are well worth the effort.
We arrived for 8.00am; clocked in and followed up by loading our boat with all the gear. We had a plan to head for the shallower water then maybe migrate to the deeper water as the day got warmer.
After an hour a big shape materialised behind my fly, its mouth opening to engulf the fly before having second thoughts and disappearing out of sight. A twenty plus I guessed and a fish that would have made the day.
We fished hard and had a few chances. One jack before we took a break at 3.00pm. Highlight of the day so far had been a juvenile grass snake swimming across the lake. I picked it from the water to admire and thought how vulnerable it was swimming across the lake. Birds of prey or pike would surely relish such a tasty snack.
We had hoped for an Ice Cream but the freezer was broke. Coffees for me, Earl Grey for Bruce. A good chat on the bench then it was time for part two.
We fished around here and there in places that we had caught before with a short spell of action resulting in two more pike to my rod and one more to Bruce along with a couple of follows.
A thunderstorm rumbled away to the North, flashes of lightening. An exciting atmosphere that brought an air of expectation.
As the light faded from another glorious day we headed for the pontoons, a thirteen hour day of hard work. As I walked back to the car the call of cuckoo drifted across calm waters and sky took on the embers of hot dying day. The moon brightened to start its night shift. Fish wise little reward but the memory bank is topped up and there’s another day to dream of…….
It was a long drive home, the link road was closed leading to an unwelcome diversion and a resulting return home at midnight.
