Fishing for Pike with Flies
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In this Fishwish video, I show how the worst fly for fishing can still catch! I head to Chew Valley Lake in Somerset. Chew Pike are renowned for getting big but how big do pike get? Many believe the UK record will be caught from Chew or the neighbouring lake (Blagdon). The manmade lake is fed by a calcium rich limestone run off from the Mendip Hills and retained within the natural flood plains of a shallow and nutrient rich valley. A perfect combination for prey abundance and bone growth. There are also the rainbow trout to feed on. This attracts anglers from all over the world and a guided days pike fishing on the neighouring Blagdon Lake can cost over a thousand pounds!
Pike fishing with baits or lures is restricted to a few weeks a year over winter but you can currently fly fish for the pike all year round. They see a plenty of flies. So what flies for pike that see lots? At certain times of the year, these learned fish can totally ignore anything put in front of them. It's a catch and release (C&R) fishery, so these educated C&R fish that learn from being caught, are not as easy as one might think. Interestingly, and despite the intentions, flies that do not catch trout, can end up catching pike. If you've not tried it, try a fly you've tied yourself as the catches are so much more rewarding.
The heaviest fish tend to come out over winter but pike after spawning are more difficult to entice. My own selection of pretty rubbish flies give me half a chance as there's no way they've seen anything like them before (honestly - they really are that bad!). The water visibility is very good and seeing big pike is not unusual. When pike follow the fly, they will often hang back and turn at the boat. Pike don't care for anything that they have seen time and time again. A bit like a kitten after it's chased the ball of wool and grown tired of it once a cat.
The interesting thing about making these videos is seeing holw long I had the pike out of water for. From beginning to end it was 3m and 28s. That's about 2m longer than I would have liked. It's so easy for the excitement blinker you from the ticking clock. Thankfully, it's been a cold spring and the fish didn't seem to mind, but weighing and photographing fish in warmer weather could present a bigger problem. Anyway...it's a new pb pike for me so I'm over the moon to have a lucky fish story to share. Chew Valley Lake is nothing like as easy as people might think - it's a very big lake; has some very big fish; and attracts some very good. anglers.
Sam's homemade boat seat was made after reading www.flyfishing.co.uk/threads/...
Total cost of parts was approx £45 and included a boat seat: www.securefixdirect.com/foldi...
and a boat seat swivel: www.securefixdirect.com/boat-...
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#fishwish #flyfishing #pike
10 май 2022
