my 1st canal pike;-)

[shaned]

hi all,
i wasnt going to bother today with all the gale force winds etc? ended up driving to skipton to fish the Swale, on arriving there & seeing how high the river was? (it was charging through with some force, with a few half trees & large debris floating past, (had a quick chat with the farmer before deciding to give it a miss.)
from there i drove to the leeds canal stretch, i fished it a few times last season when the rivers were up but never managed any pike
i got a dead sprat set up, with a float/lead thingy that rushy once showed me? after a cuppa i set up a lure on a small spinning rod, same time i,m thinking....arnt lures a summer method??
anyway 1st cast was blown back to me with the strong winds? 2nd cast i managed about 15yards....thought i was snagged instantly, then realised i had a fish on lol, after a short fight i was very pleased to net
my 1st canal pike.... all 5lb 3oz of it....very welcome indeed.



rushy is ordering me a rubber landing net from his local tackle shop....ASAP.........I got into a bit of a mess when the pike rolled and tangled itself & the lure in the net, a nightmare & a BIG lesson learned.
not long after rushy turned up for a chat and had an hour on the lure rod but didnt manage any fish.....
i stayed until 4pm without another bite, but i,m not complaining, went home very happy indeed

[Eddie]

Nice one Shane, just look at the waves on the canal behind you! Little bit breezy?

Eddie.

[jimlad]

Well in shane, good effort in today's conditions

[winter55]

By the look of the fish it seems to have been rolling round on the ground,i think you could do with a unhooking mat if you are going to pike fish.

[shaned]

Jan 10, 2015 22:23:46 GMT winter55 said:

By the look of the fish it seems to have been rolling round on the ground,i think you could do with a unhooking mat if you are going to pike fish.

the fish was on an unhooking mat???

not easy holding a light mat down with that wind

[jimlad]

Aye it's a bit presumptuous that post. Id have been very surprised if Shane hadn't had an unhooking mat.

There are occasions when a pike can spin in a net, or even flip towards the edge of a mat, and mud can occasionally get on it. It happens to me and others, and I would consider myself a serious piker

[winter55]

Jan 10, 2015 22:28:38 GMT shaned said:

Jan 10, 2015 22:23:46 GMT winter55 said:

By the look of the fish it seems to have been rolling round on the ground,i think you could do with a unhooking mat if you are going to pike fish.

the fish was on an unhooking mat???

not easy holding a light mat down with that wind

Ok my mistake couple of pegs will hold mat down next time

[shaned]

Jan 10, 2015 22:34:50 GMT jimlad said:

Aye it's a bit presumptuous that post. Id have been very surprised if Shane hadn't had an unhooking mat.

There are occasions when a pike can spin in a net, or even flip towards the edge of a mat, and mud can occasionally get on it. It happens to me and others, and I would consider myself a serious piker

yes james, as always, i used my mat, & after getting a few pics & releasing the fish, my mat & tea-towel were a 100yards away floating down the canal.... retrieved mat but the towel dissapeared

[wally]

Nice one Shaned,I don't know how you coped,Its normal as windy as hell there on a normal day never mind yesterday.