Back to school....

Preparing to unhook the eleven pounder...

It was The Bishop that first took me out piking at the beginning of 2013 so it was good to be out on the bank with him again yesterday....

Fish welfare is really important to me and I'm always up for improving my pike handling skills, so The Bishop has agreed to give me feedback and let me unhook all the fish today. Its not too long before he has a 6 pounder on the bank. A couple of minutes later and I've got the hooks out, but more importantly have picked up a couple of useful tips on handling feisty pike.

We're just about to move on to the Big Pit when my right hand float goes and after a short scrap I have a nice eleven pounder on the bank. This one is a little bit trickier to unhook, but soon the hooks are out and The Bish declares 'Nothing wrong with how you did that!' It feels like I've passed an O level! ......Yes!

The move on to the Big Pit was a bit of a let down but I make a mental note of the swims Chris says are the best. I fancy my chances in a couple of them next March when the water is a bit warmer.

The final move of the day is to the swim where I caught my very first pike back in January. Our four orange tops remain stationery on the near flat calm surface and thoughts are beginning to turn to home time when my right hand float bobs and then goes sailing away, the result being a nice four pounder.

This is a bit trickier to unhook and I quickly decide to hand over to The Bishop who 'bosses' the pike and then gets the bottom treble out in just a couple of seconds by going through the gill arch. He makes it look far too easy and the fish swims off to fight another day. More useful tips taken on board.

There's just one other bite in the session and it goes to The Bishop but the fish is off almost as soon as it's on but judging by the bow wave, it would probably have been the fish of the day.

It's been a good day....now when is the next??