Bit Bigger Than a Jack

After a delayed start and heavier than normal traffic, I finally got to the syndicate water just before eleven. With little sign of any fish I decided to chuck a E-Sox Jell-Ignite about, after a couple of casts a three large perch followed the lure before speeding past it, followed by a jack not much bigger than them. Despite trying several more cast with different lures I was unable to attract any more action. 

I set up three dead bait rods. One, with lamprey section, was cast onto the far shelf. The nest, with half a herring, was cast across halfway and the third, with a smelt, was dropped on to the near shelf under the trees. The two furthest baits were moved a yard or so every 30 to 40 minutes. The near one swapped either side of the peg every hour or so.

Finally around 4 o'clock I got a few bleeps on the lamprey rod, which by now was at the bottom of the far shelf and wound in to some thing very solid. Clearly a powerful fish, it continued to hug the bottom and short powerful runs as I pumped it back some 40 yards. Eventually it was netted and was clearly heavier than it looked as I lifted it out of the water. I was rather surprised when the scales read 20lb 11oz. While it was rested in the landing net I re-weighed the weigh sling and then re-weighed the fish, definitely 20lb 11oz and 39" long.

Not a bad for the first decent fish of the pike season.