Teflon Mouthed Pike

Down on the river not long after first light I was greeted by one of the few bird calls I recognise, a curlew. It wouldn't be for another nine hours before I saw one though, despite hearing them throughout the day. The usual pike tactics were to be employed - a float fished bait at the bottom of the shelf and same on top of the shelf, usual near an over hanging tree or similar. Four and a half hours and three swims later I got my first run and was in into a lively little jack of 63cm, which had taken piece of lamprey.

Two hours later and another couple of swims I got my next run and failed to contact with any thing. This was to happen three more times before I even got a teeth mark on the bait. Sprats, lamprey, smelt and sardine were all tried, in different sizes and still this kept happening. The runs were either good steady runs or the float bobbing about. Really I should have moved, but I refused to be defeated. I tried trotting baits, sink and draw and wobbled baits, but the pike didn't seem to like moving baits. Nattering to a fellow pike angler, who had worked his down form the opposite end, He had had a similar day, lots of runs but no contacts. Just one very small pike foul hooked.  We both stayed until dark, but got no more runs for the last hour and a half. A rather frustrating day, but hopefully the big females will start to appear soon as they prepare for spawning.