The Wrong Wellies

 My first pike trip of the season didn't get off to the best of starts when I discovered I'd managed to bring two right wellies. One size 42 from my summer pair and a size 44 from my autumn pair. Things weren't too bad though, as the 44 went on my left foot without being uncomfortable.

I started in one of the swims that I'd previously fished where the pike had made a bit of a nuisance of themselves. A sprat was to dangled under a float near one lily pad and a roach under another float was to be fished on the bottom by another lily pad. Apart from a carp mouthing the float very little happened.  I tried a few different lures through the swim to no avail. Once I'd thawed out some bits of chopped fish I dropped them into likely looking spots in a couple of other swim. Each swim was given a couple of hours with the baits moved about and the depths at which they were fished varied.

In one swim I a float popped under the water about an inch and stayed there. Winding down to something solid I struck only to come up with a load of silk weed.  I put on a trout to replace the roach and dropped it back in between the overhanging tree and the lily pad. It has to be said there was very little sign of pike activity. No fish scattering nothing. The carp, the other three anglers were after, were happy showing themselves amongst the lilies.

With the radar showing some heavy looking rain on the way I packed up before I got soaked. In fact I had just got the gate shut when the heavens opened. Not the start I'd wanted to the new pike season, but pike are bloody awkward like that. As an angler pointed out on a previous occasion, when we were both being bothered by pike, if come back with pike gear they won't be feeding. One thing I must remember for the next outing is the liquidised bread to attract the roach and rudd into the swim.