A Stunner to Sign Off The Season On The Estate...

07:55 Lewis Gaukrodger 0 Comments

Like a kid at Christmas I was up early to head north to the estate lake where at this time of year I have had some  success in previous seasons. With an increase in temperature forecast the foggy bitterly cold morning was not what I expected and regretted leaving the thermals at home. Having set up the rods night before i was clipping the line onto the swingers within minutes of being on the bank. Having ordered 20 mackerel for myself and Richard, Morrison's had manage to get hold of some massive mac's which I was able to chop in half and smother with salmon oil.
The first swim was a feature of a point which slopes away gently down to 12 ft on one side and to the same depth on the other but much more aggressively. Myself and Richard gave this swim an hour or two and then moved on to another swim.

Pouring oil over the deadbait before each cast, I spodded choppy over the top of the dead baits with a separate rod. The choppy was made up of blended sprats with a mixture of half and full baits also chucked in and a couple of extras that i am testing as part of The Hook Bait Company. Every 30 min or so I was winding in and re casting around 2 hours after being in the second swim i recast and within seconds of the choppy going over the deadbait the line picked up the swinger and she was off. A short battle with a lively fish and the net was soon slipped under a lovely double. Distinctively this fish was instantly recognisable from a scar on its gill plate. Looking back through my records this is a female fish that i caught 2 season ago and at the time had a ulcer/sore on her gill plate around an inch in diameter. At the time she was treated with good old Klinik and sent on her way, what a result to see the wound has healed and she looks in good health. Quite possibly the best conditioned fish I have ever caught.





We worked all the baits through the afternoon and chucked baits at distance whilst also keeping baits with range of patrolling routes just off the drop off though no more runs unfolded. With the temperatures rising this would be my last visit to the estate for pike for this season as they now move towards the reed beds at one end of the lake to spawn. Quite a fitting way to sign off the season on this water with what was once an ugly but now stunning fish and one that I think will no doubt do 20+ next season.