A new pb pike by Lloyd Lynch

At the moment I couldn’t be happier how well my pike season is going so far. The last two months have been a complete success in my eyes but at the same time very unexpected. 

A lure caught pb from the porta boat

Everything just seems to be going right and falling into place, between breaking my lure pb on a day session out on the porta boat with my good friend John Molloy, to breaking my river pb out on a tutorial with Gerard Smyth who is a fantastic guide and all in all a really nice bloke.

A new river pb on a day out with Gerard Smyth

This season the general stamp of fish has been good with two fish over the twenty pound mark not far off my pb which stood at 22lb for the last three years, since when I started taking my pike fishing more seriously.

I couldn’t believe the luck I was having but from my point of view it doesn’t all come down to luck, not forgetting all those early morning starts, the endless hours grafting, the late evenings rushing to get to the bank and get the rods out after finishing a long day at work. Luck definitly has a big part to play in fishing but I believe that follows after all the determination, and the constant persistence putting time on the bank.

Well skipping on from all that on the 7th December, which was nearly two weeks ago, it was time to get the rods out after a tiring day at work. After being stuck in rush hour traffic for nearly two hours, myself and my friend John arrived at the venue.

In complete darkness I rushed to get everything set up and get a bait in the water. Casting my first rod out I turned my back to set up my second rod, but before I had the chance, the spool on my reel was being stripped of line.

Striking into what felt like a sack of spuds, what I had hooked slowly but surely started to come towards me. I got a quick glimpse of what I was attached to before it made a powerful run back out into the lake.

It was huge and not long after that when I was looking down at what I can only describe with fins. Some where in the back of my head I had a feeling that this could be my biggest pike landed to date and that it was.

I zeroed the scales for the sling, and as I lifted the fish the dial on my Reubens settled at 22lb 2oz….. After three years I had finally beaten my pb. All the hours and sessions had now felt worthwhile and I had succeeded on what I had set out to do.

22lb 2oz

After the capture of my pb I thought I would be a little more laid back after persuing what I wanted to do, but that didn’t last long and the bug was upon me again.
So on Wednesday the 14th of December after another long day at work listening to grumpy customers and endless phone calls I felt the need to go fishing it always solves any of my problems!

Myself and John arrived at the venue at 7pm and it was not long before one of John’s alarms was away which turned out to be a hard fighting double. That was the only bit of action for the night until we were packing up just before midnight when, my close in rod ripped off.

Striking it quickly the rod doubled over and I was now connected to what felt like a heavy fish. My imagination began to run wild and my knees began to shake!

The fish shook her head like crazy as she tried to discharge my size 6 trebles from her mouth. Judging by the mad head shakes  I began to think it wasn’t as big as I thought until I caught a glimpse of her with the beam of the head torch. I was completely proven wrong as to me she was a monster.

My nerves were gone watching her enormous head come over the net and praying she wouldn’t throw the hooks as she was only lightly hooked in the scissors.

Finally she was in the net and looking down at this creature smiling, I could not believe what I was seeing. I kindly asked John to hold her there in the net for a second when I got a minute to catch my breath and take in what had happened.

I placed her onto the unhooking matt to remove the hooks and I had a slight feeling I had beaten my pb but until I weighed her I couldn’t be sure.

Lloyd’s biggest pike to date at 22lb 8oz

At 22lb 8 oz she was a new pb and my fourth twenty of the season and another pb broken. It felt like my Christmas had come early this year.
A few snaps and I quickly returned her and it was amazing to watch her swim back into to the depths where she had come from to fight another day.

We packed the car and began our journey home as we both had an early start the following morning back up for work but I did not mind at all I was heading home one happy pike angler.

Early mornings and late to bed produce results

It’s now half way through my pike season and who knows what else could be around the corner. One thing is for sure though, I will not stop trying until I reach my ultimate goal of a 30lb pike I wont be giving up until my last breaths.
I’m looking forward to Christmas now spending some time with my family and friends and obviously getting back out on the bank.

For now I hope everyone has a great Christmas and also thanks to anyone who takes the time to read my short piece….. much appreciated.