There are a number of rather popular swims on the Exe where it is common knowledge of them producing big pike. I'm not going to divulge and reveal these spots but I expect a lot of readers of this blog know exactly the places I'm talking about. I have been lucky enough to have caught some big fish from these spots, but the reality is over fishing can ruin these places and is rather unkind to the poor old pike to be honest.
Recently I've been doing a fair bit of exploring on the river from a birds eye view. No, I have not taken up hang-gliding, or purchased a helicopter, I have been using google earth. It's amazing how much detail the images gives us anglers; the perfect tool for spotting bars and deep spots and more importantly revealing access to some of the more untapped areas of the river. Moxy and Neil have also been doing a bit of research and have pin-pointed some areas that just scream PIKE!
With the groundwork already done we formed a posse in the shape of myself, Neil, Mox and Ty. All armed to the teeth with everything needed to extract big crocs from their lairs, we set of on our safari in search of old Esox.
Exciting stuff and with four of us all angling for pike we were confident of seeing a pike or two over the course of the day. The first area we tried looked very promising with a large deep slack spot.
Simple running ledger rigs and deadbaits were the order of the day. The rivers current was running at pace which can often see pike move into the slacker quieter areas to avoid the heavy flow.
First bite of the day went to Moxy's rod, fished in an area that can only be described as a top class home for any pike but a very tricky place for the angler indeed. What followed was a top bit of fish playing from Mox in a spot that was tighter than the avarege ducks arse and what was clearly a big pike attached.
An amusing battle commenced that I wish we had filmed. Moxy had no choice but to play the fish on a tight clutch in a bid to stop the pike making it into a snag that most definitely would have spelt game over. I've never seen a 3lb tc rod bend so much! As moxy plunged the rod beneath the surface to avoid the over head branches, it looked like it was going to be ripped from his grasp, but finally he turned the pike and gained control.
With bugger all room for my rather cumbersome carp net, I had to get on my belly and chin the fish out.
One hell of a good fish from a new area unfamiler to us.A cracking upper double the result of some good angling from Mox and a well deserved fish as old mox has not had much fishing time as of late.We covered many swims only spending half an hour or so in each area.The Next and final fish of the day fell to Neil, a whole mackerel presented in a far bank hole on a paternoster rig tempted him a lean low double which put up a spirited fight which lasted a good 5 minutes.
Well, I never managed a pike of my own but it was good to have fished a new area and see the potential these forgotten waterways have to offer. Needless to say I'll be back!
I also suffered a blank on the Weirfield stretch of the Exe. A few years ago I would have said this was my favourite stretch of all on the river with great mixed-bags fishing on a feeder; lots of decent sized chub, carp and absolutely tonnes of good Dace for those fishing the stick-float. Even the odd big roach would put in an appearance but one June the 16th I set up in one of my banker swims, in perfect conditions expecting a rake of fish. But the unthinkable happened and I didn't get a single bite. Quite distraught, I was left wondering where the hell all the fish had gone. A lot of anglers who I would regularly see on the stretch had also been suffering the poor catches the EAA swims had been producing. This continued for many sessions before I lost the love and abandoned old Weirfield.I hope the fish are still swimming the stretch, I learnt nearly all my river fishing there and it used to be more than kind to me.Neil sneaked a plump brown trout on maggots
Next in store was a rather grueling session on the canal,joined by Mox and Neil we roved the banks searching for a hungry pike, It apeared the pike wearnt feeding we tryed all the tricks in the book to no avail but sometimes thats just the nature of the beast.We ran across a couple of the gents from the PAC who had not a jiffy for all there efforts.As dusk drew near a wave of black clouds crept over threatening a serious shit storm.The clever thing to do would be to pack up and get the hell out of there but i was desperate for a fish and dusk is always a good time for a bite.As the clouds opened up,battering us with heavy rain my alarm beeped as the line was pulled out of the clip.Fish on! a small pike saved me from a blank taken on a live roach presntend paternoster style.
Til next time
Good luck
Simple running ledger rigs and deadbaits were the order of the day. The rivers current was running at pace which can often see pike move into the slacker quieter areas to avoid the heavy flow.
First bite of the day went to Moxy's rod, fished in an area that can only be described as a top class home for any pike but a very tricky place for the angler indeed. What followed was a top bit of fish playing from Mox in a spot that was tighter than the avarege ducks arse and what was clearly a big pike attached.
An amusing battle commenced that I wish we had filmed. Moxy had no choice but to play the fish on a tight clutch in a bid to stop the pike making it into a snag that most definitely would have spelt game over. I've never seen a 3lb tc rod bend so much! As moxy plunged the rod beneath the surface to avoid the over head branches, it looked like it was going to be ripped from his grasp, but finally he turned the pike and gained control.
With bugger all room for my rather cumbersome carp net, I had to get on my belly and chin the fish out.
One hell of a good fish from a new area unfamiler to us.A cracking upper double the result of some good angling from Mox and a well deserved fish as old mox has not had much fishing time as of late.We covered many swims only spending half an hour or so in each area.The Next and final fish of the day fell to Neil, a whole mackerel presented in a far bank hole on a paternoster rig tempted him a lean low double which put up a spirited fight which lasted a good 5 minutes.
Well, I never managed a pike of my own but it was good to have fished a new area and see the potential these forgotten waterways have to offer. Needless to say I'll be back!
I also suffered a blank on the Weirfield stretch of the Exe. A few years ago I would have said this was my favourite stretch of all on the river with great mixed-bags fishing on a feeder; lots of decent sized chub, carp and absolutely tonnes of good Dace for those fishing the stick-float. Even the odd big roach would put in an appearance but one June the 16th I set up in one of my banker swims, in perfect conditions expecting a rake of fish. But the unthinkable happened and I didn't get a single bite. Quite distraught, I was left wondering where the hell all the fish had gone. A lot of anglers who I would regularly see on the stretch had also been suffering the poor catches the EAA swims had been producing. This continued for many sessions before I lost the love and abandoned old Weirfield.I hope the fish are still swimming the stretch, I learnt nearly all my river fishing there and it used to be more than kind to me.Neil sneaked a plump brown trout on maggots
Next in store was a rather grueling session on the canal,joined by Mox and Neil we roved the banks searching for a hungry pike, It apeared the pike wearnt feeding we tryed all the tricks in the book to no avail but sometimes thats just the nature of the beast.We ran across a couple of the gents from the PAC who had not a jiffy for all there efforts.As dusk drew near a wave of black clouds crept over threatening a serious shit storm.The clever thing to do would be to pack up and get the hell out of there but i was desperate for a fish and dusk is always a good time for a bite.As the clouds opened up,battering us with heavy rain my alarm beeped as the line was pulled out of the clip.Fish on! a small pike saved me from a blank taken on a live roach presntend paternoster style.
Til next time
Good luck
