On a very brisk mid November Saturday morning we headed off on our first official pike fishing trip of the season. Setting of on our departure from Donegal, we left at 5am with the hopes of optimising the limited hours of daylight to open our account for the season. For catching this northern hemisphere predator, the pike, we have to travel slightly further afield from the sea fishing paradise of our home county. Where we fish our pike is in the River Erne water system of County Fermanagh.
Safe to say temperatures were freezing! Literally. The country roads of Tyrone and Fermanagh glistened with a cover of ice making driving conditions treacherous. On taking a corner wile driving the car skidded and nearly ended off the road, very nearly ending our fishing journey before it began. After some persevering and slow delicate driving we arrived at our destination, south of Lisnaskea substantially later than anticipated.
We arrived at our mark well before dawn broke still. It being a Saturday the sport of angling tends to be busier than usual. Last season we fished mostly midweek and enjoyed the benefits and quietness that goes along with it but due to new commitments we are limited to getting out at the weekend. So when we arrived at our mark disaster struck. The spot was taken. Two different groups had beaten us to our desired mark. So not to be disheartened we went to fish an alternative mark.
We arrived at our alternative mark still in good time before daylight and had both rods in the water for dawn. We settled to fish an exposed jetty with no shelter that ventured well out into the the Upper Lough Erne, so we took the bunt of the elements directly at us. Another angler had already been at this mark to our left well before we set up and another got there shortly after us which showed us that we may need to be earlier for future Saturday outings.
We fished deadbaits legered with a wire trace and two treble hook setup. The baits we used were roach, herring, scad and mackerel all injected with holy mackerel fish oil. Sitting in -3 degrees Celsius and the wind getting up we patiently waited for a take. Within our first hour Christy had his first run. With a short scrap he had his first fish in the net. A small jack pike which fell to an injected roach bait. At this stage of beating the blank our spirits were high.
A short period had past again and Christy's bite alarm went screaming. He struck in and alerted me that it was a very good fish. I was buzzing. But just as the scrap began to unfold the line went slack, he came off. Unlucky.
After all the action temperatures climbed to no more than 2 degrees. Still feeling Baltic I bit the bullet and set up my lure rod. Having previously caught a pike on a surface diving bass lure I wanted something with a bit of rattle. I opted for a a hard swim bait with a soft tail in in pike colours.
First cast and I felt a serious weight. I thought I hit a branch or something floating by but winded down just in case. Christy asked me mid reeling did I have a fish, I replied "yeah I do", even though honestly I wasn't sure. As the lure with the weighted body on the end of it approached closer it surfaced and out came the head of a decent sized pike. I shouted for Christy to get the net and the fish was landed. A big dead weight being trawled through the lough making no runs or putting up no fight. As soon as it touched the net the hooks came out. It was so severely lightly hooked it was just as well it didn't scrap. The fish was rested in the net and then weighed, 7.5lb. Absolutely delighted to open my account for the year but still yet to land an elusive double.
We had our lunch around 12:30pm and went back fishing at 1pm. At this stage the wind had substantially increased and that mixed with the cold air temperature made fishing unbearable. We packed up and went searching for a new mark. A few minutes up the road we came across a lovely, sheltered, narrow stretch of the River Erne. We fished this until darkness with no joy but still delighted to find such a secluded fishy looking spot that will definitely be hit in future.
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