FIRST PIKE IN LOUGH CORRIB
Enjoying one of the few nice days that we are enjoying, today I went to Lough Corrib looking for some good luck and catch a nice fish. I had a good memory of the last one and I wanted to offer a new opportunity to the spoons. Each day they are surprising me more and more.
The weather forecast is very good: no wind, clear and good temperature, around 16-17 degrees. What else can we ask for!
I go to the place that I usually launch the kayak, but I decided that today I will try new spots. Taking advantage of the good weather and no wind, I want to go further than days before. No wind is important because I´m using a two place kayak (you can see the review here, Gumotex Helios II) but I will give you soon a surprise.
I inflate it and prepare all the stuff. I will use two rods. One of them, the Cinnetic Shallow Pike is perfect for pike fishing. And a Mitchell Mag Pro a light rod, looking for trout and perch. Today I will use mainly spoons and looking for trout.
Everything is OK and I start rowing. The first spot where I want to try it is impossible. Swans are breaking the usual calm. They are fighting, making noise. We are in nesting season so their hormones are altered. It´s impossible fishing with more than a dozen swans making noise.
I still rowing, trying different spots. I´m fishing shallow and intermediate layers, where I think the trouts could be. Each day I understand a few better how it works. The first times I was not used to fish waters with many different species, like pikes, trouts, perchs, breams…
I´m using different spoons in a Cinnetic Shallow Pike and a Mitchell Mag Pro. Mainly Abu García Toby and Zeppo from 8 to 18 gr. In the small rod I have spinners in numbers 2 and 3. All of them are in silver, bronze and gold colours. I´m changing the rod in each spot, trying spinners and spoons. I want to know which one is better.
No results. But then, with a silver Toby in 18g, just under the boat, a trout attack. It is a big trout. Just when I was finishing to pick up the line. Hooks, but not OK. It starts fighting. I adjust the brake, a bit softer. At this moment jumps out of the water, moving the head. And then I lose it. I can see the spoon out of its mouth. It was a nice fish, probably 4 or 5kg. Probably the biggest one that I ever had. But for sure I will have more opportunities.
I´m a bit upset but I still trying spots.
I arrived to a nice place. Are shallow waters falling into deeper ones. And thin and long algae, very high, which arises the surface. I think it´s nice spot for pike. In one cast I can see a pike behind the spoon. Only looking, curious. But don´t bite. Turn back and go into the deep.
I change the spoon. I put a silver spinner, with red back. Very good with pikes. And I start fishing this pool. Slowly and close to the bottom. And then, here is.
The line stops, hard. At the first time it seems that I hooked a rock or something like that. I raise the rod and the pike start fighting. Strong, not electrical movements like small ones. I start picking up the line and here is the first run. I need to regulate the brake, a bit harder. It´s incredible how works this small reel, controlling a big fish. It´s a Cinnetic Crafty CRB in size 3500.
The rod is bended and line tense. The pike stopped, now is quiet but I know that soon it will start again. Another run. I´m recovering line. The pike is now close to the boat, and then start fighting again. The brake release line and the fish go into the deep.
After a few minutes here is it. By my side. I´m going to put it into the net, but starts a new run, releasing line. Now it´s over the surface. It´s a nice image.
Now doesn´t matter if I lose the fish. I enjoyed it. But here is it again. I put it into the net and using the forceps I release it. No damage, no blood. It´s perfect.
I don´t like to arise the pikes out of the water. They could be damaged. I take some pictures in the water and then I release it.
The pike need a few seconds resting. Then, it knows that is free and quickly go down, into the deep. Till the next day! It´s one of my best pikes! I think it was 7-8 kg at least. More than 100cm
The lough today is full of boats, making noise. I prefer quiet days. But this pike fixed the day. And compensate the trout lost. I want to arrive soon at home so I start going back to the car.
On the road I try perch. But the water is too cold and they are not in this spots at the moment. Probably in one or two months will be.
If the weather is good the next days I will try another time.
See you!
