96 cm rage
96 cm of anger
Time for another report from the southern parts of Sweden and of course it is about pike fishing. I've had some chances to go and try some new waters in my area (the area of Sommenbygd, located in the south of Östergötland/north of Småland). This means to go there and to see if the pike fishing is as good as one would think - and to see if it is good enough to promote it towards a European market. The lake of the day is a rather large one, the water is quite clear and it has got some deeper parts over 20 meters and also large areas of water between 1-5 meters. Besides pike the lake also holds bleak, whitefish, roach, tench, perch and burbot - so the pike definately has got a lot of food to choose from...
Recently rumours are saying that the pike is going really shallow, but we wanted to start a litle bit deeper, fishing around the underwater islands we found on the (not so detailed) depth chart. Using large rubber baits, starting to cast towards the island - making the baits slowly drop off into the deeper parts and the pikes that hopefully would wait there. First cast did actually render one strike on the large (>20cm) jig, but it did not set the hooks, it just left a large scar... This will be a good day!
instead of a good day for me, it turned out to be a really good day for my friend Jakob. Ha caught fish after fish, topping of with a nice one on 96 cm. Me? No, well, someone had to handle tha anchor and the camera... I did actually think of loosing the large rubber baits and go for small spinnerbaits - or perhaps to change my hobby and start with cricket or whatever. But I didn't, I kept on going on with the large ones, in black and orange, the same colour as jakob. And finally it paid off with a massive bite on the side of the island, just in the drop from two to six meters.
"This is it - the ONE"
Was my immideate reaction, and for three long seconds I actually believed it. Then the fish started to move, giving a nice bend to the rod, pumping heavily. Me and Jakob looked at eachother and he started to get the camera ready... But suddenly I could move it, it followed to the surface WAY TO EASY, and then it showed itself - a fish around 85 cm - the monster was just a cration of my imagination and the fact that I really wanted a biggie. Well, we let it go by the side of the boat,leaving me with a thrashed giant jig and a mental anti-climax. I did cath one, but it was not the ONE. No use to think of a small pike, time to focus on the rest of the day...
I actually managed to even the score, but Jakob still "won" with his 96 cm. All fish but one was caught on or around underwater islands, in connection to large shoals of baitfish. The larger ones was not in the underwater vegetation, but in the rapid slopes, close to rock formations.
And by the way - the lake is definately worth going to, but I think I'll wait with the promotion - I'll have to try it some more for myself...
Last pike of the day - attacking furiosly in the surface(!)
