Saturday 24 May 2008

in search of the lost pike..........


Not so far from where i stay theres a bleak, windswept moorland loch, reputed to be completely dead by locals due to its acidic water. It's the kind of place you dont like to be on your own, eerie and desolate. Its pretty sweet.


But i cant leave it to chance.
During my online research on the place i found an article about the whole area that happened to mention that the loch contains pike, perch and eels but surprisingly no trout. At 145 years of age though i cant go on this information alone.
This of course contradicts the local theory that it is devoid of life, i cant figure out how the fish have disappeared, i have trawled the web and others minds to find an explanation but the only info i found was an even older account which again states that pike and perch "are taken" in this shallow, peaty loch. This one being 166 years old.


Seems bizarre to me that these fish simply disappeared somewhere down the line. Despite the old internet information that describes the inhabitants of the water, every conversation i have draws the same conclusion..nae fish.


Like i said, its still too tempting. I hate the thought that there might be a water nearby that i dont know about. Which leaves me with only one option. I HAVE to fish it.


But how do you go about catching fish that dont exist????????????


The trouble is, ive spent many a full day on a water i KNOW to contain pike and not had a bite, so how will i know when to call it a day on here?


I cant see how the fish were killed (IF they were) its not polluted, its not been fished out. The only answer ive got is that the ph of the already acidic water was pushed over the threshold and resulted in a fish kill. But surely the death of a whole loch would be part of the local knowledge?


I suppose its all just chat until i actually go there, if you have a swatch at the picture you'll see why im so eager to fish it, the place is stunning!!
p.s. from now on im going to leave my name at the bottom of all my posts on the blog because your spelling is rank chris and i dont want people thinking some of your mince is mine :)
SCOTT.

Friday 16 May 2008

well thursday saw another pike trip. to another pond, perfect pike conditions, overcast, with a slight ripple on the water, warm water, expectations were high, but bites were very few! tryed a variety of tactics rigs. running ledger, float rigs, helicopter rigs non of these worked so in the end returned to the simplest of set ups, a free lined half herring, and a free lined half mackrell on the other rod, this seemed to produce the take. only one little pike, around four pounds, but he was very welcome, the first pike i have seen for a while! pics will be up soon!

peace