A 20lb-plus pike is a superb fish to catch for any angler, but for most, it's a 30lb-plus specimen that really is the fish of a lifetime, particularly when from waters a little more under the radar, like canals, rivers or club lakes.
Adam Davies is one angler who recently hit this target with this remarkable 30lb 5oz fish, which he landed from a Manchester park lake earlier this year.
Targeting the predators in the venue for the last few seasons, he's had some good fish to show for his efforts but decided to keep persevering in the hope of a real giant.
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“I had a feeling this venue had the potential to produce a 30-pounder, and last season, when a young lad caught a fish of 28lb which was verified by the bailiff, I knew it’d be one to target," he told us.
“Big pike are territorial, and he had it from a deep part of the lake where there are loads of rushes and reeds, so that area became the focus of my campaign.
“My plan was to fish deadbaits and, as I’m also a carp angler, I targeted this pike as I would a big carp. Whenever I got a chance, I’d head down to the lake and bait up with chopped sprats, mackerel – any fish really – in the hope of homing that fish in on an area.
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“One recent weekend I got down to the lake but found a few lads fishing in the area I’d been baiting, one of whom was in the swim I’d planned to fish.
"In situations like this, where you’ve put the effort into priming a swim, it’s easy to get frustrated and head home. But this is a park lake, so you can’t expect your plans to always go smoothly.
“Instead, I headed to a shallower part of the lake, where generally it’s very weedy. However, due to all the storms we’ve had, a lot of the weed had been kicked up, which left the area ideal for lure fishing.
Attaching a Salmo Slider – a pattern he has great faith in – Adam soon hooked what he instantly knew was a very good fish.
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"I’d played it for a good few minutes before its massive head surfaced by the net. But disaster struck as the hooks pulled, and I sat feeling gutted," he said.
“I did, however, now know where a very big fish was to be found, and on my next session I returned to the same spot.
"On my second cast with the same lure, I was in again.
“Clearly, this was something big, and it wasn’t getting away this time. After steering it away from some large frozen weedbeds, I slipped a huge pike into the net.
“When I peered into the mesh, my head went! I knew this was the one I was after. Although I didn’t have a measure with me, it was incredibly long – well over 120cm, judging by my landing net handle.
"At 30lb 5oz, it’s a fish that totally blew me away. A pike over 20lb is rare round here – ‘thirties’ are unheard of."
FIND THE BEST VENUES FOR PIKE FISHING NEAR YOU IN THIS WHERE TO FISH GUIDE.
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