While some anglers discover fishing on their own, many are introduced to it at a young age by family members already passionate about the sport. Not only does this mean you can borrow tackle, usually with no intention of ever giving it back, but you can also learn the basics of fishing very quickly, meaning you often catch more in your early years, leaving you hooked for life.
On a recent family outing, 12-year-old Sid Boast was joined by his brother Bert and their grandad, Neil, with the aim of catching a pike. The session, which was meticulously planned, couldn’t have gone any better as the trio managed to land a cracking croc weighing an impressive 27lb 12oz, leaving grandad Neil truly overwhelmed.
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"We had planned to be up early at 6.30am for a day on Melton Lake in Suffolk, with the hope of catching a pike that the boys dearly wanted to catch. Both grandsons were up earlier than that, too excited to sleep such is their obsession with fishing," Neil told us.
"Despite getting into a likely looking area, the usually productive early-morning phase passed us by, and it didn't look particularly hopeful that we were going to catch anything," he added.
Although action was slow, Sid ensured he kept refreshing his hookbaits regularly, before casting into different areas of the swim in the hope of contacting a big pike. At around midday, the last time you might expect a pike to take, his float began to show signs of life as the smelt deadbait he had presented proved too much for one of the resident pike to resist.
"As soon as Sid struck, I could tell it was a good fish, staying deep initially before stripping line from his reel as it realised it was hooked," Neil recalled.
"Sid played the fish while I talked him through it, but it was only when it came close that I saw just how big it was, all I could think was please stay on. His brother Bert was on netting duties, as I always make sure they work as a team."
"We finally landed the fish after a terrific fight, with it even tail-walking at one point. When it was safely in the net, we celebrated — and I’ll admit I cried, overwhelmed with emotion for both my grandsons," he explained.
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Realising they had a fish far bigger than they expected to catch, it dawned on them their scales, limited to 10lb, weren't going to suffice. After unhooking the fish, they left it to rest in the landing net before calling upon some nearby pike anglers to help them safely weigh the beast.
"I am so thankful to Andrew and his son Noah who were fishing at the time and helped us with the pike. Thankfully, they had large enough scales to weigh it and when the needle pulled round the 27lb 2oz, we were all overjoyed, albeit a little shocked," he said.
"We returned it safely and then it dawned on us what had just transpired. Sid went and sat in the bivvy while Bert and me just hugged one other. Andrew and Noah also celebrated with us which was great. It was a really special moment and one I will never forget"
"Bert had an 8lb Pike on the last cast of the day. Granddad caught nothing, but it’s called fishing, not catching," he concluded.
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