During a session at the vast Rutland Water, Alex Mason landed this huge pike weighing 38lb 12oz – one of the largest ever landed from the 3,000-acre reservoir.
He was fishing the Lure Angler’s Society Predator Cup, an event in which the participants are allowed to fish lures outside of Rutland’s typical lure season. While cruising in more than 25ft of water, Alex used his sonar to spot a huge fish sat 19ft down.
“It was the biggest pike I’ve ever seen, and I had to have a cast for it,” Alex told us.
“Fishing with a Miuras Mouse lure, I cast to the fish and had a lazy follow. To try and trigger the fish to strike, I increased the speed of the retrieve, and the fish smashed the lure.
“A hectic battle followed, in which the fish went around the boat a number of times but, after a few hairy moments, my boat partner slipped the net under her.
“The fish was my fifth ‘thirty’ and a new PB by over 6lb. I followed it with others of 27lb, 26lb and 24lb!”
Despite the sheer size of the fish already, Alex reckons it has the potential to reach even greater weights.
“As expected for the time of year, the fish was spawned out – it could be a mid-forty by the winter,” he added.
