The guide... on Derwentwater

Eric Hope

5th April this year... my birthday! Mmmm... 40 something and the years passing like lightning.

This is what I wrote the day after to Mike Ladle.

“Back in January Janet, my wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday...? Having fished in hard conditions on hard waters and blanked continually I suggested a day on a lake with a guide might be a reasonable idea... My birthday was yesterday sooooooooooooo... I woke up in the Lake District and went out fishing... Within the first hour I had a rather nice pike on a smutley drop belly jerk bait... and then lost it! Doh!

Nothing was up for the drifted deads!Drifted and cast many lures over the second site... nothing doing so off the third spot dropping temperature and squalls coming through leaving the fells white had us doing three drifts very fast and in a rising chop... so we headed for the lee shore. Mark number four... bright sunshine and calmer waters had us drift and then throw the hook out... more lures (1330hrs at this stage).

My guide for the day (Eric Hope) then got out a gas stove and began cooking bacon... don't know whether that was it or the snurge in the smelt but one rod twitched and then the reel next to me started to whine. I picked up the rod and... "wind down... strike... and in...." in she came after a goodly fight a nice post spawn lady!

In she went after the photo and I dipped my GPS for the mark... (she went in at just before 1420hrs... that what it says)... Mark five we had another smaller lady (Eric's... man in wooly hat) and another loss... doh!...Mark six and seven were re-runs of one and two... Looking at the weather there was a significant temperature drop from the day before and the fishing became harder... that has been the general story of my fishing exploits since November... poor choice of days and venue!

So for all to see... here's my birthday present and worth every penny of the guided day out!"

I've tidied the email a little for clarity...

So the guide...

If you want to learn a little or a lot, gain confidence and see that it is bad luck that you are having and that you aren't a "carp" (dyslexia rules KO) angler altogether then I'd recommend a guide... even if it is only the once. I'd recommend Eric as a no nonsense chap with a great sense of humour... very dry... appealed to my humour and we bounced of each other all day... the time flew, I was relaxed and we caught fish, discussed this that and the other.

Would I do it again..? YES

So if you want to hear about the birthday pike, snurging and Barnes Wallis rigs, catch some fish and enjoy some craic give Eric a call...