0730 and a pike on a bucktail!

I decided to set the clock for 0530 and try to get out on the water by 0630 at the latest... that means no shower or shave and a quick brush of my teeth I'm out of the door.

The forecast was for strong winds and a change in the weather by lunchtime so I decided to make hay while the sun shone... I set up two rods one with a floating line and the gurgler and the sink tip with a bucktail.

I started with the gurgler fan casting and then used the bucktail to try and winkle them out... I was looking at one swim and felt it in my bones that I had to try it. Not an easy swim to cast in... overhanging trees, large brambles and a hawthorn bush cum tree!

The gurgler was making plenty of noise... I fished it fast and I fished it slow... nothing... OK I know there is a snaggy drop off. Onto the rod with the sink tip... not on the rod I prefer to cast it with BUT I'll make do as I know the take will be close in. Second cast in was fair to reasonable - half a fly line out... count it down and retrieve... short, long, pause, long, long and pause and so on and so forth until the fly was within 6 feet of me.

As the fly was coming into sight through the murky water I saw a darkness in the water, not great but a patch of dark behind and to the left of the fly. The darkness was gone then it was back.... my eyes, well it is only 0730 and I haven't even had breakfast. I'll let the fly hang in the water... BANG - engulfed and away with the pike taking it to the depths. I got the spare line on the reel and played the fish on the drag... it wasn't a happy bunny!

Netted and on the bank and just short of 30 inches (the diameter of my net is 30 inches) a quick weigh for the books at almost 7.5lbs... surprised me it was as heavy... it did have a full belly though!

They just can't refuse the orange bucktail... great colour for murky water...

I stuck it out until 1100 thinking I could switch to a carp... but then I though perch, and went "Nah, breakfast!"