Lake district.
Arrived at the lake at 06:00, it was going to be another very hot day, the plan was to fish till about 10:00, then paddle around scouting new spots for a few hours.
It was a hazy morning, very muggy indeed with not even so much as gentle breeze.
The launch.
it was nice to have the lake to myself, it’s been a while since my last yak trip, so I really enjoyed the paddle to my first spot.
birds of all descriptions were in fine voice, the music they created was greatly appreciated as an accompaniment to my paddling.
Snowbirds/Canada geese.
had 3 spinning rods with me, a med, for chucking a small spinner and 2 heavy for everything else.
My first spot was an island, the drop off around it goes from 6ft to 25ft creating a wide shelf before dropping off again to 60ft+.
Made a few casts using a mepps spinner, working it to around 6ft, caught a couple of small perch but no sign of pike.
Rigged up the other rods with my new fave lures, 1 had a capt mikes shad on a ½ oz jig, the other was a capt mikes fish candy tails on a 3/8th salt runner jig.
Started casting the candy tail, I wanted to have a play and see how the salt runner jig behaved as it was the first time I had used one, must say that I am seriously impressed with them, the action of the lure and the jig together is awesome on a steady retrieve.
Made a few casts, again, simply playing to see the depths i could fish with this combo, on one retrieve, a pretty big pike followed to within 4ft of my yak then turned and dived.
I made a couple more casts then hooked my first pike of this season, not the one I had seen previously, but more than welcomed, it weighed in at around 5lbs.
I swapped rods and started using the shad(gold glitter), 3 casts and I had hooked up again, a smaller fish but feisty non the less.
More casts were made but no more fish wanted to play.
I paddle around the island a couple of times trolling 2 rods, got one hit but it quickly spat the hook.
So it was time to try elsewhere, on the way I made some new friends.
the next spot I fished was a bay with depths to around 20ft, caught a couple of small perch on a small shad but nothing else.
Decided to go and fish a deep channel that had given me a couple of fish in the past, there was still not much boat traffic on the water so I figured I could troll the channel for a while before the captain pugwash brigade arrived.
Again, I stuck with the capt mikes lures, worked one at around 20ft and the other around 30ft, I had paddled about ¼ mile when I got a hit on the shad, a pike of about 6lbs was brought yakside and quickly released.
Continued trolling the same channel, had 2 more hook ups, one on each lure, both fish tail walked before spitting the hook, an awesome sight indeed.
It was time for tea, I parked up and watched the wildlife for a while.
after a break I went off in search of some new spots, did a bit of trolling using various lures without much luck.
I found a couple of places that I will try properly in the future.
By now I was getting pretty close to boiling point as it was so hot, I headed back to the launch, on the way I stopped to make a couple of casts here and there, resulting in another small pike, again taken on a shad.
all in, a very enjoyable day indeed, one last look at the lake and I was off home.
ray.
uk report
uk report
I'm not here to be liked. I do this for the good of the paddle-fishing community.
Tea time? You take a break from kayaking for stinkin' tea? I thought you Englishmen were real men and paddle to the pub for a nice draught. Sheesh.
Nice photos, Ray. It looks so peaceful and I certainly can't imagine that the Lakes District is hot and muggy in the Florida sense of those words.
I hope you get out again soon and post more photos.
Nice photos, Ray. It looks so peaceful and I certainly can't imagine that the Lakes District is hot and muggy in the Florida sense of those words.
I hope you get out again soon and post more photos.
35/34.5/26 24/22/1/1
I finally found Cow Creek. It's at the end of the Road to Nowhere!
I finally found Cow Creek. It's at the end of the Road to Nowhere!
Wow!
Again, Wow!
What nice pictures of a beautiful place and a nice report. Looks like an idyllic spot for for just about any recreation.
I miss catching Pike (Northern, Musky & Walleye (my favorite)) back up in Wisconsin. Not that I caught many, but it was always a nice day on the water.
Again, Wow!
What nice pictures of a beautiful place and a nice report. Looks like an idyllic spot for for just about any recreation.
I miss catching Pike (Northern, Musky & Walleye (my favorite)) back up in Wisconsin. Not that I caught many, but it was always a nice day on the water.
Michael
Never mind.......
Never mind.......
they will have seen something similar over the years, the likes of the "bulldawgs" are quite popular over here, the candy tails are simply a smaller version and shads are used by quite a few predator hunters.I bet those pike have never seen lures like that before
actually it can be similar, we do occasionally have them hazy days that make ya feel like you are in a greenhouse.I certainly can't imagine that the Lakes District is hot and muggy in the Florida sense of those words.
oh, and we don't drink "stinkin" tea, we only use the finest blends.
unfortunately it is, once mid morning arrives, the tourists take to the water in rental boats.....nuff said.Looks like an idyllic spot for for just about any recreation
ray.
I'm not here to be liked. I do this for the good of the paddle-fishing community.