Two 30lb pike head up incredible week for big fish
Two pike totalling nearly 70lb have topped an incredible week of sport for the UK’s predator anglers.
Uber Baits consultant Keith Rogers was first off the blocks when he targeted a small carp water in the Colne Valley.
Having already caught six jack pike as he roved around the Buckinghamshire lake, Keith had no idea that a 32lb 8oz fish (main picture) was soon to home in on his 19cm Savage Gear Firetiger jerkbait.
Said Keith: “On my second lap of the lake I settled in this corner with a big marginal reed bed.
“I cast my bait along the marginal shelf and watched it sink to around 8ft – when I twitched the lure this huge pike came out of nowhere, smashed it and proceeded to tail-walk across the water – it was incredible to see!
“It went on two long runs and stripped the braid from my reel, so I knew it was a good fish.
“It wasn’t until I got it in the net, though, that I realised it was a 30. The girth of it was ridiculous.”
The 51-year-old used a 10ft Grey Prowler rod and a Shimano 4000 spinning reel loaded with 50lb Whiplash braid to tame his new personal best pike.
The next huge predator fell to DNA Baits-backed Ron Russell at 34lb 10oz
After a fruitless 24-hour session targeting carp on Lincolnshire’s Dorrington Brick Pit, Ron switched his attention to pike and legered a headless herring on a 2oz running trace into an area of dead lily pads.
Over this he introduced segments of chopped herring to draw in a predator – and he didn’t have to wait long for a response.
He told Angling Times: “The bait was in the water for just 20 minutes, then I heard two bleeps on my alarm.
“Seconds later the rod ripped off and I knew I’d hooked a big fish.
“I took me right into the lily pads, but because these had died back the line managed to pull through easily.
“When I got it in the net I was over the moon as it was a new lake record and a personal best.”
