£7,500 to catch a chew pike like this

Thirty dedictated predator anglers have spent more than £7,500 in a bid to fish one of the country’s greatest big-pike waters for just a single day.

Each year Somerset’s legendary Chew Valley Lake produces fish over the 40lb mark and for the last couple of seasons venue bosses have sold a limited number of boat and bank day tickets on the popular auction website eBay. 

This year has been no exception, with 30 lots put up for grabs by the reservoir’s governing body, Bristol Water Fisheries. The boat permits that were snapped-up have been sold for an average price of £267, with bank tickets going for around £225 on average.

Last year proved to be a tough season for the regular Chew Valley anglers as sport on the 1,200-acre water disappointed. 

Very few 30lb and 40lb pike were caught – but Bristol Water Fisheries officials are confident fishing will improve in 2019.

A spokesperson for the organisation said: “We still believe deadbait and lure fishing tickets at Chew are a premium offering. 

“We recognise that fishing in autumn 2018 wasn’t the usual Chew, with fewer 30lb-plus pike being caught than ever before. 

“That said, February’s fishing continued to be exceptional, with more than twenty 30lb fish being reported, topped by a magnificent 41lb 2oz specimen.

“We do truly believe that 2019 has the potential to offer premium pike fishing for our customers.”

Pike fishing on the water begins again in February. 

An additional 38 eBay lots will be made available for the October-November fishing period on Chew Reservoir in 2019.

For information concerning normal prices and schedules at Chew Valley Reservoir, please visit the website at www.bristolwaterfisheries.co.uk