Season's biggest pike smashes 40lb barrier!

A RELATIVE newcomer to pike fishing has become the envy of seasoned predator anglers nationwide by banking the largest specimen of the season at the jaw-dropping weight of 41lb 10oz.

The 41lb 10oz pike is the biggest caught so far this season

Despite only taking up this arm of the sport two years ago, 67-year-old Jock Galloway had a pretty decent personal best for the species of 29lb prior to attending last week’s ‘pike experience day’ at Loch Ochiltree in Dumfries and Galloway.

But halfway through his seve-hour session Jock obliterated his old PB when the popped-up chunk of sardine he’d cast around 30 yards from the bank was picked up by the giant predator.

He said:

“Line started to peel from my reel at a rate of knots. By the time I struck it had already taken a good 50 yards, so I knew I was attached to something special.”

It wasn’t until the fish neared the net 20 minutes later that Jock’s friend Jimmy Costley got a glimpse of the fish.

“Judging by the look on Jimmy’s face, it was a much larger pike than we’d first thought,” Jock said.
“It then made three or four surging runs before eventually sliding slowly over the net cord. The relief at that point was immense. At this point another club member, Martin Cluckie, came over to help us with the weighing.”

Wary of having such a large pike out of the water for too long, the trio quickly weighed it before Jock asked Martin to hold his catch up for the camera. Although he didn’t manage to get a picture with his prize, Jock wasn’t disappointed.

“The memory of just seeing a pike of that size is more than enough for me,” he added.