Stunning canal pike strikes at dawn - George Sparkes

“AN HOUR before sunrise I arrived at my local Louth Canal and, with the water having a nice chocolate colour and a bit of a flow to it, I was confident of a few bites.

“Just before sunrise I dropped in my popped-up lamprey head on a running rig and sat back to enjoy the dawn surroundings, but was interrupted half-an hour later by my screaming bite alarm.

“I struck the rod and hit into a pike that I knew was a decent size, because for 10 minutes it fought hard and wouldn’t budge from the bottom.

“Finally it surfaced and revealed its beautiful colours, but the nerves set in, as this was a pike I really didn’t want to lose.

“On my first attempt at netting it, the fish decided to jump and motor back down the canal and I thought I might have lost her, but with a little persuasion she was soon back in front of me and heading towards the net.

“At 22lb 3oz it wasn’t the biggest fish I’ve caught, but it’s one of the prettiest, and the best of nine landed that day.”

George Sparkes and his 22lb 3oz canal pike