Best reported pike of the season netted by Steve Shergold from 'Berkshire water'

Last week saw some decent late autumn catches made from a variety of local venues, with the rivers in particularly good shape. Returns also included the best reported pike of the season to date.

Big pike

Despite their fearsome appearance and reputation, particularly to non-anglers, pike are a much misunderstood species and, typical of many apex predators, they are fragile and vulnerable.

Outside of the trout reservoirs that open for pike fishing infrequently, and thereby give the fish a respite from constant angling pressure, good pike fishing rarely lasts. For this reason, most pike fishers tend not to name the waters they catch their fish from, a habit I adopted many years ago and one which persists in the predator community to this day. For this reason, readers will understand that Steve Shergold would only reveal that last week he netted a pike to 25lb 6oz from a ‘Berkshire water’.

The water in question has a pedigree for producing pike over 25lb, with the best last season recorded at 27lb, and Steve netted the big fish after three blank sessions when it picked up his popped-up mackerel bait shortly after first light. Steve presented the bait on size 6 semi-barbed trebles to 30lb wire with 15lb main line and a 2oz running lead.

Loddon barbel

Not (yet) quite as rare as Kennet barbel, the River Loddon showed a little form last week in water that was warm, up slightly and pushing. Best of the bunch reported to me was a nice fish of 10lb 6oz that fell to the pellet hook bait offered by Woodley’s Tony Carpenter. Tony presented his bait on a size 8 hook with a PVA bag of micro pellets for groundbait. The fish came totally out of the blue during the middle of the morning and Tony beat it after a five-minute scrap on 8lb line.

Thames looking good

Of all local rivers the Thames is the one that remains the most consistent for a variety of species and carrying a little more water it was in great shape for many species last week with a chub of 6lb 2oz to Slough rod Fred Adams the best specimen reported.

Fred was hoping for barbel and fished a mini boilie wrapped in paste with a 2oz running lead, size 6 hook and 10lb line to tempt the fish. He did later connect with a barbel and although he didn’t weigh it he did tell me, “it was a lot smaller than the chub!”

Trout returns

Chris Hayward reports that the fishing on Haywards Farm Lake last week was outstanding with 137 fish from 33 anglers giving an average of 4.15 fish per visit. The biggest fish of the week fell to Davy Monroe, weighed in at 7lb 1oz, and fell to a black leech fished on an intermediate line.

The warm, cloudy weather produced great sport from the bank and a myriad of patterns produced fish from buzzers swung on the breeze to snakes pulled on an intermediate.

Fishing is always very variable at this time of year and with the wind switching to the east and temperatures forecast to cool rapidly it is likely to be a tough week ahead.

Any anglers wishing to report catches may contact me at ian@bigfishtrail.com