Simon Gibson: Partridge Predator Pro Team Member.

It's no secret that this winter the Pike fishing for me has took a bit of a reduction in terms of time spent on the bank or boat, there is no real dramatic reason for this it's just basically down to my work schedule, being in between boats and just a bit of burn out!

So taking the bit between my teeth over the Christmas break I made plans to get out and into some Pike, as always I tend to video my sessions and add them to you YouTube channel "Cast North Angling" and after I posted the content of said session I saw a comment from one of the viewers posted under the video simply saying "you should come fish my lake"

Now me being me the curiosity got the better of me and I began a dialogue with the person in question, gathering a picture of his lake and trying to put a picture in my head together of it's possibilities!

It was confirmed by the lake owner than the lake had lay dormant for almost 10 years as he travelled to Australia nobody fished the lake as it was strictly private, even upon his return he had only fished it a number of times returning strong numbers of Pike in short sessions!

So a date was set and I made the journey to meet him, taking me down through his land on the back of a quad (a first for me) I first then set eyes on the lake, small water than all but for a well built new jetty looked wild and untouched, this looked fantastic!

With being restricted to one area of the lake I took the initiative to fish dead baits and would also chuck a lure around while I waited, this would turn out to be impossible as no sooner than I had put baits into the water the reels started to scream, I of course was instantly catching fish on the lure rod as well which

ended up being crazy, trying to unhook fish while also lifting rods that were screaming on the alarms!!

Usually when you head stories of these untouched waters you always feel maybe it's a tall tale with added bits for effect but I can honestly say this was one of the most productive waters I had fished. It was an excellent opportunity to put the Partridge snap tackle traces to the test, the non kink wore was ultimately put to the test with 17 Pike landed on the baits and probably just as many lost, my most productive session solo ever.

I hope to get back to the place for another shot before they spawn but this time I feel I will be much better prepared!