Ronan Murray set himself the target of catching something ‘really big’ this season, and he did just that by banking this colossal 39lb 13oz Irish pike.
The professional fishing guide took every Monday and Tuesday off work for four months to concentrate on one venue that he reckoned could produce his target fish.
With a personal best pike of 36lb 4oz, he knew it was a big ask to try to better it – but after his first 12 sessions, he’d ‘only’ managed to catch a low thirty and a fair few 20-pounders.
FIND A BRILLIANT PIKE FISHING VENUE NEAR YOU WITH OUR WHERE TO FISH GUIDE.
However, all that changed when, after casting out a legered roach in the early hours of the morning on his thirteenth trip, he had a screaming take and hooked a powerful fish in deep water.
“It tried to tail-walk but couldn’t because of its sheer size,” Ronan told us. “After my fifth attempt at trying to net it, I knew I wouldn’t get many more chances, but at the next attempt it lay in the mesh. What a fight, and what a fish!”
NEED SOME TIPS FOR PIKE FISHING? CHECK OUT THIS TACTICS ARTICLE.
As he unhooked it, Ronan noticed his hooks had straightened, and knew luck had been on his side.
“I wondered if I’d broken the magical 40lb barrier, but at 39lb 13oz, it was a dream fish and one I’m not going to forget in a hurry,” he said.
