For the majority of anglers, a pike exceeding the 20lb barrier is a special fish, and one that surpasses 30lb is the fish of a lifetime. Even those predator anglers who dedicate their lives to catching pike may never land a fish of that size, which makes Finn Lewis's accomplishment of catching five over 30lb all the more remarkable.
After landing a fantastic 4lb 10oz perch during the previous session, he decided to head to a local Cambridgeshire pit in search of pike. Despite the thermometer reading -4°C upon his arrival, his perseverance paid off as he successfully landed a 31lb 8oz fish, rounding off a memorable weeks angling.
"I am an out-and-out pike angler, and after landing my dream perch, my attention quickly switched back to them," Finn explained.
"Through the warmer months, I put in extra effort to locate these fish on various venues so I can plan my sessions once the season starts," he added.
"The weather leading up to the session was as cold as it has been all year, but I'm not one to be put off by it, because as long as you can find the pike, they are generally obliging, so it is always worth a go."
Finn collected some of his favourite fresh herring baits on his way to the lake, hoping that the oily nature would help him tempt a pike in the bleak conditions. After making a cast, the rod hadn't been out long before his drop-off indicator fell against the bank stick, signalling a take.
"I scrambled to the rod as line peeled from the reel. As soon as I struck, I knew I had a good fish on the end—it felt solid," he recalled.
"After a few slow runs, I managed to guide the fish into the net, and when I peered into the mesh, my initial thoughts were confirmed—it was a beast!"
"The scales swung round to 31lb 8oz, making this my fifth pike over 30lb—a feat I never thought I’d achieve."
"A 30lb pike is a dream fish for me, and I want to thank my late father for teaching me how to catch and appreciate these amazing fish. This one’s for my dad," he concluded.
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