Pike fishing
How many of you go Pike fishing in Wales? Did you even know there are many Pike in the country? I live in the North East of England and I certainly didn’t realise just how many waters in Wales contained Pike, until I was sent a comprehensive list by Rhys Llywelyn who works for the Wales Tourist Board with the Environment Agency. I am not going to go through the list here but will mention one of the bigger lakes and a large reservoir.
Lake Bala (Llyn Tegid) in Snowdonia has a good head of Pike. Captures of fish to over 30lbs have been reported in the last few years. This is a large lake, which is not going to be an easy one to tackle but the rewards may well be there. This water also contains several other species, including the Gwyniad, a fish exclusive to this water. Tickets and advice can be obtained from the Wardens Office on 01678 520626.
Probably the most famous of all waters in the UK is Llandegfedd Reservoir in South Wales. This huge sheet of water is the proud holder of the present UK record for the Pike, a massive fish of 46lbs 13ozs! This fish has yet to be beaten but several other huge 40lb fish have also been taken from this impressive venue. Fishing is restricted so contact the office on 01495 769281 for details.
If this has whetted your appetite, what do you need to tackle them? A rod with a test curve between 21/2lb to 3lb will be a good start for bait fishing, matched with a reel which will contain at least 200 yards of 15lb test mono. You also need a large landing net (minimum 36 inch arms), unhooking mat, forceps (for unhooking), minimum 25lb wire trace and size 6 treble hooks. Space is at a premium in this article so I cannot go into great detail but I must stress always use a wire trace and never use a Pike Gag as this will cause considerable damage to your fish and could cause a slow lingering death.
The best advice I can give, if you are wanting to start fishing for Pike or even if you are experienced, is to join the Pike Anglers Club of Great Britain. We want to expand membership in the whole of the UK and particularly Wales. Our organisation represents all Pike anglers in the UK and is the largest single predator group in the country. We ensure that Pike are respected and recognised for the valuable job they do in any water, cleaning up sick and dying fish, keeping the rest of the population healthy, as the old saying goes “survival of the fittest”. All members receive a quality magazine each quarter containing information, articles and news along with access to regional organisations of like-minded anglers where ideas can be exchanged. In addition, members are covered by our public liability insurance, have access to exclusive PAC products and get the opportunity to apply for tickets to fish privileged access events. Another benefit is access to a competitively priced insurance scheme for boats, which we have negotiated. The cost of full adult membership is £18.50 per year and other deals are available. Further details and an application form can be obtained by contacting me, Chas White, Assistant Secretary, on 01642 599894 or email region21@totalise.co.uk or visit our website www.pacgb.com.