Some days were crisp and bright whilst others were overcast and mild, without too much wind. The water clarity was good, improving over the period with no pumping-in of coloured water, despite the low water levels.
Attendance was good with around 100 boats heading out, most with 2 anglers. Bewl welcomed fishermen of all levels, including some experienced Pike fishermen trying their best to land that ‘fish-of-a lifetime’. Whilst no ‘monsters’ were landed, there were (as always) one of two tales of ‘the one that got away’, by the time it came to return to the jetty.
Catches of note included a 20 pounder on the 11th, from Dunsters on a trolled sardine, to Tony Karby of Colchester. Tony has been attending the Pike days at Bewl Water for over 30 years now and each year participates in several days. In the past he has had a Bewl thirty and plenty of twenties to back it up; a very experienced angler.
Local Wadhurst piker, Nick Taylor was pleased to get his first Bewl 20, a 21 pounder from the Mill Wood area on a savage in-line trout, in albino colour. Nicks normal haunt is Ladybower and he was glad not to have to drive all that way up North and back.
On other days we had Pike up to high double figures; a 25.5 pounder was caught by a Bewl regular, Gary Collins.
Not many Pike in total were caught- a few up to 8 or 9 pounds each day, along with the better fish mentioned. This reflects the state of Pike fishing at Bewl Water at present: low numbers of pike, few double figure fish. However, if you can catch one over 10lbs it’s likely to be nearer 20, so a real chance of a big one!
With the amount of bait fish concentrated by the low levels, something that most of the anglers using sonar commented on, those pike will be growing really big this winter.
Make sure you keep posted with our next Pike fishing dates in 2018.