From: 03/04/2015
To: 03/04/2015
Type of Water: Freshwater
Species: Pike
After the success of my last Pike on the Fly trip I decided to take a little stroll down to the River Torne. A new River I have never fished before but I thought it must hold at least a few pike.
As I sat on the River bank in the beautiful morning sun, setting up my trusty #7 rod and floating line with a tappered leader, wire trace and the trusty green and black zonker bunny, A gentlemen walk passed me and made the comment of "you wont find and trout or samon in here mate". To which I replied "Im actually after the pike", the gentlemen laugh to himself and said "on a fly rod, you must be mad..."
I turned back to the River and chose my first spot to start casting. There seemed to be a deep pool just before the River ran over the weir and down under the bridge. I thought there must be View more...After the success of my last Pike on the Fly trip I decided to take a little stroll down to the River Torne. A new River I have never fished before but I thought it must hold at least a few pike.
As I sat on the River bank in the beautiful morning sun, setting up my trusty #7 rod and floating line with a tappered leader, wire trace and the trusty green and black zonker bunny, A gentlemen walk passed me and made the comment of "you wont find and trout or samon in here mate". To which I replied "Im actually after the pike", the gentlemen laugh to himself and said "on a fly rod, you must be mad..."
I turned back to the River and chose my first spot to start casting. There seemed to be a deep pool just before the River ran over the weir and down under the bridge. I thought there must be pike hiding in there. I cast out the zonker bunny and slowly started to twitch and strip it back through the deep pool... Nothing. Not to be beat by the pool I decided to cast back out and try again. Out went the fly and again I tweaked and stripped it back, but again nothing. I lifted the rod for one last cast and all of a sudden something flashed from the bank under my feet and hit the fly. The fight was short but the small jack gave up a great scrap for such a small fish. A quick pic and I realised it back to the deep dark pool.
I carried on travelling up the River casting to any potential "Pikey" looking spot, with little luck other than a couple of follows. The River Torne has a very unique setting for a River so close to a city. With views of the local wildlife park as I make my way up the River, I was able to fish whilst watching the Camels and Tigers. I was often frequented with the roar of the Lions and Tigers as I fished my way up River.
I found one last spot I decided to try before calling the trip a day and heading home for lunch. I had chosen an area with reeds on the far bank and a small over hanging tree on the near bank. I cast the zonker into a small gap in the reeds and stripped the fly back farely quickly this time. All of a sudden the line locked up and I was in. I could tell this was a better fish, as the rod bent round and my line went kiting off up stream. After a couple of explosive runs I netted the fish which turned out to be around 55cm. Not a monster but another beautiful pike. I took a quick snap and realised it back under the overhanging tree.
As I walked back down the River in the mid day spring sun with the roaring of the Lions and views of Camels and Tigers, I thought to myself this has been another amazing experience of pike on the fly. I will be sure to return to the very unique and beautiful River.
