Last Pike trip of the year

Created 4 years 228 days ago
by Richard Handel

I would like to give a brief snap shot of my life and introduce myself;

My name is Richard Handel and was born in 1965 in Suffolk. I have worked as a UK Operation & Intermodule Manager for a shipping company. I live in Hampshire now and am married with 2 young children, both girls so I am a bit outnumbered even the cat is a girl!

I have been fishing since I was about 7 years old. I started on small local rivers in Suffolk, then moved onto gravel pits and then carp fishing. My personal best is a 39.08 mirror, over recent years I have started river fishing again, on the Hampshire Avon, this is a nice break from the carp lakes.

My life has turned a big corner this year, the company I was working for relocated their Operation centre to Estonia. I was offered a job at the head office in London. This would have meant a 5 day commute and working in Stratford. As a family, we did not fancy this, as I would hardly spend any time with the children (and the Mrs). So after 22.5 years, I was given a nice redundancy package and with my wife is working full time. I became the house husband.

This has meant a complete turn around in my fishing, as I can pick and choose when I go. I have found a splendid new syndicate to fish this year, which includes 5 lakes and some 8 miles of river with only 150 members. It’s an amazing change to the way I am able to fish.

I am now trying to start my own tackle business and make a bit of a name for myself in the world of fishing, as I have retired from real work.

I am part of the promotional teams for the following company’s Bait-Tech, Godman Angling, Asso Fishing Line, Tf gear and Summit Tackle Stainless, which for me has been an amazing journey and great company’s to be working for.

Richard

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This is it, the last trip of 2014 and it was going to be an overnighter. However, the frost arrived and I fancied my chances at catching some pike, so it turned into a day session. I am trying very hard not to go carp fishing for the sake of it as I believe I got stuck in a bit of a rut once or twice before.

My first choice of swim today is where I had the pike from on my last pike trip and as my last carp trip I spotted a lot of fry down this end of the lake. Therefore, this was the best end to start at.

Within the hour my first fish was in the net. A nice 15lb-6oz fish.

Not long after that, I was moving to my next swim towards the dam end.

I had only just sat down and the rod was away again! With another hard fighting pike, it turned out to be the same 14lb that I had the other week.

I had my other rod by the monk and I was thinking this was my best option.

I will give it another 30 minutes and then I will move up by the reeds I think.

I have moved to the swim next door, so I can keep one rod on the monk, as the right hand margin has produced a fish already. But by moving I can fish another spot. I will give it another hour or so. Heavy rain storms keep coming through, right pain, when I want to stay mobile.