Good afternoon chaps.

Caught on Saturday 9th March 2019.20.08 lbs from Heaton lake, Hoo. Unbelievably, I caught this old croc whilst fishing for carp. I was fishing very tight lines and locked up tight against the reeds in the willows swim. Using a running inline lead with 4″ braided hooklink with size 8 hook baited with 2x pop up corn on the hair fished KD style.

Heaton lake, Hoo pike. 20lb 8oz

A single bleep and then an almighty drop back on my right hand rod. I was on it and hit it straight away and I actually thought I was into a decent carp. It wasn’t until the fish came in closer and surfaced that I realised I had hooked into something a little special. Still playing the fish, I was hoping it wouldn’t bite through my braided hooklink and cut me off. Obviously it didn’t and I managed to slip the net under her and she was in. This is the big pike that I had rescued from the Cut after it had managed to evade the EA’s nets twice. When I netted her from the Cut, she was weighed at 20lbs on the dot. She has gained 8oz since being put into Heaton lake and is looking very healthy.

Perhaps me catching her is my reward for saving her life.

Regards
Dave Rowe
Hoo Baillff