Crocs from the swamp

We travelled up to Warrington to fish for Pike this weekend, at a venue called Longbarn pool or "the brick pits" as it is know locally. It is a small water set between a housing estate and a main road, at only 4ft at its deepest with lots of islands, over hanging trees and reed beds, it has some great features to fish to.

Starting off with float ledgered dead baits, I cast to little island just to my left in about 2ft of water and wasn't long before my float started to twitch and then rip off towards some reeds, and I was connected to small be lively jack, who gave a really good account of himself, tail walking and pulling off line before eventually coming to the net, my first Longbarn Pike just a shade under 4lb.

My next run came around lunch time and was a bigger Pike of around 4.5lb, Toby however was not doing so well, a couple of good runs but still no Esox on the bank. Just before I caught my second Toby had one on only to lose him at the net. We also met fellow BMAC member Michael who had a good day, banking three pike the biggest of which was somewhere between  6-7lb.
I had another couple of nice Jacks to 3.5lb and three or four good runs , but the Pike evaded my old mate Toby all day, despite loads of runs he just couldn't get one on the bank, fish crashing in the reeds all over, cruelly mocking him. That place its absolutely crawling with jack Pike, seven fish banked over three rods in day is great pike fishing, and we will definitely be back so that Toby can catch the big old girl that must rule the swamp.

For more information on rigs, set ups, bait and tackle please have a look at our brother blog

On The Bank Technical specs