Action replay
PIKING in paradise!
NATIONAL match champion STEVE COLLETT shows one of his many other passions…
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ELL known for its pike fishing, Esthwaite Lake is a real jewel in the crown of the Lake District. Fattened by plenty of trout in the summer
months, the winter is the time to pursue these Lake District crocs. One angler who spends a lot more time fishing for
predators, now that it’s gone colder, is 2010 Division One National match champion, Steve Collett. The boss of Harris Sportsmail loves to catch big
pike, and asked the Mail to join him on a sumptuous day.
‘How could you not fall in love with the amazing
scenery in which Esthwaite Lake nestles, here in the gorgeous English Lake District, and it looks like today
will present us with outstanding conditions once the mist clears,’ Steve enthuses, as he loads up the boat at the small dock with all the equipment he needs for a day afloat, including the essential life jacket, of course! ‘Winds can whip up quickly in this region, and
boat fishing without a life vest is an absolute no-no. With me today is my good pal ‘Prev’ (alias Andre Portic). We are both mad-keen pikers and I hope that something special happens today with the cameras present, but that massive temperature drop last night, down to minus four, could have wreaked untold damage. Still, it will be a joy to be out on the water whether we catch or not, I am sure about that!’
with a massive frost, our intrepid pair will need a good slice of luck to catch anything today! Angler’s MailRATING:
At 280 acres, Esthwaite is a daunting prospect. Coupled 09:00
despite there being bright sunshine on the surrounding higher ground, boat number five slides off into the murk and soon disap- pears from view. There’s no time to waste, as the pike could
09:00
well be only keen to strike at a lure under the cover of the mist. The lads head to the shallower bays near
to the car park. Could their luck be instant? ‘Finding the fish is half the battle,’ said
Steve. ‘Trying to persuade them to take a lure is the next part of the challenge. ‘There’s something magical about starting fishing in the autumn mist. It will clear soon, but the atmosphere is awesome for a while, and then the beautiful surroundings of the lake will begin to appear as the sun burns the mist away. Wonderful!’ Steve whispers, as the boat slides through the inky calmness and the first casts are made.
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With mist completely shrouding the lake,
09:35 THE misty dawn of a day’s piking in paradise for National
match champion Steve Collett and his fishing partner for today, Andre Portic. Will the Lake District predators light up their day…?
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