First Roving Session - - - > Success!!

e and Jim been talking all week about roving and Piking and it got me in the mood to go roving, I was gonna go to the middle tees but the missus wanted me back early'ish to take kids out with it being there last day off, so I thought why not try a smallish stretch on the Swale.

Got there for about 6 and walked to the end of the stretch to work my way back up, so jumped in a peg near the end and my plan was to sit in the first swim for around 1-2 hours til the sun got up a bit more...

Set the net up and then the rods, I had two rods set up, one on ledger one on float so I opted to use the float rod, cast it out and left it for a good half hour and no bites or touches, so reeled it in and casted it slightly further this time, another half hour gone and still nothing..
This time I tried closer in, half hour passed and still no bites, just as I started reeling! BANG..  Fish on ;D
It literally took 30 secs to get it cause it decided to weed its self up in the edge, so was only a matter of scooping it up.

Go her out the net weight her, she went 6lb 8oz, nice fish but not the monster I wanted. Saved a blank anyway ;)

Moved down to the next swim about 10 mins after the pike but nothing, just kept moving and then found a nice peg so jumped in there, opted to fish the ledger in this swim.
Casted out a half a joey and within 5 mins the rod screamed off.. Hit into it and was still stripping line, I knew I was into a good fish...
She fought like a beast! Got her half way in when she decided to tail walk before stripping more line, managed to get control over her and as I was reeling in I seen the pikes head, the pikes huge head!
Got her in the net and was well pleased with my self.
Weighed and quick photo and back she went.

Here she is all 12lb 7oz ;)

Tried a few swims up and as I was reeling in a small pike chased the joey so I stopped reeling and seen the pike pick up the dead bait but dead bait was a bit big for the pike so it dropped it, in Hindsight I should if struck when I seen it pick it up, the joys of shallow water ;D

So kept moving and kept trying pegs with no luck and I was just what's apping Jim about other parts of the stretch and was just about to move so I picked up the rod and it must of slightly moved the fish and bang a pike grabbed it, struck but it got off... Bollox!
Time for a bait change, put the smelt on the trebles and cast it to the same spot as I just lost the pike, the fish didn't even hit the bottom when the rod screamed off again...
Was a little fighter this one, launching its  self out the water, tail walking.. Anyway got it in and done the usual, camera and weighed it ;)

6lb 13oz:

Tried a few more swims with no luck, but did find a barbaric rig in one of the swims, looks like they were fishing for small stuff but used a wire trace to put the lead onto the line :/

Headed off home about 12:30 with a beaming smile on my face ;)

Roving is the way forward! It's a great skill and I am greatful to learn this skill from the true roving master, jimlad!
Cheers Jim!!!!!