Rob Love reports on the pike fishing at Carton House fishery…
With a cool north easterly blowing last Saturday Malcolm McLagan and I decided to chance 2 – 3 hours fishing on the RyeLake. We both started on Clouster Minnows which picked up on or two ‘Jacks’ but decided to change to my perch lookalike when we got to one of the better areas.
I managed to catch and release a lovely fish of (we guessed) 12 – 14lb which gave a super fight all the way to the boat.
A few minutes later and a slight change of position had Malcolm into another strong fish.
After several ripping runs including one or two leaps clear of the water Malcolm managed to get his fish to the boat. What a beautiful pike it was too – super condition and lovely colouring. Malcolm’s best pike on the fly – maybe it was the cold breeze but I’d swear that there was a tear in his eye as we went back up the lake a few minutes later towards the boathouse.
Anyone considering fly fishing for pike on the RyeLake over the next week or so will be served well by a perch imitation fished near the margins. Both floating or intermediate lines are working well. Please make sure that flies are on single barbless hooks or hooks with barb’s firmly squashed down.
A day permit is €50 and a 3 hour permit €35. Anglers should note that this means they can fish for pike on the Rye Lake and rainbow trout on the Sheet of Water (all fly only) in this timeframe – so if one is not working the other might.
Rob Love
Carton House Fishery
If you have any queries about fishing at Carton House please contact Guest Relations on (01) 5052000 or me on 087
1947811. You can also see the other activities on offer at Carton House by checking the Carton House website www.cartonhouse.com
Guidelines for handling pike
Download: Pike Handling and Conservation [.pdf 850 KB]
When landed, the fish should be laid flat preferably on a protective mat and the hooks removed with a suitable tool such as long handled artery forceps or a long nosed pliers. Anglers may find it useful to wear protective gloves. Sometimes it can be easier to release the hooks by working very carefully through the gill covers.
The use of pike sacks can be used for the short time retention of fish enabling them to recover prior to weighing or photography. When weighing and photographing fish, the pike should be cradled and supported properly to avoid injuring the fish. A pike sized weigh sling should always be used if the fish is be weighed.
When being released, the pike should be held carefully in the water to promote recovery until it is ready to swim away. At all times, the pike should be returned to the water in the shortest possible time.
