French fishing guide Bruno Duboul tells us about some extraordinary fishing and emotions on the River Erne. Bruno says, “three French friends, Laurent, Olivier and his 14 year-old daughter Anna, who came to Ireland for professional reasons, wanted me to accompany them fishing for pike on the Erne river for a few hours. They have been fishing for a few days already, Laurent and Olivier had caught a few pike, small, but Anna had never caught a pike before. So we went fishing in search of ‘Mr Esox’…..
We got started very early in the morning, and after only a few minutes I caught the first pike, not very big but which I thought was a sign that we would have a good day of fishing. I was impressed with Anna’s tenacity!! She cast her lure constantly, always hoping to catch this mythical Irish fish. She never gave up, telling me how she felt with different lures used. She saw a pike following her lure but it turned at the last second without attacking. She was really unlucky, unlike some beginners who catch a fish after only a few casts.
Following the first pike caught, nothing, dead calm. I decided to take them to the entrance of a canal that I know well, where sometimes the pike are active there because the current is stronger there. When we arrived there, I put the electric motor and went slowly back up the current, we saw a few feeding fish in the distance, one of which is relatively powerful not far from a “waterway” sign post. We moved forward but no bites, a difficult moment for everyone, but Anna still believed in it.
I put on a soft translucent lure with bluish flashes for Anna. She cast her lure at the foot of the post and only two seconds later an explosion occurred in the water, Anna’s lure had just undergone a lightning attack, creating a wave on the surface which surprised me ..
Anna remained calm throughout, her father and Laurent were all excited, and at the first sight of the fish in the water, Olivier exclaimed “it’s a 90 cm!”. After a few seconds the pike soared into the air and seeing the fish at that moment, I realized that Anna had just captured a monster pike. The reel line spooled under powerful runs and lunges, and when the opportunity presented itself, I got the pike into the landing net. At that moment, an explosion of joy for everyone. After all this time spent hoping and persevering, Anna finally obtained her reward, a magnificent female pike 1 meter long and weighing 10 kilos. This moment will remain forever etched in her memory and mine”.
“Magic Ireland” … Bruno Duboul
Go Fishing
If you fancy a day out with Bruno on Lough Erne he can be contacted through his website at www.pecherenirlande.com
