Me and the monster from Bewl

[Highwealdwoodsman]

I went down to Bewl on Saturday afternoon. The water was quite cloudy so I resorted to my favourite early season tactic- A cascade salmon fly on a size 8 double.

I quickly caught two nice silver rainbows, fishing on a DI5 sinker, and was retreiving slowly when the line stopped. I tightened up to it and the line was solid, I at first thought it was a submerged tree, but it was slowly pulling back. I thought maybe it was just the boat swinging in the wind that was causing the illusion, but no, it was definitely pulling back. It took me five minutes to convince myself that it was a fish as I had never felt anything like this before, just solid, unmovable weight.


I was fishing a 7wt outfit with 8lb fluorocarbon leader and I spent the next forty-five minutes with my rod hooped over in a U-shape , straining the leader as hard as I dared. By pumping-in Marlin fishing style I was occasionally able to gain ten feet or so, but every time it just took that line back and returned to its lie. eventually it decided to head for the cages ( I was fishing by the bank opposite the cages from the lodge) and the fly came out.

I have never felt anything remotely like it, and I landed a 9lb brownie on wednesday, I assume it was a monster Pike, but I can't stop thinking just how big it must have been to have so easily resisted all that pressuer for a full forty five minutes. I am totally gutted that I didn't even get to see it..

Oh well, thats fishing..

[Chris]

Hi HWW, I was with KevZim on a boat directly to your left. He was the big chap that made the boat sink at one end - we resorted to anchoring by the cages.

Kev said he thought it was you but couldn't be sure.

You should join us one day when we go down

Chris

[Highwealdwoodsman]

Add my weight to the the two of you in the boat and it will go down!

How did you and Kev fare?

[Chris]

I only had 2 and KEv had 4, Kev returned yesterday and had 8.

Check your PMs.

[Charlie]

I hate to say it but I suspect whatever it was was hooked up the arse. I am a bit of an (accidental) foul hooking specialist - it happens a lot to me for whatever reason.

Invariably, fish hooked in the tail or dorsal are difficult to turn or lift and I've had plenty of 2lbers that feel like a double.

I'm not a pike angler, but I've caught a few on match tackle and, if they haven't bitten me off I've got some quite big ones out on pound bottoms, so I can't see one putting up that sort of struggle with an 8lb leader.

My guess is that it was a big fish of some sort hooked up the Jacksie

Charlie

[Highwealdwoodsman]

Yeah, could well have been that - The fight was very smooth and I didn't feel a headshake at any time. Mind you, it was still no ordinary fish- Apart from the weight, it just sat there for minutes on end, not moving around all the time like a normal trout.

Cheers, Simon

[davidr]

Its nessie on her holidays!!!

[starsky]

Hi HWW,

Where was you fishing from the bank as im planning a trip to Bewl on Wed?

You never know it might be still be there

Cheers Mark

[Highwealdwoodsman]

Hi, It was at wards lane, just tothe left of the clearing with the hut.

If you are going after him I would take an oxgyen cylinder and a rifle just in case he gets angry!

[Countryboy]

My guess is that it was one of the Anti's that must have

fallenl in during the sabotaging of the cages ;D

C.B

[Gillaroo]

By the way you describe the fight, it sounds like a big pike to me.
Probably stuffed full of small trout.
Gillaroo

[chub1]

Are there any carp in there?
If there are-it could possibly be a biggie .
When coarse fishing with pole gear and hooking a double-i sometimes wonder if they realise they have been hooked at all.Quite often they will plod around without any spectacular action,just a slow ponderous heavy battle.
Just a thought.

[rad]

Sound to me you hooked the infamous Bewl Beast. My brother had the same last week exept he managed to get the fish to the net before it snapped him of. He said it was a fish well into the doubles. It also scrapped like a wet sock if he wasnt putting a bit of presure on it. As soon as he tried to gain more line on it it was of again. 50 mins latter he lost it at the net.
Never mind hopefully its still there.

[Gillaroo]

Just a quick update for you HWW

A big pike was found washed up on the bank yesterday.

It was weighed at the lodge and tipped the scales at 38lb!

Gillaroo

[ex lampeter exile]

gillaroo said:

Just a quick update for you HWW

A big pike was found washed up on the bank yesterday.

It was weighed at the lodge and tipped the scales at 38lb!

Gillaroo

Saw the pike on Saturday. What a monster ., must have eaten loads of those little trout released.
Managed 8 on Saturday. Started off off Chingley Wood, lost 1 there then moved up to the top of Hook straight. Caught my first fish at 13:00 and finished at 16:30 ;D ;D ;D. Lovely water, I must fish it more often.