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Memories of Block Fen By
Denis Moules The “Trout Lake” as we called it was the
second largest in a complex of Gravel Pits near the Fenland town of
Chatteris, of about 20 acres in size.
It was the Summer of 1993 and I heard rumours of Pike breaking up
the Trout fishermen and attacking Trout as they were being played. The rumours were so rife that I was certain
other Fenland Pikers had heard the news and made approaches to Pike fish
the Water. I was wrong. On
visiting the Fishery Manager I was told that no serious Piker had fished
the Lake, or had asked to, and yes I could fish it. I was told a few
locals had attempted to Pike fish a few years earlier but the temptation
of the Trout had overcome them, and they were thrown off.
The Pike population was thought to be very low. There were no petty regulations to contend with.
I could use a boat and livebait.
That was good enough for me! I could even take a guest, which
pleased Ian Jakes and Andrew Smith, who at the time were my Piking
companions. And all for the
same price as a day ticket to Pike fish the other Lakes - less than a
fiver! I could start Piking
on November 1st, but because a couple of Land Drains were
fishing their socks off it was not until 13th that Ian and
myself arrived early at the Lake with our 2 small boats. The water was
clear, with a layer of Canadian pondweed at the bottom. The fog was
thick and a cold easterly breeze had just started to put a good ripple
on the water. I fished 2 free roving small Roach and a legered half
mackerel. Ian did likewise and we remained at the Southern End of the
Lake fishing in 13 feet of water. By midday nothing had happened. The fog had not
cleared but the wind had got colder.
I decided to move to the Northern End of the Lake, where a bank
offered shelter from the wind. I
found the water here was slightly shallower and I moved my stop knot
down, 2 foot towards my Roach. The two dumbbell floats soon picked up the
breeze with my greased line and slowly the small roach drifted away from
the boat. I didn’t have time to cast the mackerel out as, with a loud
plop a float disappeared. This happened several times as Pike of 2lb,
4lb, 4˝lb and 8lb came into the boat. A “Jack Water”, I thought as
the dumbbell disappeared again. This time the rod really bent and a
16-05 was netted. A 19-08
followed but by now I was extremely cold, but elated.
Ian was also cold. The fog had just begun to clear and he moved up to tell me
that he had had enough – dusk was not far away. I told him I would have one more drift and once
again the dumbbell with small Roach 9 feet below made its way away from
the boat. This time I had
cast reasonably close to reedbeds on the North Bank and after a couple
of yards an instant strike was required as the float disappeared. This
Pike remained deep and took line on several strong runs.
Eventually a 22-06 was landed – my first Trout water 20 – we
were overjoyed. The next few trips were comparative non-events as the weather became milder and calmer. We tried most parts of the Lake but the Northern Part was most productive. I tried big Roach, small and large live Trout and all manner of deadbaits, but few Pike. The only bait to work were the 4 inch long Roach fished 9-10 feet deep, free roving. The water was normally clear and one day I had
some casters and old maggots in my rucksack.
I threw these into the breeze and the floaters drifted with my
floats. Soon the Trout came to take them and I saw huge golden flashes
below them as the Pike followed. Suddenly the float disappeared as an
18lb Pike took my Roach, and later my largest Pike to date on the water
was landed at 27-13. What a terrific fight! I now took Chum Mixers to “feed” the Trout
and continued to experiment with other bait. Once I saw a large Trout
livebait outrun a big Pike on several occasions. In the end the Pike
gave up. I am sure the Mixers attracted Trout, and the Trout, Pike.
Nothing more significantly happened, other than the capture of a 23-10
on half mackerel. The first of only 2 Pike to fall to deadbaits.
The other 16-06, to the same bait. We could not wait for the following season,
although the two other Lads found it hard going.
November soon came round, bringing high winds from the South West
– waves crashed onto the Northern Bank and the Lake became coloured. I
fished the South Bank in such conditions – it being foolhardy to take
the boat out. I drifted my
baits across the deeper Southern End of the Lake. Bank fishing here was
much slower, with few fish but my best of 26-06 was the best looking
Pike I had ever caught. I noticed that Pike from the bank did not fight,
coming in like a wet sack, whereas the fight from the boat-caught fish
was quite explosive. The Pike kept coming, although slowly, 2 runs a day
being the limit of expectations. The Pike were all in set weights –
26-28lb, 22-24lb, 18-20lb, 16-17lb, with few in between. Ian finally caught a 27-08 from the bank and the
Season ended as quickly as it came. Block Fen was now one of my
favourite venues and I had fished it at every opportunity.
I was convinced that next Season a 30 would come to my rods. November 1995 arrived and on a cold damp day I
took a 19 and a 27-08. Andrew
finally got into the act with a 27-15 and 23-06 but on this day the news
came that no more Trout would be put into the Lake and a Jet Ski Club
would use it. Bad news
indeed, Ian and myself were devastated. We fished on and my best fish of
28-02 came in January 1996. By now the word was out and other Anglers moved
in. A spell of heavy rain and severe frosts kept them at bay. But no more of the big 20’s came to my rods. During the Summer the Jet Skis arrived with
vengeance and the Lake took on a sandy hue.
With no Trout being stocked,
I wondered how it would fish come November -
I was soon to find out. The Pike fishing as expected had changed
completely. With few Trout left, the Pike had taken to scavenging. Any bait legered was quickly taken. A day with my mate Steve Younger (the Zander man) saw him
take two low 20’s and me 4 good doubles. The following week with
Andrew Smith a 23, and me, a 25-12 in the boat at the same time.
The 25-12 was the 28-02 from the previous Season.
Then the sport stopped instantly – 2 or 3 blanks before I
realised the Pike had started fry feeding. Other Pike Anglers began to
fish the Lake and it was time for me to go. I removed my boat from the Site.
The Pike were now thin, many had split fins and Jet Ski marks.
The beauty of the place had gone.
I fished it no more that Season. I returned in October 1997 – for 3 trips catching 10 doubles to 15-10 but a Fenland Drain was beckoning me and once again I removed my boat from the Site, never to return again. I often think of Block Fen - a water that was
good to me and my friends. Did I get the best from it? I will never
know. I rarely lure fish and only trolled it twice. I was comfortable
fishing my way and enjoyed the challenge of catching several BIG 20’s,
from Fenland where they are scarce. All was not doom and gloom, and within a Season the “beckoning” Drain was producing big 20’s to me, and my pals - that’s Piking! Footnote: This article originally appeared in Pikelines. Since then the fishing has been taken over by Paul German [see local news for full details] Can this water return to its former glory or are big fish still there? It's still awater worth trying and big enough to contain a few surprises. |