The next day I had had enough of the small fish and wanted to try and get into the Pike, which was the reason for buying the boat in the first place.

We headed again upstream to an area that had once produced the British record fish, not because it was still there but because the area had never let me down on previous trips.

The first ‘banker’ swim didn’t produce a fish to my wobbled Roach dead baits and so we moved downstream, planning to spend a short time in each spot until we found some fish.

It wasn’t until the third spot that I had a small jack, followed by two similar sized fish but the larger fish were proving elusive, and I didn’t have a fish over double figures all week, which was unusual judging from past experience. Even so, all the fish were mint condition and beautifully marked.

Now a small rant. Please, please don’t fish a ‘second’ rod for pike whist quiver tipping etc, unless you are adequately equipped with a suitable net, large un-hooking mat, forceps and a knowledge of how to use these items, especially un-hooking these delicate fish! Rant over.