Ryan Craggs from Durham had never previously fished for pike so was delighted when Simon Ashton invited him to fish a large gravel pit for the species.

Just over an hour into the session, Ryan received his first take from an area 60 yards out where he had presented a large smelt deadbait soaked in salmon oil. After a steady fight, his first ever pike slid over the net, a fish just into double figures. Later that morning the same rod had sprung into life and a steady take resulted in another hook up, this time from a much bigger fish weighing in at 20lb 1oz, a big pike by anyone’s standards!

After moving the following morning to a different area of the lake, it wasn’t long before Ryan’s rod was away again and another cracking pike weighing 19lb 14oz was soon resting in the net.

His setup consisted of 3lb test curve rods with 18lb Syncro XT Loaded, a simple running leger rig and a trace made from 28lb 7 Strand Pike Wire and size 6 semi barbed E-Sox Extra Strong Trebles.