Fishing conditions have improved. The old estate lake has returned to a liquid state and after a few dry days and enough colour has dropped out of the water to give the pike a sporting chance of spotting a fly.

Whilst conditions have improved, they are far from perfect. The water temperature has climbed to a far from tropical 5°C. This won’t trigger a pre-spawn feeding frenzy. We may miss out on this prior to the season closing on the estate lake on March 14.

I suspect, because of the long, hard winter, it will still be ethically acceptable to pike fish for some days after the close season on waters that allow it. Usually, I start my personal close season as soon as I see some evidence that the pike are getting ready to spawn or land a fish showing the signs.

Whilst conditions haven’t been perfect, my guiding clients and I have been catching some pike. Most of the fish have been glued to the bottom in deep (18-20ft) water and have required some persuasion to take flies fished slowly, close to the bed of the lake. This has thrown up some problems for guiding clients trying to achieve hook-ups. (I have addressed this question in some detail in an article which will appear in a future issue of the magazine).

Most of my fish have fallen to an obscenely large 3d streamer tied with the new materials I had from Andy Smith. In truth, the size (10in) wasn’t a significant factor in the fly’s success as plenty of pike were also caught on more conventional, 7in patterns. I just wanted to see how the fly would behave in the water and how practical the materials would prove. I was delighted. I was able to tie the fly with a substantial profile without needing too much fibre. This meant that the fly was perfectly sensible to cast. It also had a beautifully fluid movement in the water. Most importantly, some pike wanted to eat it!

I had the pleasure of guiding Michael Nowack from Washington, USA. I was tempted to tease him by explaining that the venerable sporting estate where we were fishing insisted that anglers should be properly dressed – tie and tweeds! Fortunately, I suppressed my somewhat juvenile sense of humour and we enjoyed a good day.

I have some more guiding sessions on the lake before the season closes. I’m paying close attention to the five-day weather forecasts – maybe it’s time to sacrifice a chicken or enlist the help of a friendly white witch.