In the first two autumn months on the basis of “Release the Mother!” competition – from the LVM Kaņieris, Babīte, LVM Gulbju, Alūksne lakes and also Seda Ponds – has received applications from 17 anglers for 38 caught and released fish, 3 of which have been perch, but other were pikes with a total length of 30 metres. In October in the competition 8 registrations of caught and released “mothers” above 1 metre length was received. Such number is the record of competition, however, season is not finished yet and applications can be registered until 30 of November.
Two-side September
The beginning of autumn is when pikes usually become active – they enjoy when water temperature decreases and winds, because they make schools of roach, rudd, breams and perch to move – those are their favourite snacks. With day becoming shorter, there are days when pikes seem to lose their cautiousness completely – it can be seen in the result table of “Release the Mother!”. All, except those three, which were caught by Modris and Mārtiņš during the “Learn and educate together with “Release the Mother!”” in Kaņieris event, were caught at the end of September from 26 until 30. Just to remind – exactly at that time weather became much colder. The largest from pike was registered by Aigars Jeršovs and the inhabitant of Babīte Lake showed a round 99 cm, pike of 2nd place with 87 cm travelled from LVM Gulbju Lake in the performance of Andris Bērtelsons. And only centimetre shorter – 86 cm – turned out to be the third longest pike from Babīte Lake, registered by Jānis Balsers from Tukums, he also has an application for a 38 cm long perch, who hooked on a jerk that was meant for pikes. In September contest received 10 applications, equally good fishing in cloudy and sunny days, however, only in windy days most of fish were caught on jerks or on big bait lures. Here is the trio of prize-winners.
Aigars Jeršovs, Babīte Lake, 99 cm
Andris Bērtelsons, LVM Gulbju Lake, 87 cm
Jānis Balsers, Babīte Lake, 86 cm
October’s pedestal – 120, two 114 and 105 centimetre pikes
The parade of big pikes of Alūksne Lake started on the 13 October, when several adrenaline rush episodes in the period of several days at the Alūksne Lake happened to Juris and Ingus Ozoliņi, father and son – adding to the result table of “Release the Mother!” a 114, 104, 120, 102 and 97 centimetre long, caught and released pikes. What's interesting, unlike the most of contest's pikes, these were caught in a sunny, calm weather, because trimming-hook can lower the lure up to 9 metre depth. For food purposes father and son took the so called “deuces” or 2 kilogram heavy fish, but let go all the large pikes. And it is no secret that pikes of Alūksne are waking up exactly in autumn. So big that they are not interested in regular size lures – it has been proved by the well known big pike “witnesses” – Normunds Ikomass and Antons Fišermans – a big fish needs a big lure. It has been created by nature, that a large animal will not waste its energy to run after a tiny prey – it will eat less frequently, but the prey will be bulkier. In Alūksne the large ones are usually caught with trimming-hooks, in big depth. The 300 gr heavy silicone lures are run through the deepest places of Alūksne Lake – when the big pike hooks – it can be felt with the whole boat! Ingus thinks that Alūksne Lake could beat the national record of pike, which has not been changed since year 1989. The progressive anglers of Alūksne understand that it takes a lot of years for a carnivorous fish to reach a size of true trophy. A 10 kilogram pike is not small, but twice as small as the current Latvian record...
Juris Ozoliņš, , Alūksne Lake, 120 cm
Ingus Ozoliņš, Alūksnes Lake, 114 cm
Andris Jerums, Alūksnes Lake, 114 cm
For the next metre-long incoming we can thank our competition’s leaders – Mārtiņš Tihanovs and Modris Skulte, and also Egons Circenis gave his contribution with, accordingly – 103, 105, 102 centimetre long pikes from Babīte Lake. The big ones have been caught only on big bait and jerk lures. The best conditions in Babīte – overcast with north-west wind. “Release the Mother!” measurement troughs are available in the recreation place “Vecupenieki”.
Modris Skulte, Babīte Lake, 105 cm
Name of Seda Ponds in table is written by Jānis Ukass
“Imagine a peat quarry lake – everything is divided into sections that are separated with canals with their depth in some places reaching up to 2-3 metres. Water is dark brown – practically opaque, without fishfinder the depth cannot be established. There are also shallow clearings – in some places rough horsetail and coltsfoot could be seen”, in the “Learn and educate together with “Release the Mother!”” tells Jānis Ukass, earth sciences lecturer from Valmiera. On the 20 October there were many anglers in the Seda Ponds, and as turned out later, only few of them were left without a big pike catch on that day. Not far from Jānis there was an angler, who suddenly became loud – screaming “Got it, got it – BIG ONE!” The screamer was Toms Zuika, he scooped the fish in landing net and said to Jānis, that he will let her go. Then Jānis suggested measuring and taking a photo of her in the official trough, which was then done and pike was let go in her waters. Tom's pike – 97 cm; soon after that Jānis was delighted by 85 cm pike, which hooked on a brown Golteenn pigshad, and also found its place in the result table of “Release the Mother!” and a second chance in Seda wonder.
Toms Zuika, Seda Ponds, 97 cm
“Release the Mother!” organisers send thanks to all, who registered their catches, but the winners of months’ and year's nominations will be awarded by SIA Ieroči, FishBon, Eholotes.lv and Golteenn. Contest in the year 2018 takes place with the support of JSC “Latvijas valsts meži”, Mammadaba and Fishing Cards.