Hi all,
i was recently talking to some anglers on a small stocked rainbow lake.as we chatted a pair of swans and their two cygnets swam past, the little ones were happily trying to eat a some mating damsel flies.i commented that they looked happy, to which the regulars pointed out that there were 6 cygnets in the early part of the year but that one rather large pike had taken a distinct liking to cygnet for his dinner.
now to say i was sceptical is an under statement but they were adamant and one said he had witnessed the pike taking a cygnet.
this lake has produced a 40+lb pike in the past and most methods of fishing are allowed so i will be trying for the big fella on fly soon but if that fails i have no problem bringing out my pike gear.
now i myself have seen pike having a go at moorhens/coots before but has anyone else seen pike trying to dine on strange targets?
gardenolive

Also had a guy tell me the same at the weekend, he was stood on the bank singing Prince Charming & Stand & Deliver. He was also Adam ant.Same guy I guess.

Seriously though I've seen pike eating crayfish, they sneak up on them.The turn of speed is quite amazing to watch. Also seen them take ducklings.

Sean

Recently hatched Canada Goose goslings along with the cygnets of Swans are regularly taken at the Lake I fish for Pike.

Much to the chagrin of the local twitchers

Anyone got a suitable tying for a "gosling fly"

I am not doubting your storys boys, at all. But I am out on the water at least 200 days a year, and between me and my guests I have never seen a single waterfowl attacked or eaten and trust me over in Ireland there are many Pike capable of doing such a thing. I believe it is an incredibly rare act and you are priveleged to have seen it, but a baby swan More likely a mink or fox during the night, and as usual the old Pike gets the blame

theyre probably to blame for eating some of the cygnets but apparently this pike enjoys fine cusine, and baby swans start out in life as perfectly sized snack food for lots of predators.
lakefisher on hearing of this pikes taste my first thoughts on a "gosling fly" was a lump of styro board with feathers etc.
a few seasons back i and lots of other boats watched as a nice double figure pike swam happily up a drift rising steadily for mayfly !....we reckon he was orphaned early in life and raised by trout.

Had the experience of seeing a pike take a small snake but never a water fowl. Snake was swimming across the river towards the bank where I was standing and I was getting ready to evacuate the area as there are vipers in the area. All of a sudden I saw that characteristic V shaped wave heading towards it, a flurry of water and that was all she wrote! I must have gone back a dozen times that summer trying to catch that pike but with no luck.

Terry

__________________
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

Wasn't me but remember someone posting somewhere else that they had caught a pike on sweetcorn while fishing for carp or something.

The Swan Fly.

Someone here has already invented the perfect fly!

Pike are amazingly oppourtunistic feeders as all succesful creatures are.
In the spring when the Pike are in the shallow floodlands they constantly regurgitate lob worms.

yes i have caught pike on sweetcorn on the pole, also on maggots and pellets of all things,
i think its because they used to whatever bait goes in lake,a park lake not far from me has regularly had pike caught on boilys which is what the carp lads use