TIP 4: UPSIZING... WHEN YOU ONLY GET FOLLOWERS!!!
We’re writing late October 2025 for this experience. Today I’m out with Armand in our guide boat.
Usually he brings his little daughter Victoria, but this time he came alone with one goal: The queens of the Volkerak: monster pike!
Following the motto “If you ain't scoping, you are hoping...” I constantly inspect the spots and drifts with the many Lowrance Active Targets our guide boat is equipped with.
And since Armand’s expectations are sky‑high, we can’t leave anything to chance!
Because Armand was alone, he asked me to fish along, so we cast our souls out of our bodies with big chunks of lures.
Given the goal of the day — targeting monster pike — we didn’t get much action. Which is completely normal.
Each year only about ten 120+ pike make it into the boat, except for the exceptionally good season of 2024 when we managed to land no less than 19.
(Those who have fished with us know we measure and record everything meticulously — every fish and every strike/action.
I’ve done this since my very first fishing day at age 10. Measuring is knowing, writing down is remembering, and later analysing to learn from it.)
Science also tells us that only 5% of the pike population reaches the 1‑meter mark, and the 120+ pike are only 5% of that 5%!!! Truly exceptional catches.
But when we arrive at the third spot and still haven’t caught a pike, it’s time to regroup. We take a short break — it’s already past noon — and discuss our tactics.
Every spot held potential 120+ fish, but they barely crawled off the bottom; we only got curious followers. Armand asked whether we should try smaller lures.
And although it’s true that during perch fishing, giant pike sometimes fall for tiny lures like a c‑rig with a CreCraw, I’m convinced this is absolutely NOT the way to target those big ladies.
So I rig a double Miuras Mouse with a Westin Bullteez 30 cm as a trailer. With 40 grams of lead in front, quite a heavy and massive chunk to cast!
I demonstrate the technique: I explain that the lure must be allowed to sink to the bottom, and once retrieved, it should swim very slowly no more than 70 cm above the bottom — so the pike don’t have the chance to rise meters up and inspect the lure at their leisure.
No, they must get it presented very close, with no chance for inspection.
On the second cast of this demonstration, a brutal strike. I set the hook with all the power in my body.
My all‑time favourite rod, the Westin W3 Monsterstick, sets the hook flawlessly.
I immediately know it’s a massive fish, followed by a majestic fight with those typical heavy headshakes of a mega pike lady.
The AnyWareFishing measuring board shows a fish up to my beloved letter G: a flawless pike lady of exactly 120 cm.
We’re both super excited now, but Armand says: “I don’t have anything that big with me.”
I don’t hesitate for a second, remove the lure from my snap, hand him the 40‑gram lead ball as well, and remind him of the technique:
And then it happened again — the boat still anchored on the same spot — and barely three casts later:
Armand hooks into a massive fish as well!
What a beast: a beautiful fat pike lady of 112 cm!!!
Fun detail: Armand himself is a massive guy — look at the photo — he’s 1m96!
UPSIZING!!!
A top day — few fish, but very big ones!
Unforgettable memories.