A couple of seasons ago I was down on the Avon at Britford trying to show Claudia Crowther (remember her?) how to trot a float for Roach and Dace, using maggot as feed and hook bait.
The swim built well to a bite per cast then went a little quiet.
I told Claudia that probably there were a few small Pike in the swim when my float dipped, I struck, and proceeded to play a jack of about 3 pounds, on a Dawa Amorphous rod, 3lb main line and 1.5lb B/S/ hook length, off of a Purist centrepin, with a size 18' hook and single red maggot.
I had just got it almost to the landing net when the largest swirl I've ever seen occured right by the jack pike and a fully grown 'mother' of well over 20lbs tried to grab herself an early supper.
I virtually swung the jack out of the water and onto the bank while the bailiff (Stuart) stood there telling us that was the largest pike in his section of the river.