stevetheangler

The previous session I’d actually been out with the rods in hand was April 5^th and so it was May 4^th that – a month but a day later – that I finally managed to get back out again. Holidays and weather taking their toll of the available time…

So … I decided to have a float fishing day at one of my club’s mixed fisheries – KF-VV – and set off at 0615, arriving at 0645. I’d pre-decided my swim – if it was free, and as I was the first to arrive I got it – although maybe not the best choice it seems as witnessed by other’s catches – but after a month it was just great being back on the banks – in good weather too J. Anyway, the swim faced on to a small island and usually a good spot for perch and bream – and the inevitable carp or two.

First 45 mins or so were spent setting up my ‘station’, scales, mats, nets, etc and feeding my swim with particle laced (stewed hemp, stewed wheat, stewed maize, ground hemp, ground wheat and ground bird seed), yellow coloured, groundbait (3 cricket ball sized lumps), 2mm pellets and floating fish food (idea is as the groundbait balls break up the the floating pellets rise from the bottom adding attraction) and dead maggots (well, I thought they were dead – had been in the freezer for several weeks in an airtight bag with air squeezed out and then been moved to the fridge for the month I’d not fished, still in the unopened bag, but by mid-afternoon they were starting to revive … Lazarus Maggots!).

So, first cast was made at around 0815. I fished ‘lift method’ style with a loaded, bodied, 1 SSG waggler using approx 1AAA worth of over-shot to hold securely against the water drift and with 1BB worth of the ‘cocking’ shot used about 15” above float in order to aid sinking of the line. Line was my usual Daiwa Hyper Sensor, 6lb BS with a 6” hooklength of 6lb Dyneema braid to size 16 or 12 hook (maggot = 16, worm = 12).

First casts and I was getting knocks and bobs every cast with maggot which boded well it seemed for the day – and that continued virtually throughout the day but I was unable to covert to those bobs into connections – and it was after midday – and a change from maggot to worm – that I had my first fish of the day – a 4lb 4oz mirror carp, small but feisty! In fact, I’ve landed fish two/three times the size in less than half the time… at first it felt like a good sized perch, then it seemed to suddenly become a big pondering weight – first thought was that a pike had taken it BUT there are NO pike in the pool – then it went for boring runs – then into the reed beds at the pool edge – and it was ages until I could get its head up to see what it actually was….

Over the rest of the day I had 1 small gudgeon, 2 perch (together would struggle to make 1oz), a rudd (3oz) and a roach (4oz)….

Still, it was a nice day to be out…

As I was just about ready to make my first cast another angler arrived and set himself up at the end of the pool to my right – and seemed to be catching a few. Around 11am another arrived – think he was a new club member as he came to speak about the pool, best swims, etc – and I pointed him to an area called ‘chub alley’ where he did go and fish, and seemed to be catching OK (I saw 5-6 chub being landed)… 2 others arrived later, pals of the ‘chub alley’ man I think as they set up close by him but were out of my view due to the island in front of me, and assume they were catching as ‘CA’ guy moved to fish alongside them a little later.

So… that was my day… but I’ve a fair bit of fishing due over the next 10 days or so… Liz is going to Cyprus on the 8^th May for a week which means I get the car 24/7 and free to go wherever and whenever…. and I’m planning to have 5, maybe 6, outings in that time.

First outing on Wednesday 9^th will be to a local pool that contains grass carp to high double figures and which I’ve not fished in a long time (probably 12-18 months) – means that I can get a decent session in and still get home early as I have to attend the AGM of one of my clubs the same evening. Thursday 10^th off to a club carp pool but in search of perch and tench mainly. Friday 11^th, another small club pool… Sat/Sun probably rest and restock days… Monday 14^th, visit a large reservoir that a club has but which I’ve not yet visited. Tuesday 15^th either carping or not-carping ie either a particular carp pool or a particular non-carp pool depending on weather and whim. Wednesday 16^th Liz lands back home at 0200 so I’ll be off to collect her… And then decide where to go on Friday 18^th…..