So, on Monday February 18th , Liz and I set off for our day on a pool … and, as usual, not on either of the pools mentioned in the last posting, the decision being based on the ground conditions as being too muddy to travel the path between those two pools as expected – and then deciding to opt for an entirely different pool (KF-VV).
The pool is a well stocked mixed fishery … basically a commercial without the tea rooms, gravel/tarmac/concrete track to park at your peg, etc. But is secluded and quiet and pleasant with a view down and across the River Severn valley… and only a small’ish pool anyway so easy to walk the entire perimeter and the car par park is 20 yards from the near end dam wall…
Overall, it was quite a pleasant day with the wind coming from predominantly the south … so as the poem goes..
When the wind’s in the South
It blows the bait in the mouth
When the wind’s in the West
The fish bite the best
When the wind’s in the East
The fish bite the least
When the wind’s in the North
Then fishing’s not worth..
it
… and air temps were reasonable, around 8’C-10’C although as an elevated area there was a bit of wind chill factor that came into play when the breeze kicked in at times … and at 1100 we did have a few short and relatively light spottings of rain over an hour long period.
As first arrivals at the pool we had choice of swims and chose a pair of swims we’d not fished from before. Usually our first choice of swims is the side of an east bank promontory facing south to an island with bushes overhanging the water and only a narrow channel (10-15 yards, if that) of water lies between … and this is known as ‘Chub Alley’ within the club due to the large numbers of chub that lie under the cover of the bushes – also carp and perch can be caught there. Our second choice swims are on the west bank by the line of conifers that can be seen in the two photos above which allows fishing to open water or to 3 islands (one being the end of the one that forms part of ‘Chub Alley’, and two smaller ones). However, as I say we elected to try these new-to-us pegs situated on another promontory just before the ‘Chub Alley’ one…
So, in the picture above … CA = Chub Alley, CO = Conifers, S = Steve casting to X, L = Liz casting to Y.
Whether this was a good choice is matter of debate as the only two other anglers of the day, who came just 15-30 minutes after our arrival, chose to fish ‘Chub Alley’ and had a good day with a good number of sizeable chub and carp on the float…
BUT…. I did wish to feeder fish for a change and CA, due to its width, has only the one peg where that is feasible, at least that is so when using two rods, and that’s at the end of the promontory casting out from the actual channel towards island ‘Y’ and that’s Liz’s peg when we fish there…
Anyway, not complaining as we did catch… :)
Liz and I both ledger fished – Liz with maggot feeders with maggot and corn and meat baits, myself I fished 2 1/8oz frame feeders baited with worm on a size 12 hook on one rod and bread flake on a size 6 hook on the other.
First casts were made about 0900 and Liz had first blood with a nice roach of around 8oz with maggot at about 1130 …. and then at 1210 I had a common carp of 4lb 2oz on worm which I’d just removed the hook from but not yet weighed when Liz’s buzzer fired into action again and a 2lb 7oz chub taken on maggot was landed … and the new Korum Fast Mat was a blessing – like a lightweight carp cradle my carp could be kept safely confined and wet in a depth of water within its confines whilst Liz’s fish was landed and unhooked alongside. Both fish were then weighed, photo’d and returned with the minimum of fuss…
… we actually have a Fast Mat each but as on this occasion we were literally sitting within a few feet of each other we had decided to only set up the one but, as I said, had no problem dealing with these two fish at all…
1210 and I was again back in the action landing a 2lb 5oz chub taken on bread … and then at 1310, again on bread, I had another common carp this time of 6lb 5oz…
After this it we were both getting quick knocks and pulls but nothing was hooked and at 1500 we packed in – because (a) it was getting a bit chilly in the breeze despite the bright sunshine and (b) our local opens at 1600 and is about 40 minutes away LOL! However, on this occasion we also needed to go to the garage to clean the car up and check tyre pressures for the following day’s MOT testing….
AND … had a mishap on the way home….
Driving down a country lane – narrow but wide enough to accomodate two cars easily – a car comes in the opposite direction and I move over to my left as far as possible, in fact my nearside tyres are off the tarmac and on the soil edging and basically unable to move over further due to a ditch and a tree, whereas the other car remains well out from her edge (I reckon she’d at least 18” of tarmac on her nearside looking at my dashcam footage) – and ***BANNGGG*** …. a wing mirror clash which resulted in not only my mirror glass getting shattered but also the casing/surround broken. I see the other car stop in my mirror but I had travelled on a bit far by the time I’d realised what had happened and if I’d have stopped immediately I’d have been a far distance away and be unable to ‘U’ turn easily in the narrow road so I continued to a farm gate where I could pull in, reverse and drive back up – which I did and arrived at the scene within 45 seconds (as shown on dashcam) but other car had now disappeared. Even drove up to the ‘T’ junction 50 yards past the point to see if I could spot the car around that area but no joy and would have been a 50/50 guess as to which direction the car would have taken off in…
So, now, car’s in for MOT and having mirror being looked at … garage man said he’s an old Seat Alhambra in the compound he can take the mirrors off – I’ve a Ford Galaxy, which is basically the same motor as the Seat Alhambra and the VW Sharan – with only slight cosmetic bodywork differences – one being that wing mirror fittings are identical on each but the actual mirror casings are aesthetically different so just replacing the broken Ford mirror with a Seat one and leaving the other Ford one would look strange so changing both – says cheaper than obtaining a new Ford replacement anyway as he’d have to search broker’s yards to locate one which would take time too as getting scarce due to age of vehicle.
SO… the car latest … couldn’t finish the work today and Liz needs car for work tomorrow so its arranged to finish it off on Friday … some minor MOT work needed to be completed but as current MOT lasts until 9th March and car safe to drive in the meantime that’s OK but means that I won’t be able to fish again until next week, hopefully Monday..
No water temps … forgot to take them!!
stevetheangler 
Leave a Reply