stevetheangler

So, as noted in the previous posting, on Thursday 11th August I set off for a session at the club’s carp/bream pool (AA-GH) at 0600 arriving at 0625 and was pleased to note that I was the first to arrive … actually, EXTREMELY pleased to be the first as, given the weather, I had one particular peg in mind, a small east bank one that was surrounded by bushes and tall trees that ensured, until midday at least, relief from the direct heat of the sun for most of the session…

Main tackle for the day was my ledger setup of 2 x 11 foot 1.75lb TC rods, both set up with 8lb mainline, size 6 hooks to 6in of 8lb, and frame feeders … and my rod pod  with my two NDT K9v bite alarms.

I also set up my ‘floater’ rod – a 1.75lb TC ‘Winfield Specialist Angler’ with 12lb mainline direct to a size 2 hook … and a small medicine bottle cork to act as an indicator … and as carp were active on the surface I did have a 30 minute spell casting out bread crust and Bakers’ Meaty Meal cubes but although the cork did occasionally warrant inspection the baits were seriously ignored.

Back to main rods, the frame feeders were loaded with particle and dead maggot bearing cereal groundbaits and on the hook the two main baits used were 1.5” squares of bread compressed to leave a fluffy bell end and dipped in ‘Monster Crab’ dip and calamari/squid strips which had proved successful in previous visits.

First casts made at 0730 with the bread and calamari baits … and retrievals were made at 30 minute intervals to reload the feeders.

At  0910 the first proper bite of the day led to the landing of a 3lb 9oz mirror carp…

[No photos today … the photo I took of the start of day ‘general’ view I did as a ‘3D’ photo on my mobile and didn’t translate well … the fish photos didn’t turn out well either so …]

1125… another take on the calamari but after a battle of a few minutes the hook length line parted about 2in from the hook…

1315… a new cast was taken very quickly on calamari/mussel cocktail resulting in a very hard fighting 4lb 15oz common carp coming to the net…

[A quick note re: my seafood baits… rather than keep them frozen I started storing by salting them some time ago. Advantage of that is twofold – (1) no longer need freezer space as can be stored in the fridge and (2) no longer goes off after being taken to the waterside frozen and allowed to thaw – even if refrozen on return (something we wouldn’t do for human consumption anyway)… so the bait is usable longer  = cheaper as less need discard to replace with fresh after each trip. Also I have noted that salted baits seem preferable to the fish themselves esp carp and on occasions I have used salted prawns which chub seemed to accept more freely than fresh/unfrozen versions. Many commercial carp particle mixes include a fair amount of salt in there ingredients list… might be a predator plus too on grounds that the predominant flavour of blood is salt … and saltwater baits eg sardine, herring are successful pike baits and smelt is liked by chub going by Liz’s pike fishing efforts with zero pike on smelt but 5-6 chub caught on them … although less true possibly for perch and zander?]

1400… with the sun moving out over the pool in front of me plus the need to pick up medications from the pharmacy plus having to pick Liz up from work plus the usual bait/tackle packing away and showering … started the tackle down and drove away…

PLANS

Saturday … a visit to one of my possible new maggot/tackle suppliers to make a test purchase of maggots and a peruse of tackle… :)

Monday – possible fishing although BBC Weather is reporting rain – and the Met Office has issued a Yellow Alert Rain warning too.

In fact, BBC Weather is reporting rain on Monday PLUS rain on 9 of the 10 following days of which 4-5 are thunderstorm warnings… seems we are leaving the realms of hosepipe bans and depleted reservoirs and venturing back to flood warnings. And, given this and the forecast, the meeting of the National Drought Committee due in a couple of days(?) rings memories of our most successful minister ever, Dennis Howell, who was then Minister of Sport and was given the new post of Minister of Drought – and within two days of his new appointment in 1976, the heavens opened following a 6 week dry spell! Could be a touch of déjà vu? And could show how to resolve droughts in the future? Just create a government ‘Drought’ body when needed? LOL!

Oh well, guys and dolls, other stuff to be done now :) Back soon!