Monday September 26th, at 0630 I set off for the club’s mixed fishery (aka tench/bream pool AA-B) arriving in my selected swim just short of the end of the near end of the pool’s island at 0710.
The earliness of the day and the greyness of the day ensured that I got my intended swim as I was the first, and only angler there up to the time I left.
Weather on the day was not good, gusty with cold 14-15mph winds, switching between grey overcast with showers and bright blue skies at 10 minute intervals at times…
All the usual preps re: pre-feed (3 small balls of cereal/particles/dead maggots) and station layout performed I tackled up my 13’ float rod – well, actually, I didn’t as it was already tackled up as needed from my previous outing with 6lb mainline, 6” of 6lb braid hooklength to size 12 hook, and my driftbeater float set up for lift method style…
Baited up with worm, threaded on to the hooklength with a baiting needle, first cast was made at 0745…
Up to 0845 I was getting lifts and dips almost every cast but not connecting and suspect the culprit were small perch grabbing the worm’s tail … and at 0845 I did hook into one, proving the point, albeit it slipped the hook at the surface.
All continued as was until 0940 when I struck into a good fish – I suspect a carp as although hooked off the edge of a lily pad patch the fish immediately shot out towards open water whereby a tench would have almost certainly have dived into the pads … but short story as my line parted about 6” above the anchor shot …
I re-tackled and fished on for a while … dips, lifts and bobs but no connections … until I had a strikeable indication but unfortunately a bit too violently as the terminal tackle flipped into the bush and reeds alongside me … I managed to free albeit with the loss of the float that came adrift of the quick change adapter and a tangle in the end of the tackle.
At this point it was drizzling quite heavily and into the distance was just grey skies … and my hands were too cold to attempt to unravel the tangle or even just cut it off and re-tackle from scratch … so the tackle was packed up at 1030-1045’ish and I headed home.
So the new 36” landing net did not get christened J
FLOAT ADAPTATION
My driftbeater floats (Premier brand) are nice floats but I do find the sight bobs a little too large/buoyant in that it takes around 1AAA or SSG shot to sink them meaning that if I’m fishing with a SSG shot as the anchor and the bob just above surface, then a small gust that tilts the float can cause the shot to lift and/or move slightly and the float/line need resetting … adding another SSG which would mean that in the case of a gust the bob would just slide under momentarily without disturbing lie of the terminal tackle would mean that there would be extra weight for the fish to feel when it took the bait.
So, I experimented, and sliced off this fitted balsa wood bob and replaced by gluing on a small (ca 9.5mm) polystyrene ball which was then painted with fluoro yellow acrylic paint – I’ve now got fluoro orange on order too for future updates.
It all worked very well and I intend to make amendments to all by driftbeaters – possibly doing some with two balls butted together, one yellow and one orange. I may even try 2 ball versions with a small (1/2”?) gap between…
Unfortunately my trial float was the one that was lost on this last outing :(
PLANS
As said previously next outings are likely to be in the week 10th to 16th October due to expected deliveries, holidays, etc.
Thursday night this week – the 60 Year Anniversary Re-union of the Class of ’62 – which was my first year at grammar school … and the school’s second year of operation I believe so only one year in front of us.
Last re-union was full of old people!! LOL! And seems that we are starting to fall at the wayside – just 37 have confirmed attending this time – a lot less than the 55 year one…
stevetheangler 
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