WHAT FISHING'S ALL ABOUT....

[Janet]

I wish someone would explain to me what the fascination is with fishing….I’m beginning to think it’s a bit addictive….like drugs, only legal! Well, only just legal for me, as my rod licence has expired and I can’t afford to replace it until pay day next week. Still, as I won’t be fishing again for another couple of weeks, I opted to ring a very nice gentleman at the EA and sorted myself a day licence out for the princely sum of £3.50. A couple of people (non-anglers) had suggested to me that as nobody ever goes near our little lake, then I could get away without one, but that wouldn’t have been right, and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the day. There, that’s my mini-rant about licences over and done with for another season!

 

I’m currently aching from head to foot after a day on my club lake, and I’m tired beyond belief. After the humiliation of the Work Party match last weekend, it was with some trepidation that I agreed to a trip back to the lake today. I’d just finished listing all my tackle on E-Bay when I got a text message from my fishing nemesis Paul, asking if I wanted to go back to the lake for a day…after my initial reaction, which was to invite him to insert his pole sideways where the sun don’t shine, I decided “why not”….just one more go before I retreat to the relative safety of knitting and making macramé hanging baskets.

 

After agreeing a start time of 6.30ish, what did I do? I woke up at 2.15am! I was only going on a fishing trip to a lake that seemed to be conspiring against me, but man, I was buzzing! There was no way I could get back to sleep, so I made a brew (or several….), had a nice long shower, read a book, pottered around the Internet and then paced the floor like an expectant father waiting for the arrival of a new baby. Pah! What did I get when the moment finally arrived? A new look Paul! Just like a new baby really….wrinkled, bald, noisy and full of crap!! He’d had a mad moment with a shaver, and I wasn’t quite sure it was the same person I’d been fishing with for the past couple of years until he opened his mouth and started slagging me off….oh yes, it was still the same old Paul!

 

We arrived at the lake at about 7.15, and I commenced my usual Sherpa duties, carrying all our tackle round to our chosen pegs. Paul has informed me on several occasions that he’s bought me a trolley to help, but for some reason he omits to pack it on every bleedin’ occasion! Honestly, he calls me all the names under the sun for packing everything but the kitchen sink, but you should see the amount of stuff he takes with him!

 

 

Despite the weather forecasts predicting a mild night, we woke to a covering of frost, which sparkled in the sunlight and sounded lovely as it crunched underfoot, but wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for in anticipation of a day fishing. We had the same thing last weekend, and the fishing proved to be dire. However, the sky was blue and the sun was peeping through. The lake was like a mirror, with a lovely mist rising off the surface and lots of signs of fish activity.

 

 

By the way, the fence at the back of the lake may look a bit stark, but it was only added back in February, to stop the sheep breaking in, eating the shrubs and pooing everywhere. We've recently purchased some paint/preservative to protect it and to make it blend in more, and that job should be done in the next week or two, weather permitting.

 

On walking round, it was good to see that there was new growth everywhere, and soon the old, barren stems will be replaced with lush new growth. By mid-summer each peg is almost totally hidden amongst reed-mace, lilies and the trees that line the bank.

 

 

I decided to revert to my comfort zone, and fish my favourite peg, number 6.

 

 

Yes, Tackle Tarts-R-Us.......

 

It meant I was out of the sunshine until later in the day, but I know this peg like the back of my hand and I wanted to get some sort of result after blanking in the match, just to boost my confidence a bit. It’s not always a guaranteed winner, but I can usually winkle out a few fish. All I needed was to beat Paul and get a head start in our (normally!) friendly fishing competition for this season! I opted not to put any loose feed in to start, so just checked the depth and hooked on a highly trained white maggot. I didn’t have long to wait – my first cast produced my first fish – a tiddly little roach that looked as surprised to be caught as I did when I realised that it was there! That was followed by another two of a similar size.

 

A change of bait from maggot to worm and some introduced feed of caster, chopped worm and small pellets produced my next fish – a perfect little ide, about eight inches long, with salmon pink fins and an attitude that belied its size, closely followed by another, which may well have been the same greedy fish!

 

The bites were coming thick and fast, but they proved impossible to hit. Very frustrating! I’d gone down from my usual size 14 hook to a size 18, and the smallest float I could find, but the beasties were still eluding me. Devious little beggars! Paul managed to tempt a nice little mirror carp into his net quite early in the morning, but spent most of the rest of the day being totally frustrated by missed bites, lost fish, tangled tackle and any other calamity you’d care to name apart from fire, flood and pestilence! It was quite funny at the outset, but as the day went on I really began to feel sorry for him! There’s no doubt at all that he hooked by far the largest fish of the day – I saw his float go under, and I saw the bend in his rod. That was a serious fish! Unfortunately it dived into the lily bed for sanctuary. It was so big and so quick that there was no way he could stop it. Once there, it wasn’t going to budge, and eventually he lost it. Although he won’t believe me, I was gutted for him. That certainly would have been the catch of the day….

 

Several other anglers arrived during the day. Roy was unusually tardy, arriving later in the morning...

 

 

... but managed to net a few fish, lose his float (then retrieve it again…!) and also lost several good fish to the lilies. Alan also came up quite early – set up on peg 2 and told Roy he’d show him how to fish it after Roy’s bad luck on the same peg in the match last week. Guess what? Famous last words! Alan blanked and retreated to the back pond where he proceeded to catch a couple of “carrots” (golden orfe?) Les, the runner-up in last week’s match set up on peg 1, and managed about a dozen fish, including a nice couple of ide, skimmers, a few roach, a small barbel in fabulous condition and a cracking baby barbel (gudgeon!)

 

By lunchtime the hunger pans were starting to kick in, so I reeled in and went to the cabin to heat up a pan of beef stew that I’d prepared the previous day. It really is a godsend having this fishing cabin. Sandwiches and snacks are all well and good, but on chilly winter’s day there’s nothing quite like something hot and sustaining to keep the cold at bay and provide some energy for a few more hours fishing. I’d taken enough up for three, knowing that Roy would almost certainly be there. On reflection I wish I’d made a larger pan, as I think the others would also have appreciated something to warm them up a bit. I made potato and leek soup for everyone on the Work Party day, and it was snaffled as soon as it was ready, along with the bacon butties that Paul provided. As we have all the cooking facilities we need, I’m going to start looking out some recipes for decent soups, stews and broths that I can make in larger quantities. I guess I must have a mothering instinct somewhere!

 

Ray arrived mid-afternoon (Is Ray the most common name amongst anglers?) Anyway, this was the OTHER Ray (ie. the one who isn’t blind as a bat….) He set up on peg 4 – the one where I’d blanked so ignominiously the previous week . He arrived with minimal tackle – telescopic rod, bait, folding stool and one tiny tackle box and proceeded to haul in the largest perch we’ve ever seen on here. We know there are some in here, but they come out very rarely, and none of us have succeeded in catching anything over about 6oz. This was a stonker for this lake! I heard the shout of “perch” as I was in the cabin making a brew for HWMBO, so I raced round to have a look and sure enough, he’d got a real beauty! I know it’s daft, and many of you catch much larger fish than that, but it really is a rarity for a perch of any size to come out on this lake. 20lb carp or 1lb perch from a lake where they aren’t supposed to be that big? I know which I’d rather have! Lovely fish, in lovely condition. Great catch Ray, and very well done to you!

 

 

I did manage a couple of decent fish in amongst the small stuff. I’d only just commented to Paul that the bream seemed to be absent for a change (I can normally always count on a couple of decent large bream in this swim) when my float dived under and the fish took off, quite literally! The float had only just bobbed under when this bream simply launched itself out of the water like a dolphin…..I expect that of the carp in here, but not the bream? That of course induced lots of cheap cracks from Paul and Roy, concerning the jetty that they seem to think I am building with my loose feed and ground bait. (I have been accused of trying to build my own personal feature, and a walkway out to the island – hence my peg is now known as Janet’s Jetty….!) They now seem to think that I have built a ski-jump platform, which the fish swam up as it was trying to escape! I’ll have the last laugh though – I’m building a skateboard park next!

 

In the end I managed two decent bream - one of about two and a half pounds, followed by one of about three – it needed a bit of Klin-Ik though, as it appeared to have had suffered a cormorant or heron attack on one of its gill covers. Luckily we haven’t seen any cormorants for a while, but the heron circled overhead a couple of times during the day. I really don’t mind the herons, as I think they’re magnificent creatures, and so far as I’m aware, only take enough to eat. Cormorants, however, are a rather different matter….

 

However, the highlight of the day for me was when Mick arrived with his young son Sam. Rather late in the day, but hey, even an hour or two on the bank is better than real life! They set up together on peg 8 and it wasn’t long before Sam’s float was away with a vengeance, putting Dad to shame! What about this for a result! The best fish of the day by far, and just look at that grin! That really is what it’s all about!

 

What have we got?

 

 

Dad giving very careful instruction on fish handling....

 

 

What a result!

 

 

He caught another smaller one shortly afterwards,

 

 

The sheer enthusiasm and the grin really made the day for me, and everyone else there. That lovely little kid wasn't stuck behind a computer screen - he was out on the bank with his father, taking in the wildlife, learning to fish and loving every minute. Absolutely fabulous. There may have been a few people gnashing their teeth in frustration at being whooped by a kiddie, but none of them begrudged him that great catch. Well done Sam!

 

...but then he did rather ruin it all by falling in half an hour later! Unfortunately I was at the other side of the lake minus camera, but I did witness it! I jokingly asked him to do it again for the lens and he was ready to dive in again until Dad stopped him! Don’t you just love the exuberance of kids? At least Dad had the decency to stop him going back in - when he fell in, all he did was stand by and laugh! To be fair, it was only a couple of feet deep and Sam wasn’t in any danger. However, I’ve given him the number for Childline….

 

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the day, despite only having eight fish in a thirteen hour session. I was glad to leave, but only because my back was playing up a bit and I knew that I had to get up for work today. I would have loved to have stayed on for a while longer. If it had been a Saturday night we would have still been there! Roll on the Summer when we can have a few overnight sessions again. We reluctantly left our fellow anglers to enjoy a most perfect evening....

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Paul for the transport, heckling and encouragement…..and just where is my egg butty? Thanks to Roy for providing the D-I-Y float retrieval video…coming to a cinema near you soon…..Thanks to Sam for the impromptu dip! I know you were cold, but honestly, it was really very funny! Thanks also to all the other members who appeared at various times throughout the day. The craic was brilliant, and I feel very lucky to be a part of this special little club.

 

And just for the record – the final score? Janet 8….Paul 3 (or, to put it another way……na na ne nar nar!!!!!!!)

 

Janet

[Andrew Burgess]

Janet, as usual another great write up!

[BoldBear]

Keep them coming Janet, great read as usual

[1superken]

Good stuff Janet you've just inspired me to go & get my tackle out

[Anderoo]

Thanks Janet

 

The look on that little boy's face sums it all up, doesn't it. He'll still remember that in 20 years!

[James P]

Yet another great write up Janet. I love reading your stories and they always get me itching to get out on the bank.

 

As a side issue, I spotted your korum chair and ruckbag and wondered what you thought of them. I love the idea of how they workas they would suit my style of fishing perfectly, and i'm thinking of investing in the pair and would appreciate some feedback.

 

Thanks

 

James

[Janet]

Janet you've just inspired me to go & get my tackle out

 

Be afraid, be very afraid......

 

I spotted your korum chair and ruckbag and wondered what you thought of them

 

James, I have absolutely no complaints about either of them. I've used them both for over a year now and found them excellent for what I need. The bag is like a Tardis - it seems to swallow everything I throw at it, with room to spare. It has loads of internal and external pockets, and best of all, it simply slides under the chair if I need to keep it out of the rain. It’s comfortable to carry, although I must say that now I have transport, I haven’t used it attached to the chair for a long time. However, when I was using it that way I found it extremely comfortable, even with a long hike to the lake or river I was fishing.

 

Almost all the extras I’ve added are Preston Innovations OnBox additions. I use the bait waiter which you can see in the picture, and also a side tray set on the other side. The main trays (the ones that attach to the chair) I simply store in between the seat and back of the chair when I fold it up, secured by Korum bungee cords to stop them falling out, and the other trays and bait boxes fit in the ruckbag. My unhooking mat simply fits down the back of the chair once it’s folded up. I’ve also added a brolly arm, a keepnet arm for when I use one, (very rarely!) an extendable feeder arm/rod rest and various other spacer bars and cross arms to cope with all my bits and pieces.

 

I think the chair and ruckbag are extremely well priced and excellent value considering the use and abuse they’ve had, but the Prestons extras are rather expensive, so I’ve just added them gradually as funds have allowed. Although I think they’re a bit on the high side regarding price, the quality is good and I think I’ve made a good investment in decent kit that will last me for a long time.

 

You ought to see Paul’s chair! Entirely home made, cost him next to nothing and works just as well, if not better than mine! It has every attachment you can think of for fishing both float, feeder or pole, and he’s done it all himself. It does help that he’s an engineer by trade, and has the knowledge and the tools to do it. I don’t have any such skills, so my tackle shop owner lurrrves me!!!

 

Hope that’s of some help!

 

Janet

[James P]

Be afraid, be very afraid......

 

 

 

James, I have absolutely no complaints about either of them. I've used them both for over a year now and found them excellent for what I need. The bag is like a Tardis - it seems to swallow everything I throw at it, with room to spare. It has loads of internal and external pockets, and best of all, it simply slides under the chair if I need to keep it out of the rain. It’s comfortable to carry, although I must say that now I have transport, I haven’t used it attached to the chair for a long time. However, when I was using it that way I found it extremely comfortable, even with a long hike to the lake or river I was fishing.

 

Almost all the extras I’ve added are Preston Innovations OnBox additions. I use the bait waiter which you can see in the picture, and also a side tray set on the other side. The main trays (the ones that attach to the chair) I simply store in between the seat and back of the chair when I fold it up, secured by Korum bungee cords to stop them falling out, and the other trays and bait boxes fit in the ruckbag. My unhooking mat simply fits down the back of the chair once it’s folded up. I’ve also added a brolly arm, a keepnet arm for when I use one, (very rarely!) an extendable feeder arm/rod rest and various other spacer bars and cross arms to cope with all my bits and pieces.

 

I think the chair and ruckbag are extremely well priced and excellent value considering the use and abuse they’ve had, but the Prestons extras are rather expensive, so I’ve just added them gradually as funds have allowed. Although I think they’re a bit on the high side regarding price, the quality is good and I think I’ve made a good investment in decent kit that will last me for a long time.

 

You ought to see Paul’s chair! Entirely home made, cost him next to nothing and works just as well, if not better than mine! It has every attachment you can think of for fishing both float, feeder or pole, and he’s done it all himself. It does help that he’s an engineer by trade, and has the knowledge and the tools to do it. I don’t have any such skills, so my tackle shop owner lurrrves me!!!

 

Hope that’s of some help!

 

Janet

 

 

That's me sold Janet!!!

 

Thanks for the information. I'll pop to the local shop tomorrow and get the pair before fishing on Fri, otherwise i'll be sitting on a wet bank!

 

I'll probably go for an umbrella arm and side tray at some point. I like the fact i'll be able to connect an umbrella to the chair as it's a godsend on hard banks or platforms.

 

I do quite a bit of roving type angling as well so the fact that the chair clips to the bag and is easy to carry is a big point for me. I like to keep my tackle simple and to a minimum so I think I could use the two for almost all of my fishing.

 

On another side not - your photos always look good. What camera do you use when you're on the bank?

 

Well done to Paul for making his own chair. I'm quite a hands-on practical kind of guy but i'd draw the line at making one of those. I bet it looks like the chair equivalent of something from Pimp My Ride!

 

Thanks

 

James

Edited April 8, 2009 by James P

[Dick Dastardly]

Another great write up Janet thanks for that.

[WickerDave]

Nice report and pictures as usual, Janet. But 8 fish in 13 hours, including some tiddlers. The company must be really good, or else you should be sticking to the knitting .