JANET v PAUL

[Janet]

Well, I’d love to tell you that I’ve been off fishing somewhere new….but you’d never believe me, would you? Yes, once again I’ve been on my favourite little club lake, and what a day to do it! After a chilly and rather frosty start, the day turned into an absolute scorcher – let’s hope that isn’t the summer finished before it’s started!

 

We’d planned an early start, but we had some company this week, as Paul’s son Ashley was going to join us for the day. Paul opted to take him up early, then come down to collect me as there wasn’t room in the car for three of us and all our tackle for a long day. Three rod bags, chairs, tackle bags, seat box, food, kitchen sink, microwave, toaster, cuddly toy…..you get the idea? His plan suited my fine, as Ashley took on Sherpa duties so when we finally arrived, I only had my own gear to lug round to my peg. I really don’t mind helping Paul with his tackle (oooooh errrrr missus!!!!!) but he could at least have the decency to buy something in a more subltle colour than the luminous green/yellow stuff he has….yes, I know it means that he won’t lose it in the undergrowth like camo gear, but honestly, it really clashes with my designer look….after all, one has to keep up appearances, doesn’t one?

 

When Paul picked me up, we had one chore to do before we could set off up to the lake – empty the dog! Not really a chore, as it involved a lovely walk through our local woods as the sun came up. It couldn’t have been more perfect. There was a fabulous crisp, clear, early morning light that just seemed to wash everything with a rather surreal glow. Unfortunately the batteries in my new camera died after just the one shot...

 

 

However, the birds in the wood were clearly early risers, and it was an absolute cacophony of noisy bird calls, most of which I didn’t recognise. One was particularly fun though….we could hear a woodpecker in the distance. It tap-tap-tap-tap-tapped like a little muted sub-machine gun. Suddenly it’s call was answered by another one, very close overhead which had me in fits of giggles. I’ve never heard anything so loud from a bird! I left the path and went into the woods to try and spot it, but although it was clearly overhead it was completely camouflaged and I just couldn’t find it. We did see it later however, but it was too fleeting a glimpse for me to get a good look.

 

The hedgerows were alive with activity from blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits and some delightful little wrens, whilst overhead there were magpies, crows, blackbirds and the fattest woodpigeons I’ve seen in ages! We also spotted a heron flying over the field. At times there are tens of these birds grouped together out on the fields, but I don’t usually get there early in the morning so I’ve never been privileged to witness this. Paul had to help me to identify many of the birds and their songs, and he was able to point out to me the nest site of the woodpeckers, although they didn’t go near it whilst I was watching.

 

Once Max (the slobbering soft Rotty)

 

 

 

had done what a dog has to do, it was time to head back to my place, load my gear in the car and go fishing! When we arrived, the lake was like a mirror – for once we didn’t have even a breath of wind, which is always a relief on here. However, it was a bit nippy, so I kept all my layers on whilst I set up! It didn’t take long until I was ready to wet a line – I’ve finally got myself into a bit of a routine instead of spending ages faffing around! It wasn’t long before I was into my first fish – wouldn’t you just know it? A flaming bream! Don’t get me wrong, I love catching all kinds of fish, but big bream? You can keep ‘em! Horrible snotty, slimy things! I’ve now developed the delicate art of unhooking them whilst still in the water without touching them (actually, I do that with most fish, but especially so with these things!) Still, it was a good fish for our lake – about two pounds in weight, not a mark on it, and covered in little white spots which I now know are signs of breeding activity and not some dreadful lurgy!

 

Shortly after that I landed a nice little mirror of about two pounds, followed by yet another big bream, about twice the size of its predecessor. Sometimes I wonder why I fish this peg, as I KNOW I’m always going to be pulling in bream! That was then followed by yet another….thankfully that was to be the last I saw of them for the day! I must say though that I love my new “bendy rod” – look at the pattern that shows up on it in the sunlight! Got to be worth every penny for that, hasn’t it?

 

 

And this is my new reel….today was the first time it’s really been put to the test.

 

 

I love it! I wasn’t sure about the two handles, but I’ve found that in use it’s not much different to my other Shimano’s, although the sound of a fish stripping line off it is rather more satisfying when you know you’ve paid serious money! I’m sure that if I’d used my £29.99 starter rod and reel that I would have had just the same result today…..the fish don’t seem to take heed of what gear you’re using!

 

Normally I’m plagued by bites from nuisance fish, but today was the exception to the rule. There were long, very, very long periods with absolutely no bites, followed by frantic action on my part. However, I think I spent more time wandering round with my new camera than I did actually fishing! I generally fished for about half an hour, then went a-wandering to chat to the other anglers…..resting my swim like this really did seem to pay off. Then again, it may just have been beginners luck!

 

Once we started to get peckish, I headed off to the cabin and rustled up some hot bacon rolls for myself, Paul and Ashley and heated up some stew for Roy. Our cabin really is worth its weight in gold sometimes. We (or should I say I?) can always rustle up a hot brew or something warming to eat. We should have had the rolls ready, but both of us had run out of bread the previous evening, so we had to wait for the farm shop to open at 10.00am. Still, a freshly cooked and hot bacon butty is infinitely preferable to a cold bacon toastie! The day stayed very chilly up until about lunchtime, so something warming was definitely in order. Lunch (or afternoon tea….) was home made beef stew with dumplings….I HAD to do dumplings this time, as Paul whinges every time if I don’t! Pah! I spoil these buggers! It seemed to go down very well though, so if they don’t **** me off too much, I’ll continue cooking for them! It’s the mothering instinct in me….

 

We appear to have visitors in the back pond.....

 

 

 

 

In between wandering round, talking to the other anglers and playing with my new camera, I did manage a few more fish….a nice common of about three pounds, followed by another absolute beauty. This little beastie bent my rod almost double as it tried to dive into the lilies – I knew it was a PB for me, so I grovelled nicely and Paul weighed it in for me. 4lb 4oz…..Not huge by any stretch of the imagination, but size is relative, and that is very good for a common carp on this little lake. I did get full value for money though! I didn't know that fish on this lake were on a BOFOFF? I netted the fish, when suddenly it gave a sort of hiccup and spat out a roach of about three inches long, still alive but looking a bit the worse for wear...I rather think that Paul was right in his view that the fish were feeding on natural baits rather than our introduced offerings. Bugger - as I hadn't hooked and landed it, it didn't count! Was a really strange sight to see though!

 

 

Throughout the day we all saw several shoals of small fish, ranging from 1" tiddlers to about 4" fish cruising round on the surface...at one point I reckon I had more than a hundred of these tiddlers in my swim....that is surely the sign of a healthy lake, is it not? Perhaps we may have too many small fish next season? I'm sure the chub. perch and carp will see most of them off, but we'll see what happens!

 

Only a few minutes later my float buried and I was into another fish that led me a right merry dance round the lake….I’m still suffering from a rather bad frozen shoulder, so every dash and lunge was agony, but finally I managed to get it ready to net….net? Did I say net? I gave it a quick shoogle to extend the handle, and then watched as the net parted company from the handle and started to sink into the lake! Somehow I managed to continue playing the fish and delve down into the depths to retrieve my landing net head before it sank beyond the point of no return! Paul, bless his little cotton socks, saw my predicament and dashed round with his landing net and saved the day. Unfortunately I didn’t take a picture of this one, as after the panic I’d just had, I just wanted to see it swim away safely. Looking back, I rather wish I’d weighed it, as it was at least half as big again as my first….still, weights don’t really matter, do they? I KNOW I had a big fish…

 

Although I think I’ve had a good day, with seven decent fish (when I could tear myself away from my new camera!) it wasn’t as good as I’d have liked. Paul didn’t do as well as normal, although he was on his favourite peg. He managed to break the top two sections of his pole and then somehow broke an eye off his rod. A serious case of being a clumsy bastard or just bad luck?

 

As Roy left, he offered me some cut price hooks and I believe Paul is currently putting his rods/poles and kit on E-Bay…..they know when they’re beaten….

 

One thing I must say though, and I wonder if it’s true for the rest of you….is there really a worse experience than seeing your fishing buddy blank? Allthough I enjoyed the day and had some great fish for this little lake, considering how little time I actually spent fishing, I would rather have had none and see Paul catch something….anything….! He’s been fishing for far, far longer than me, and tried everything today…..they weren’t having it! It wasn’t that he was doing anything wrong – they just didn’t want to know. Luckily he is'n't one to bear a grudge, and I'm sure he'll whoop me next time!

 

So, just for the record….Janet 7, Paul NIL…..I think I’m currently ahead on points…

 

To be continued…

 

Janet

[gozzer]

A great write up as usual Janet, and some good photos. (see my post in photo forum in regard to batteries).

 

Don't worry too much about Paul, he's been fishing long enough to know that the blanks make the good days even more special.

 

I'm glad you saw the carp spit out the roach, there are some that still don't believe that they predate on other fish.

 

Another thing, there's nowt wrong wi' bream. They've saved many a day for me, and if you get them on a moving river, they can give a decent account of themselves on the right gear.

 

John.

[WickerDave]

Nice report and some nice fish too . You could always give Paul your unwanted knitting patterns...

[Janet]

Dave, after the names he called me yesterday, I wouldn't trust him with anything as sharp as knitting needles...

 

Janet

[Raxs]

Love reading your write ups! they get me in trouble at work haha! no but yet another great one, Thanks