A GOOD DAY...

[Janet]

I've just arrived home after a day on my club lake, and I don't know whether to go and get something from the fridge or go and sit in it to cool down! It's been a scorcher up here for most of the day, and I am wilting slightly in the heat.

 

The day started early this morning (it has a habit of doing that….) when Paul picked me up at about six. We were supposed to go up yesterday evening for an overnight session, but Paul wasn't feeling 100%, so we cancelled that and arranged to go up early today instead. I'm sure he won't mind me saying that he's not in the best of health, so I really appreciate him making the effort. I can't get to this lake easily without transport, so his help is absolutely invaluable!

 

He's been up at the lake during the week, along with his son and Ray, and has seriously overdone it. They've been busy doing maintenance work on the car parking area and several of the pegs, strimming the long grass, removing some of the reed mace from the margins and generally tidying up. There's a work party planned mid-week to do some general maintenance on the perimeter fencing and a couple of the pegs, as well as the annual pruning of the lily pads. Nothing too drastic, but if we don’t cut them back a bit, they’ll soon spread to cover the whole lake!

 

The weather couldn’t have been better. Well, maybe not for fishing, but it was simply glorious for just being there! We had clear blue skies and brilliant sunshine – the lake looked like a picture postcard….flat calm, water lilies and marsh marigolds in full bloom...simply lovely!

 

Wait a moment though…did I say flat calm? Well, it looked so from a distance, but as I approached the banks I was greeted with an amazing sight….there were thousands upon thousands of tiny fry just below the surface, none much more than two inches in length. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. As I came into their field of vision they swirled and vanished, turning almost the whole lake into a mini-jacuzzi….it really was quite a remarkable sight. It seems our resident fish have been breeding well? I don’t recall such an abundance of fry last year. Hopefully nature (and the perch, chub and herons) will find a balance….

 

It didn’t take me long to choose my peg and carry my tackle round, as Paul had bought me a present….yes, I had a trolley to use! Whilst I made the brews, Ashley loaded all my stuff and all I had to do was wheel it round. I would love to say that I travel light, and indeed that’s what I would like to do, but if I’m going for a full day on our lake, then I want all the home comforts! Rod bag, chair, unhooking mat, side trays, Shimano rod bag, bait bag, ruckbag, kitchen sink, food processor, cuddly toy….well, maybe not quite, but you get the idea!

 

Despite the lift with the trolley, it still took me a long time to get set up. First things first – get the kettle on! It was lovely to just sit there in the sunshine with a fresh brew and chill out. I was in no rush…I spent some time chatting to Ray and Ashley who had been night fishing, without much success. Oh dear, it wasn’t looking good!

 

I decided to fish peg 9, despite being in the full glare of the sun. I knew that by the early afternoon then the sun would be over my shoulder, but the morning would save me a fortune in fake tan….!

 

Setting up would have been a laugh for anyone who had seen me, but quite frankly, I wasn’t amused! I’d not left my rod set up this time – I’d been very good and carefully wiped it down and cleaned it after my last session so I had to start from scratch.

 

1, Attach reel and thread line through guides.

2. Remove reel and attach the right way round.

3. Start again.

4. Thread line through guides.

5. Rewind line and thread through the missed guides.

6. Start again.

7, Thread line through guides, this time making sure line is under bale arm,

8, Attach hooklink.

9. Remove hooklink.

10. Add float (I knew there was something missing….)

11. NOW add hooklink!

12. Trim off tag end of line.

13. Assemble landing net.

14. Use landing net to retrieve float and hooklink,

13. Start again after accidentally cutting main line.

14. See point 7…..

 

What a start! I couldn’t have made more of a cock-up if I’d tried! Still, I got there eventually!

 

I had been up late the previous night, making my own recipe groundbait. It smelt delicious – I just hoped that it would appeal to the fish! It was a mix of white and brown crumb, fishmeal, trout pellets, crushed hempseed, expander pellets and lots and lots of strawberry flavouring – after all, it is Wimbledon fortnight!

 

 

It wasn’t long before I had signs of fish in my swim, and I managed to bank three small rudd one after another. None more than about ½ lb, but all very welcome, and all in top condition with glowing red fins. After that it all went ominously quiet, with very little sign of any activity. Hardly surprising really, as by nine o’clock it was scorching hot.

 

The moorhens were out and about with their chicks, which was rather distracting at times. This is their second hatch this year, the others having already fledged and left for pastures new. Paul was fishing floating bread during the afternoon, and it was great fun to watch the daddy moorhen pinching it and taking it back to the nest. At one point he appeared with what I think was a dead roach in his beak – it was bigger than anything I’d caught!

 

 

That's just a photo of daddy and baby passing by....mummy and rest of family cruised by in a flotilla later....!

 

After about an hour with not even a twitch on the float, I began my offensive….this was no time to sit and be lazy! I have a reputation to uphold! I started by throwing in a pinch of red and white maggots and a few chopped up strawberry pellets, making sure that I cast in at the same time so my bait would hopefully blend in….who says women don’t have good hand to eye co-ordination? It did the trick, and I managed to land a few skimmers, followed by their daddy, a cracking, feisty 4lb bream who had aspirations of grandeur, judging by the fight! (Thanks for the use of your scales Paul!) I was a bit concerned, as it just didn’t seem to have any fight left as I held it in the net, but once it was released it gave a flick of its tail and swam away strongly.

 

Late afternoon I decided to switch from my 12 foot float rod to my new toy – a very sexy Shimano Exage AXS TC telescopic rod. It really is rather difficult to fish two or three feet out from the bank with a 12 foot rod! I know this is marketed as a spinning rod, but at 2.10m, it is just the perfect length for me and my usual margin fishing. I’ve had it for a while, but never had chance to use it, as I managed to break it before it had ever been near water. Not a fault of the rod, just clumsiness on my part. Paul had fettled it for me….I trusted that he’d repaired it properly, and he had….I know it’s not a float rod, but the fish don’t…..

 

I’d no sooner cast in than my float was away and I had a fish on….and what a fish! Another big bream, about the same size as my 4lb’er, but with a lot more attitude. It was no sooner returned than the rod bent double again with a lovely 4½ lb common carp that took me all over the lake before it finally came to the net. I was really worried that the repair wouldn’t hold, but it did, and I loved every minute of it. I’m sure Paul was getting seriously **** off by this time, as I trotted round for another weigh-in, but he didn’t seem too mind too much….I’m sure the comments he made afterwards couldn’t possibly have been aimed at me….or could they?????

 

 

That nice little carp was followed with a few roach, a couple of skimmers and my personal favourite – a tiddly little perch, all of about 2 inches long! It wasn’t much bigger than the bait it had taken, but you know, I don’t care! That little miniature version of the big ‘un that I’m going to catch one day was enough for me! They are few and far between on our lake, so any perch is a good ‘un!

 

I did spend a lot of valuable fishing time wandering around with my camera...I swear there was a bumblebee there when I took this...

 

 

It’s been a great day. Rather too hot for me, as I’m now burnt to a cinder (why didn’t I remember that I had sunblock in my ruckbag?) and I’m totally knackered. We had a very heavy downpour this afternoon, but I had my brolly up ready for it and apart from watching raindrops pitter-pattering down on the lake it sort of passed me by....I was quite looking forward to the fireworks when Dave, fishing the pole on peg one, got struck by lightning!

 

Paul I know is exhausted, and suffering from a severe headache. Still, at the end of the day I’ve had a great time, and Paul says he’s enjoyed it also, despite being whooped by a mere woman…..however, he did ask me if I’d enjoyed the day and when I answered “yes”, he said “Good, because it’s the last time I’m taking you…..”

 

And now….the result…..Janet 17, Paul 1….who says women can’t fish?

 

I think I won?

 

Janet

 

PS. Although I won on the number of fish banked, it was Paul who managed to hook into the largest specimens….mine were tiddlers in comparison! Early in the afternoon he hooked one of the largest specimens on the lake…one of our elusive ghosties….I only saw the flashing silver flank and tail as it arched out of the water, but that was some seriously BIG fish, pushing double figures. Paul thinks it may have been a large chub. I had a much better view as it jumped, and I’m convinced it was a very large carp. He was plagued throughout the day by big fish that managed to snag him in the lilies or otherwise elude capture. I do hope he meant it when he said he’d enjoyed the day despite it all, otherwise I’ll be looking for a lift next week….!!!!!

 

I was happy to fish for whatever swam by….Paul targeted big fish…I’m sure he’ll whoop my ass next time! Now, there’s a challenge….

 

I took this as we left....although I'm rather tired and ready for my bed, I'd really rather still be there....

 

Edited July 4, 2009 by Janet

[lutra]

Great report and great pic's as always. Thanks Janet.

 

The thing that would put me off using a short rod for close in work on pegs that you cant move much is that you end up playing and landing fish very close to where you are feeding them. Were as if you use a longer rod you can often fish down along the bank a bit. But it sounds like you did well anyway.

[Janet]

Lutra, I understand what you're saying, but it didn't seem to make any difference yesterday.

 

I was able to get the smaller fish away from the feeding area very quickly with a minimum of fuss and disturbance, and caught again on my next cast on several occasions. I'm not sure that playing and landing fish in close proximity to the feeding area is as detrimental to fishing as some people would have us believe...certainly not in my experience on this and previous trips. Provided the swim is rested for a short time, they are soon back! They're not daft - they know where there's a supply of free food, and are quick to resume their feeding activities. I'm sure it's different for specimen anglers targetting particular species, but I'm purely fishing for pleasure and relaxation, so anything with fins is fine by me. I was as happy with that tiddly little two inch perch as I was with the bigger ones.

 

The larger fish were a slightly different matter, particularly that stroppy carp, which I think must have been on steroids! It was highly unlikely that there was a fish within miles of my swim after that little escapade, but I resorted to my usual method to cope with it.....I tossed in some more groundbait and some freebies then toddled off to make a brew for everyone and wandered round both lakes to take a few photographs.

 

By the time I got back about half an hour later everything had settled down nicely. Once again there were signs of fish activity, and bites were coming thick and fast (most of which I managed to miss...!)

 

Janet

[Young Dave]

Hia Janet, as you can tell im new to the site and am also new to coarse fishing. i am going for the first time on monday and as you look like you know what your doing so i thought i would ask you, anyway can you tell me what bait do carp take best and any other general advice if you dont know its not a problem but as its my first time coarse fishing i want to make it special buy catch a few fish. congrats on catching 17!

[Vagabond]

7, Thread line through guides, this time making sure line is under bale arm,

 

 

A most entertaining report, thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Re the bale arm - if you discover the line is the wrong side of the bale, just take the spool off, flip the bale over, and reattach the spool. No need to dismantle the tackle.

 

Easy if its a push-button spool (as most are),

 

.......not so easy with some reels where the spool is held on by threaded bolt, springs and washers Unscrew carefully - Ping! ....... that was not carefully enough and spring and washer are now in the lake (You will learn not to buy such reels in the first place.)

[Janet]

Re the bale arm - if you discover the line is the wrong side of the bale, just take the spool off, flip the bale over, and reattach the spool. No need to dismantle the tackle.

 

Easy if its a push-button spool (as most are),

 

 

 

If I could give a reward for the most valuable piece of advice I've been given since I started fishiing, that would very likely be top of my list! I can't believe the hours I've wasted over something so simple!

 

Janet

[Vagabond]

12. Trim off tag end of line.

13. Start again after accidentally cutting main line.

 

Yes, we have all done that !

 

 

Glad you found the advice re bale arm useful - here is another tip

It really is rather difficult to fish two or three feet out from the bank with a 12 foot rod!

No it isn't! All you have to do is sit ten feet back from the edge.

That also has the advantage of making you less visible to the fish - so you catch more and bigger ones. (see 1st post on my thread re equalling PB roach)

Edited July 5, 2009 by Vagabond

[Janet]

All you have to do is sit ten feet back from the edge.

 

Unfortunately that wasn't possible yesterday. If I'd tried to move ten feet further back I would have been in danger of falling into the other pond!

 

I'd picked one of the smaller pegs, which is at the side of the path in between the two ponds and needed my brolly up for much of the day - firstly as protection from the blazing sun, and secondly to avoid getting a soaking during the very heavy downpour later in the afternoon. I sat as far back as I could, but any further back would have meant obstructing the path round the lake. I'll see if I can find photo's to show just how little room I actually had!

 

I hear what you're saying though, and I've found I always do better when I'm well back from the water. It's surprising how many fish are just sitting under the peg or patrolling just a foot or so out.

 

I like to sit right at the back of the peg when I can, mainly because I'm terminally clumsy and am just waiting for the time when I trip over my own feet and fall in! It's only a matter of time....

 

Janet

[Stretpegger]

Excellent account of your day out Janet with some nice pictures to accompany it, i always enjoy reading other A.N. members success stories

[Alan Stubbs]

Janet, the first time I went fishing since I was a 6 year old I did the same thing. The guy who was with me was The Tangler, a sometime poster on here.

 

I was made to feel so embarrassed in front of a few other carp yob types that I've never done it since - when anyone is looking ;-)

 

Thanks again for a really entertaining post. I love the balance between wildlife and scenery photographs.

 

Thanks for sharing them