Time well spent

[RUDD]

Has some time to spare today and could not decide if I should do a bit of lure work at Ladywood, have a practice for next weeks club match at Ladywood, go for carp using a pellet waggler (something I want to try) at Goslings top pool, go Sea fishing, go for the bream and tench at Goslings bottom pool using polaris floats or try for one of the new doubles at Ladywood top pool.

 

After much deliberation and plan changing due to family duties this morning, the fact that I wanted to finish the book I am reading and the nice low presuure pushing through I opted for the Ladywood carp option.

 

On arrival I found two members who had managed a 7lber between team all night, another carp angler without a touch all morning (all three towards the shallow end of the lake) and several match / pleasure anglers all also struggling - most strange?

I plumed for a VERY neglected peg with regards to all species fish for which requires a very accurate cast to reach some lillies on the edge of a drop off. To make things harder I opted to try a rig I tied last year but have never had the nerve to try - the rotary rig which was attached to a free running rig on leadcore.

This was fished with a 12mm F1 (shelflife dunbell) and a 10mm Formula 1 (frozen) cocktail with the 10mm bait nearer the hook to allow the hook to drop easier into the fishes bottom lip (anyone who has fished this rig will understand what I am getting at).

A small bag of stick mix with a few pellets added was pulled onto the hooklength and the rig cast out.

On the other rod I fished a pop up close to the margin using a semi fixed rig hinge rig using a bit of foam to mask the hook on the cast ( a method that works for me when carp are patrolling the margins.

 

After casting out and putting a few freebies of both F1 types around the bottom bait rig I set up a brolley and sat back to finish my novel, just over an hour later I had a slow run which increased with some speed as the lead hit a small bead at the end of the lead core.

 

On picking up the road and disengaging the freespool I found that the fish was either small or running towards me.

It soon turned pulled the rod round into a satisfying bend, took back some line off the clutch and left a massive boil in its wake, this went on for twenty or so Minutes as I gained and lost line - in the back of my mind I knew I had a very good fish (for the water) on and possibly my 20lb target (already achieved this year but on Tench gear from another water)) weight that I fish for every year.

When she finally swam into the net and dived into the bottom I was a relived man as she had put up a very good fight which at times I thought I may lose.

As I put the net down on my mat and pulled the mesh apart I was stunned at the broadness of her shoulders and knew straight away I had a 20 on the mat.

She had a few wounds and her belly felt hollow so I presume she has already spawned recently, apart from that she was a stunner.

I zeroed the avons at 1lb and quickly weighed her - 22lb 4oz giving her a weight of 21lb 4oz.

 

A couple of members both fishing groundbait feeders came and had a look and were also stunned by the size of her.

Pre spawning I have estimated she would go around 24lb before using up all the energy required to spawn and I suspect it is the same fish that holds the lake record of just over 24lb which had not spawned when caught last year.

I am sure it was not one of the new fish introtuced a few weeks ago which have a more golden colour to them.

 

All in all an afternoon well spent and the Nash F1 deliveres the goods again (why do coomons like it so much and why did Nash stop making it?).

Edited June 12, 2011 by RUDD

[Andy Macfarlane]

That's the game.