JANET v PAUL....THE REMATCH

[Janet]

…but then I changed my mind!

 

I know I say this almost every time I go fishing, but today really has outshone all the others as one of my most memorable days yet, despite howling winds, thunder and lightning storms directly overhead and a wild shower of hailstones! It is July, isn’t it? It is supposed to be summer…..

 

Paul had phoned me earlier in the week, and we’d arranged to go to our club lake today. Yesterday I got a call from him to say he wanted to make an early start, and could I be ready for four am? Four am? Are there two four o’clocks in the day? I only usually see the afternoon one! Was I up for it? Well yes, of course I was, so I spent last night packing my ruckbag, sorting my tackle, bait etc, and fettling my rod. Well, it beats housework any day! I was awake at ten to three, so called Paul to check if he was OK with the weather prospects. It was really quite nice outside – hardly a breeze, and a nice clear sky. Oh how things can change in just a few short hours!

 

He picked me up at four, and we arrived at the lake to find Craig already in residence, having done an overnight session with some success. We picked our usual pegs, and I was set up and ready to give a few maggots a swimming lesson by five. I didn’t hurry to start, as we had all day. I’ve listened to advice, and found that it pays to wait and watch before deciding where to fish. Still, with no obvious signs of feeding fish to go by, I decided to fish my usual peg. I’ve fished this spot for the past few visits, and now I think I know it pretty well. I’ve learned where there is a small shelf about fifteen feet from the bank, and where the clear areas between the underwater weeds are. It’s taken a lot of trial and error (many errors!) but I finally think I’ve got this peg sussed!

 

Paul set up in the peg next to me, and was first off the starting block as usual, but I wasn’t far behind, although I have to say that my fish were rather smaller than his! One was an absolute beauty of a roach, perfect in every detail, although it was only about two inches long. Is it just a woman thing? I love these tiny miniature fish.

 

By the time Craig left mid-morning, the score was 9-5 to Paul, including a lovely mirror carp of approx 4-5lb, probably the nicest fish of the day. We don’t weigh our fish, and neither of us use a keep net. Paul’s been fishing long enough to make a rough guesstimate, and that’s good enough for me. Oh dear, the prospects weren’t looking good for me reclaiming the trophy!

 

Time to stop sitting back and enjoying the day, and get down to some serious fishing! I baited up immediately in front of me, just under my rod tip, with a mixture of Mistral Baits Pukka feed pellets and small trout pellets. I was too lazy (and I have a bad back) so instead of getting down to get some lake water, I mixed them together with some milk that I’d brought for my tea. It turned into a rather gloopy fishy smelling porridge, but after the addition of a few more pellets, became manageable enough for me to form into balls to throw in. Wahayyyyy! It worked. The balls started to disintegrate as they hit the water, leaving a cloud of feed that started attracting fish almost instantly.

 

I hadn’t used any ground bait or feed when I started. I just followed my usual routine - baited my hook with a couple of maggots, then cast out about twenty feet ahead of me. After about a minute, if I didn’t have any movement of the float to suggest there were fish around, I reeled in about six inches and waited, then repeated the procedure until I started to get a few knocks and twitches. As per usual, I found the little beggars just under my rod tip. Paul does very well fishing much further out than I do, as his casting is much more accurate than mine, but I always do better in the margins, at least on this particular peg.

 

 

I also baited up another two areas, one about twenty feet to the left between the reeds and a small group of lilies, and another one approximately the same distance to my right, in the the small clear area I’d found between the underwater weeds. Again, these areas were just a rods length out from the bank. If bites dried up in my main swim, I’d put in a little bit more groundbait and loose feed, then leave it alone for an hour or so as I fished one of the other areas.

 

Throughout the day we were subjected to the usual vagaries of a typical English summer day. Brilliant blazing sunshine, torrential rain, thunder, lightning and hailstones! The thunder storm was quite frightening, as it appeared to be directly overhead, with the lightning flashes following closely behind the thunder, showing that it was extremely close. I’m not sure that Paul’s method of checking the distance was totally accurate, but I was too petrified of the storm to worry about his crocodiles! Don’t ask – it’s a Paul thing! I fished through all of the rain showers, but I have to admit that I was a coward when it came to the thunderstorm, and reeled in. No way was I going near a length of carbon fibre with lightning that close! I sat with a cup of tea and cowered under my brolly until it passed, which thankfully wasn’t very long. I kept hearing noises from Paul’s peg, but conversation was virtually impossible due to the staccato rain pounding down on our brollies.

 

Although we had some lovely bright and sunny spells, we also had very heavy rain showers, which churned the water up so much that at times it was almost impossible to see your float. The final storm was a real doozie – the wind came out of nowhere, and I could feel it hammering violently against the back of my chair, almost lifting it off the ground – with me on it! Luckily I’m built for comfort, not speed, so I survived intact. Sometimes the rain was vertical, occasionally horizontal, but luckily each shower passed very quickly. It was rather weird. Although I was sitting in pounding rain, watching it bounce off the water, behind me I could see the blue sky that was shortly to replace it. I tried to explain to Paul the difference between ordinary rain and wet rain, but I don’t think he got it….

 

After the storm had passed over, the lake was lit up by the most fabulous light, the special sort that you only seem to get after a storm like this. This picture just doesn’t do it justice. One minute the surface was a maelstrom of bouncing water with the pounding rain and wind, the next it had turned to a perfect mirror. It happened virtually instantly, the switch from storm to calm.

 

 

Despite our discomfort, the fish didn’t seem at all put off by the weather raging around them and I continued to catch all day, unlike my fishing buddy, who didn’t seem to be having a lot of luck following his good start. I’d love to tell you all some of the comments that were made, but I’m afraid I can’t repeat them on here! Needless to say, I shall be putting in a complaint at the next Committee meeting!

 

In the end we both had a great day, despite being alternately cold, wet and occasionally frazzled with the sun. There were a couple of memorable occasions, when Paul asked me to kindly avert my gaze as he answered a call of nature. “No problem”, I said, casting to my left and proceeding to land a very nice bream approaching 5lbs…..it happened again later, when I said “No problem, I’ll just go and catch a carp”, and then proceeded to do just that! Honestly, the air was blue with his expletives. I seem to recall something about “bloody women” and “get back to the kitchen……”

 

I had an absolutely amazing day, with possibly the best catches I’ve had to date. Some very good roach and rudd, also several bream and carp approaching the 4-5lb mark, one of which was a total fluke. I cast to the left, didn’t get it quite where I intended, so decided to reel in and try again. Oh no. Stuck on the bottom again! Bloody thing wouldn’t budge. Slowly I hauled in what I thought was a branch, to be pleasantly surprised to find that it was a big bream, looking gormless and apologetic as I guided it to the net. Luckily it came in nicely, which is more than I can say for the other bream I caught throughout the day! What the heck is going on with bream at the moment? They appear to think that they’re carp, and are fighting like real fish! I had one memorable occasion when a bream jumped clean out of the water next to my float. I was just cursing that it was teasing me when saw that my float was following it out of the water, and realised that it had taken my bait and then decided to put on a show…..

 

I had my best fish of the day right under my feet, when my baited hook fell in the water as I was holding a bream in my net, waiting for it to get its act together and swim away safely. I suddenly saw my float vanish, so grabbed my rod. What was it? A perfect little brightly coloured perch, all of about three inches long. I was chuffed to bits! It was only the second one I’ve ever caught on here, the first being just about a year ago when I went up for a day as a guest. We know there are perch in the lake, but they only come out very rarely, and only very small. However, if there are baby perch, there must be mummy and daddy perch, so I’m going to go on a mission to catch them next time.

 

I have had one or two (or more!) problems today. Firstly with line getting caught up behind the spool on my reel again, which I’m guessing is just down to the wind. I’m a bit concerned, as this happened to me last time. I’m still not sure if there’s a problem with the reel, or it’s just down to the weather on the day, but I’ve been using it for almost two years now, in all weather conditions, and never experienced a problem before.

 

The second problem caused me more concern. I had my line broken twice, which has only ever happened on very rare occasions. I was using Browning Black Magic Sinking Match Line (5.3lbs BS, just in case). New line, bought only two weeks ago. I hooked into something, I don’t know what, which just took off like an express train and headed off into the centre of the lake. My float went under and away like a rocket, and my reel was screaming as it peeled off yards of line. Although the clutch was set to give line, I played it for a few minutes, then the line just suddenly snapped and I lost it. Luckily I got the float back later! The second time is of more concern. I could understand the line giving way the first time, as it was obviously a rather large fish, but this time it was just a tiddler. I’d just hooked a massive roach (all two inches of it!) when the line just broke halfway down the rod as I lifted it out of the water. Luckily I was able to grab it and land the tiddler….unfortunately, as I did this, the float and bait fell into the water and was immediately grabbed by a small carp, which I had to try and hand-line in! I’ve still got the scars!

 

I’ve checked all the guides on my new rod, and they appear to be OK, so could this be a problem with the line? I’m pretty confident that there were no kinks or knots in it, as at the start of each session I always discard 10-20 feet of line, just in case, and it was brand new line. On the subject of my new rod, once again I found it to be an absolute delight to use, and some of the fish I caught really put it to the test. It was a bit hairy, as it was bent at an alarming angle at times, but I’m totally confident with it, and find it a real pleasure to use. I’m really pleased that I waited, because I’m sure I’ve found the perfect rod for me. I’m certainly catching more fish now I have a rod that’s made for the job, instead of improvising.

 

I now have a confession to make…..after my line snapped, I was about to start and put it all back together again with a new hooklength and float, when Paul suggested that I simply threaded the line back through and tied my hooklength and float back on. Tie? That’d mean using a knot, would it? Oh no! I don’t do knots! I use ready tied hooks to nylon, and just use the loop to loop method. I can just about manage to tie a hook on properly when I’m changing flies, but I simply can’t master tying decent knots to join lines. I really must make an effort to learn!

 

And the result at the end of the day? Did I manage to pull it back and uphold the honour of female anglers? You better bet I did!

 

The scores on the doors? The final result?

 

Paul 20 – Janet 34.

 

What a belter of a day! Apart from a few tiddlers, all the fish I caught were of a very respectable size for this lake. Carp and bream up to 5lbs? That’s unknown for me! Whatever I did, I did it right, as I just couldn’t stop catching. I must add that Paul’s were good ones too, just not quite as many as me…..for some reason his swim wasn’t producing as well as it normally did. (Possibly because all the fish were in front of me!!) He also hooked into something very powerful, which stretched his elastic to the limit as it headed off into the lilies before escaping…..methinks there’s a monster out there waiting to be caught! He also caught a very interesting fish, but we couldn’t identify it with any certainty. It looked like a bream, but wasn’t, if you know what I mean. It was more similar to a chub than a bream, but it wasn’t a chub! The look was good, but the shape and the mouth was wrong. Obviously a hybrid, but of what species? We were baffled. Unfortunately we released it without taking a photo, otherwise I could have given you all something to argue about!

 

It really was an excellent day, despite the weather, but what really made it for me was the craic (and, dare I say it, the singing!) I laughed so much at times that I could hardly see my float for the tears streaming down my face! The competition between us really is just fun, and neither of us take it seriously. It all started because I always keep a note of what I’ve caught on the day, and for some reason, I started adding Paul’s fish too, so it’s now become a routine, and gives us a bit of a laugh. Suddenly I’ll hear a shout from Paul – “Rudd, Janet – put it in the book”, usually followed by “You did put that rudd in the book, didn’t you?”, as he queries the running total! Despite being a laugh, it’s also actually quite a useful record to look back on, as it shows what’s being caught and when. I’m always delighted when Paul catches a good fish, and I know he’s pleased when I beat him, although he tries hard not to show it! That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Women allowing their superiority to show? Don’t worry about him…his ego can stand it….I’ll let him win next time! (or maybe not….)

 

However, I have won back temporary custody of the trophy!!!! Craig came back up in the evening to deposit his son for a night fishing session, and presented it to me on the bank, with a few carefully chosen words from Paul, none of which are fit for public consumption….

 

This month marks two years since I walked into Padiham Angling Centre and told them I wanted to start fishing. I’m just gobsmacked when I look back and realise how far I’ve come in that short time, how much I’ve learned, and the good friends I’ve made. (Paul, are you still talking to me?) I’m learning all the time, but now at last I’m confident that I can go out and catch fish by design instead of by accident. All being well, my next trip will be a night fishing session next weekend. No doubt I’ll be back to tell you all about it!

 

Fishing? I love it!

 

Janet

[Newt]

Another really outstanding trip report and a real pleasure to read.

 

Hopefully you don't give the poor fellow a complex that makes him give up fishing and take to drink and loose women.

 

Lightning distance is fairly easy to calculate. Sound in air (well, dry air but close enough) travels at 1129 ft/s or approximately 4.7 seconds per mile. See the flash and start counting seconds (one thousand one, one thousand two, ....) until you hear the thunder. I normally use 1100 feet per second and 5 seconds to the mile to make mental calculation easier since it is good enough for me.

 

Note that if you see the flash and never hear the thunder, it is over 10 miles away.

[BoldBear]

Smashing report as ever Janet, I felt as though I was with you watching you fish. well done. can't wait to read about the next round

[HOPPY4]

Janet, Well Done! You and my Mom would have got along Well! She Loved fishing and a Good competition! Enjoy and I Wish you many more Enjoyable days and nights of Great Angling!!!!

 

HOPPY4

[ColinW]

Note that if you see the flash and never hear the thunder, it is over 10 miles away.

 

Or zero miles

 

PS. Janet, next time you are cowering under your brolly, just think what the pole is made of, that will reassure you

[Paulfisher]

OK. That's enough. I've had it with you Missy. What a load of bunkham!! You never tell the full story. You omitted the fact that you had both brollies, one for the wind and one for the rain. I had none. I gave up my brolly to you because I am a gentleman. You also made me use those new STRAIGHT hooks that you bought from the joke shop. How am I supposed to compete? I was ringing wet, cold, tired and using quick release hooks that take "Catch and Release" to a different level. Very humane, if the bait stopped on the straight hook, the bite registered on the float and released the fish on the strike!! And why did you make me hold my 16 metre pole in the air during that thunder storm.

 

I was correct about measuring the distance of a storm. Saying "One crocodile, two crocodile" and so on, is the same as saying "one thousand and one, one thousand and two" Say it five times between lightening and thunder and the centre of the storm is approximately 1 mile away.

 

Seriously Janet. Fantastic day. You really did do well (for a woman) As far as that comment I made about going back to the kitchen sink, one, we brought it with us and two, the reason you come fishing is because you're no bloody good in the kitchen!!

[Janet]

Ooooh! Fighting dirty now are we? Such a shame, and I thought you were a gentleman too…it just shows just how deceptive appearances can be….you really can't trust a man who keeps offering to let you handle his pole....

 

I’m not responsible for your straight hooks – if you remember, the ones I bought you were the specially bendy rubber ones, made specially for fish safety. Honestly, do you think I’d trust you within a mile of anything sharp? To be totally honest, with the way you bump fish off, I think you’d be better with a kiddie’s fishing net. Just the right size for most of your catches…..

 

I have to say though that I was most impressed with the way you used your pole once you realised that you were trailing, although I'm not sure that the club rules allow harpoons....it's not a tactic that's specifically excluded, but it's not really the done thing, is it? Still, it was entertaining to watch....perhaps you need a bit of target practice?

 

As for the comment about the kitchen sink, which I presume was aimed at me, what do you want me to do? I’m guessing you’d prefer me to leave all my bait and tackle at home….after all, it’s the only way you'll beat me! Now, there's a challenge!!!!

 

Janet

[Paulfisher]

I know you don't like it when I use large and loud text so;

 

 

BRING IT ON MAMA

[James P]

Janet,

 

you have a fantastic way of telling a story that paints a great poetic picture without ever getting flowery. Seems like you and Paul had a fantastic day, although he's going to have to pull his finger out next time!

 

Regarding the line, it does happen from time to time that a batch will be faulty so I wouldn't disregard it on first try. I've never used the stuff personally but i've had Maxima and Stroft (Which is by far the best low diameter line i've ever used) snap for no apparent reason and when I mention it in the tackle shop they've been told similar stories.

 

Looking forward to the next report. Tight lines...

 

James P

[Janet]

Did you hear that guys? I do believe I have him running scared!

 

"BRING IT ON MAMA" Now, is that a challenge or what?

 

I do believe that WAR!! has just been declared!

 

Paul, next time I'm going to really try, instead of taking pity on you and trying to give you an advantage....I may even consider using bait on my hook. What do you think?

 

All being well with the weather, the next round will be staged on Friday, when I hope to whoop his ass on an all-night session! After all, the trophy does look rather fetching on my mantelpiece....it sort of belongs there, if you know what I mean....

 

I may just have to get my new whip out and show him who's boss!

 

Janet