ANOTHER ALL NIGHT SESSION.

[Janet]

What can I say except ZZZZZZzzzzzzz………I should have posted this last night, but I was too tired…my bed was calling, and it proved to be totally irresistible…..There are times when a woman needs to fish, and there are times when a woman just needs to sleep!

 

I am absolutely exhausted, both physically, (having just returned from a near twenty four session on my local club lake), and mentally, having had to put up with Paul for all that time….I am now trying to keep myself awake until a sensible bed-time so I get a good night’s sleep before work in the morning. Last time I was falling asleep at my desk!

 

This time it was a close run thing. Paul 37, Janet 36, including a new species for me. Paul’s still up there at the lake as I speak, no doubt having moved into my carefully baited up swim after I left. Hah! Fooled you Paul….I’ve laid down enough groundbait and pellets to keep the fish full for weeks. I expect many of them will be queuing up to join WeightWatchers tomorrow….They will be fat, contented and happy little fishes when I next return!

 

Only joking Paul – would I do that to you? Paul’s nephew Daz arrived earlier in the afternoon, and when I left, he moved into my peg, where I hope he is currently putting Paul to shame. Before I left, I was able to tell him exactly where to cast to find the drop off, and the gap in the weeds where I’ve consistently caught very large bream and some lovely tench, including several beauties today. It’s not visible to anyone except passing scuba divers, and it’s taken me several long and intensive visits to find out the contours and the best way to fish it. It must be working, because my results are improving, even though I was soundly beaten today!

 

And you know what? He listened to me, moved his bait to where I suggested, and caught a nice skimmer to start him off before I left. I’d started to pack up at about one, because I knew damn well that if I didn’t, then I would fish into the evening and be fit for nothing tomorrow. It was a now or never moment! I then made us a cup of tea in our lovely new hut (soon to be fitted out with fetching pink ruffled curtains, cushions and a matching scatter rug…..) and went to sit with them for a while to enjoy the glorious afternoon blue sky and scorching sunshine. You know, it’s almost as much fun watching someone else’s float as it is watching your own? However, you do also get the urge to slap them when they’re too slow, don’t you? Sorry Paul, but I’m sure you can cover up the bruise with a bit of make-up!

 

We’d started at four o’clock yesterday (Saturday) afternoon, and the weather couldn’t have been better, apart from the intense heat just before I left on Sunday. Thankfully the wind (always a real pain on this lake) stayed away, and we had a calm, clear and mild night, although a bit chilly at times, with the most fabulous display of stars I’ve seen for a long time. No Paul, that is NOT a shooting star…that is flight AIH645 to Tenerife….

 

The morning brought with it a dense fog, making a spooky sight. We could see the mist rising off the water in the light of our head torches, and could feel the damp in the air on our chests. All my tackle was covered with a heavy layer of dew, and at times the opposite side of the lake was obscured by the misty veil. However, before long the fog cleared, the sun made a warm and welcome appearance, and it turned into a brilliant scorching summer day.

 

Fishing (for me at least!) was brilliant during the night, as I watched my little illuminated float sliding away regularly under the water with very satisfying results. By the time dawn broke, it was 21 –11 to me, and I was looking unbeatable on numbers, although almost all of them were skimmers, small roach and rudd. That’ll teach me to get cocky, won’t it? Due to a technical hitch with a duff starlite, Paul had been unable to use his pole during the night, but come the morning he was back on it with a vengeance! I DID offer to give him one, but he declined….

 

This wasn’t good. He was pulling out large mirrors and commons like there was no tomorrow, along with some very decent tench and several barbel. We both ended up with a similar number of fish on the bank, but I have to say that his were consistently better. Although I’m reluctant to say it, I can now see the advantages of using a pole, as he could position his hook bait so much more precisely than I could. I got my casts to the lily pads just right probably one time out of five, and each time I did it, my float sailed away. When I got it wrong, I just got snagged. He got it right every time. Pah!

 

This most certainly couldn’t be allowed to continue, as I’d mentioned in Padiham Angling Centre that I was going to whoop him this weekend, and he was catching up with me at a great rate. Right girl! Stop being lazy and using maggots just to catch numbers, and switch to serious bait….pellets? And plumb the depth accurately again for ALL the areas, instead of just trusting to luck. Pellets though? I’ve used them on and off since I started two years ago, and last week was the first time I’ve ever had so much as a bite with them. Saying that though, last week was the first time in ages when I really gave them a proper chance, as the weather was so appalling that there was NO way on earth I was going to come out from the sanctuary of my brolly to do anything like changing bait!

 

It did the trick. Bait-Tech 6mm Xtreme soft hookers worked a treat, although they are so soft that I had to check my hook after every missed bite to make sure that fishy dinner was still on the menu. I also tried some Sonubaits 6mm Halii-Hookers, with dismal failure. The fish? They say no…..! On every cast I threw in a few Xtreme soft hookers that I had thoroughly mangled and broken up, and the fishies decided to play ball…the larger bait seemed to put off the skimmers and small roach, and I started to catch some really good fish, including several large bream, (including what was possibly my PB to date), some rather nice roach, two lovely tench and my very first barbel! Hardly a monster at only about twelve inches long, but a real surprise and a treat for me. I’ve been trying to catch one of these elusive critters since I joined the club almost a year ago. I was absolutely amazed when I saw the size of it. From the fight it put up I was expecting something much larger. As it came to the net, I hadn’t a clue what it was, but Paul had seen a better view of it than I, and shouted “You’ve got your first barbel!” Way to go Janet!!!

 

With a total between us of 73 fish of eight different species, including my very first barbel, I’d say it was a very successful and rewarding trip. The last half hour was quite interesting, as we were almost neck and neck, with Paul ahead by one, until literally the final minute before I packed away. After sitting biteless for an hour, I had a pellet on the hook, just laying on the bottom, which had done nowt for ten minutes, nor was there even the slightest indication of any fish activity, so I started to pack my ruckbag and bait bag etc, keeping only a cursory eye on my float, expecting the inevitable nothingness that you get on a day like this. Suddenly I realised that my rod was hooped in a most alarming curve that had nothing to do with me and my float had vanished. I was into a fish with attitude, which proceeded to take me in a merry and spirited dance all over the lake. From the erratic and strenuous fight, I assumed that I’d foul hooked something, but no, this was just a bad tempered, bolshie little mirror carp that wanted its moment of glory…maximum of 3lbs, with a 12lb attitude! Unfortunately, as Paul landed one at just the same time, he came out the winner…..and don’t I just know it!

 

Paul, gloating doesn’t become you….If I hear one more chorus of “Oh, it’s all gone quiet over there” I will stick your new pole where it will suffer from a severe daylight deficit and you may find it difficult to walk with an even gait….

 

Once again, I have to say that I absolutely adore my new rod. I’ve had some good fish today, a few seriously good ones for me, and no matter whether they came in meekly, tried to dive into the bankside reeds and bulrushes, or dart off into the depths of the lily beds, this rod was more than adequate. There simply aren’t any stiff or unresponsive sections, which I’ve found on my other rods, and no matter which way I have to twist and turn it to play fish, up, down, left, right, whatever, it performs beautifully. To the kind and well-meaning person (?) who PM’d me on a certain angling forum to say that a rod like this was wasted on a mere woman like me? Ach, away and boil yer heed, silly boy….

 

It didn’t help me win, but what the hell? It’s only a bit of fun anyway. I had a fantastic night and day, and I was sorry to have to leave. The company left something to be desired, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it was…..the singing? No, that was actually quite pleasant, incredibly funny at times, tuneful and he did do requests. The food? Well, I did have to provide my own this time, as he didn’t come up with his usual bacon toasties. (Just can’t get the service these days….)

 

The wind problem? Well, I really shouldn’t complain, as he always warned me in advance…. The tea? Ah yes. That was the problem….He might have had (just) more fish, but I was landed with making more brews….shame on you Paul….! I’m sorry, but “the next one to catch a fish makes the tea” isn’t a fair challenge when you have taken your bait out of the water….

 

All in all, a fabulous weekend, and thoroughly enjoyed by both of us. We chose the night carefully to get the best weather, and we were lucky that it worked out so well. Many thanks to Paul for the help, the lift and the company. Oh, OK, and the singing….

 

We will be organising a rematch shortly!

 

Janet

[Newt]

Well done on yet another good result.

 

Based on the size of that lake, the pair of you will soon be on a first name basis with most of the fish that call it home.

 

If any of the PM'ing nay sayers were on here just give me names. I'll sharpen their heels and drive them into the ground like fence poles.

[Paulfisher]

Loooooooooooooooooooooooser. Nar nar na nar nar The trophy belongs to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. He he he.

[BoldBear]

I really enjoyed reading your report Janet. You will have to get yourself a Pole to compete with Paul (If you don't already have one)

However it sounds like a really good rod that you have. Which rod is it?

BB

Edited July 29, 2008 by BoldBear

[Janet]

Hi BB,

 

I bought myself a whip a few weeks ago, but I haven't used it yet. Paul's going to elasticate it for me, so I'll try it out on our next trip.

 

My new rod is a 12 foot Shimano Beastmaster AX Commercial Floatcast - delightful little thing!

 

Janet