I didn’t mean to have a winter break, it just happened that way! Either it seemed to be raining and the rivers were in flood or it was very cold and the canal and lakes were frozen over. If it wasn’t one of those things I had a cold, cough or was otherwise feeling rough. Then there was the decorating, the leaking pipe resulting in more decorating and other things that interfere with enjoying life!
But enough excuses, at last I was back on the bank. The club has acquired a new water and I thought that I would give it a try. It is about twenty minutes away and is shallow, a small lake or large pond and has been neglected for a while. It was a bit overcast when I arrived and I had a look round before deciding where to fish. The banks were firm enough but there were lots of trees and bushes making it difficult to cast your rod so in the end I chose to fish the nearest swim to the car park which had had some work done to make it accessible. I brought my feeder rod, float rod and stalking rod just in case there was anything on the surface. I decided to cast out through the gap in the trees with the feeder rod and try for bigger fish in the middle of the pond and fish closer in with the float. The feeder rod was set up with a method feeder with a small boilie and a couple of maggots and I used maggots on the float rod. Once I was set up it was time to sit and relax for a while only the fish thought differently about things and the float shot sideways in a typical rudd bite and I soon landed my first fish of the year.
This was quickly followed by another and another and I was busy concentrating on my float when the tip went round and my feeder rod was dancing in its rests. I could tell that it was a bigger fish and I brought it in as quickly as possible as I could see snags in the water. It was a common carp in beautiful condition so I quickly took a photo and slipped it back. Pleased with my start I looked forward to plenty of more fish but it didn’t quite work out like that! First the sun came out then the fish moved. The sun showed me how clear the water was and all the obstructions there were in the water, branches, tree roots, weed etc. I was really lucky to get the common to the bank. I could also see that it was really shallow where I had been catching the rudd and I think the sun forced them to move out into the centre of the pond, at least that is where I found them again. I carried on for a while watching the float and looking at the quiver tip and hoping for some more carp, but it was not to be, the beautiful common was the only one I caught.
At least the sun warmed me up and it soon became a beautiful April day. I was thinking of changing my hook as it seemed to be quite blunt, but the decision was made for me when I hooked a tree and lost it. Luckily I got my float back, but hooked a few more trees and bushes during the day, each time getting my float back but I got through several hooks. While I was sitting there listening to bird song I took the opportunity to test my new App called Merlin. It identifies bird song for you and I found that the bird in the tree near me was a Chiffchaff. I’ve never seen one before but I know what it sounds like now. The app is free and works well and I’m beginning to use it every time I go out. They seem to be a lot more birds it identifies by song, then I can see with my eyes. Then a heron came into land on the water saw me and scooted off again coming round to do another lap before deciding that I was intruding, and it flew away. Also, I saw several buzzards together, high above, but they didn’t hang around either.
I continued to catch rudd but at longer intervals and eventually I decided to pack up. So, a pleasant enough day but would I return? Probably but not for a while, If I had caught another carp or two I would definitely return soon but after catching one so early I was a bit disappointed not to catch another. So many of these small ponds make it difficult to fish, if it is not the trees, bushes and brambles it is the snags in the water and I think that I am getting soft in my old age and want an easier life! Still, I didn’t blank and tried a new water, all I hope now is that life calms down a bit so I can go fishing more often now that spring is here!
Leave a Comment