During the winter my club lost the use of one lake, which was mainly a carp lake, and obtained the use of another. This was handy for me as the new lake is about a mile from where I live, just a few minutes by car, or at least it is at the moment! They are going to close the road for six weeks soon and I will have to drive about five miles to get to it passing several of the club’s other waters to get there so I don’t think that I will bother!
I wanted to fish that lake before the road closure and had a free evening so took the opportunity. The Club’s Facebook page was reporting good catches during the day so I was looking forward to a full net. It was cloudy and much, much cooler than recent days, I even needed a sweatshirt! I drove the length of the lake peering out to find a swim. I turned the car around and this time the driver’s door was on the side of the lake and in one swim I could see three carp nuzzling up to the very edge of the water. I couldn’t resist that so quietly got my stalking rod out which has the advantage of fitting into my car already rigged up, and crept down to the water. The carp had spotted me and drifted away but a few bits of white bread had them coming up to the surface and sucking them down. I put a piece of bread on the hook and cast out and within a minute or two a fish had taken the bait and was off! I pulled on the rod and there was a sudden “twang” and the line whipped back and caught the float in some bushes. I carefully retrieved it then saw that my hook length had parted so I had to tackle up again. This gave the fish time to settle down and a few more pieces of bread had them coming up again. I noticed that the fish were much shyer than other places where I have surface fished and would quickly rise, take the bread and be gone, none of the lovely slurping noised when carp are sucking in off the surface.
A new piece of bread and I cast out again. This time I had to wait, the fish were not coming to my single piece of bread and so I threw a few more pieces in which seemed to get them going and I was soon into what felt like a decent fish. Indeed it was a hard fighter and took line easily even when I tightened the clutch a bit more. He shot off in all directions trying to get away but eventually began to tire and I got a glimpse of him. A nice common, probably into double figures and a personal best. I was gradually getting him close to the net when suddenly the line went slack and he was away. This time the hook was still there, he had slipped it and really spoilt my evening, I have to admit that the air was blue!
I baited up again but the fish had gone really shy and I got no more surface bites so decided to change tactics and put a method feeder out and also my quiver tip with maggots to see if there were any silver fish out there. I had been baiting an area fairly close in with sweetcorn and pellets and hoped that I would attract some fish which had been on the surface. As soon as I changed rods I could see carp cruising just below the surface again!
I had just settled down when the buzzer sounded and I was in again. This time I managed to land it, a nice looking common of about five pounds, I didn’t think it was worth weighing and after a quick photo I slipped him back. At least I had caught a fish and felt in a much happier frame of mind. Then the tip on the other rod went and I was into something small, a beautiful looking perch, which made a change. Then it went a bit quiet and so I decided to move the method feeder to where I was fishing the quiver tip and to give my float rod a go. This wasn’t the best idea as the light was fading and I had a small float on which was dotted down. In fact it was dotted down so far that it sank at times! How is it that a float can sit nicely in one water then sink in another? Anyway, it was getting late so I decided to persevere as I didn’t really have time to change it and managed to catch another perch. This one had another much larger fish follow it into the bank, possibly another perch.
I had another fish on the method feeder and you’ve guessed it, it came off near the net making the final score Carp 3 – Angler 1. By now it was time to go so I loaded up and drove home with mixed feelings. I hadn’t blanked and I had seen a lot of fish but losing three was not great. I will have to have a think about that, was it the hook type, hook size or just bad luck? I am sure that I will be back to that lake as it feels like I have unfinished business there. It is also conveniently close when there is not a road diversion and the great thing is that the farm track runs alongside the lake so you can unload and set up without trekking miles with all your gear.
To finish on a different note, my blog about the little lake near me has really taken off and for some reason is getting hundreds of hits a day as well as several comments from readers. It used to be that my readership shot up for a few days when I promoted a new blog entry on Facebook etc. but wouldn’t reach a hundred then it would settle down to around ten visits a day until the next blog. Recently I haven’t fallen below a hundred a day for weeks at a time and I have no idea why. The internet moves in mysterious ways!
As for the pond, like all the local waters it is suffering from lack of water and the weed has taken over again. I will go over with my rake and see if I can make a clear spot and see what I can catch this time of year. As there is an interest I will keep you updated.
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