As my target this season is to fish all the club’s waters I went to another new one this week. There are two lakes next to each other and the one that I hadn’t fished was a long thin shallow lake fed by a stream. It was a beautiful day and I got up early for me as I had to go and visit my mum in the afternoon as we are now allowed to meet outdoors so I couldn’t stay late. As I was walking to my swim I passed a young man with a bivvy up and his carp gear out, I stopped for a chat, as you do and his buzzer sounded and he was on to a fish. He was happy for me to stay while he brought in the fish and was pleased with a high single figure carp. I took a photo for him and went off to my swim thinking that was a great start to the day!
I set up the carp rod and as I had no method feeders left I decided to try using PVA bags which I had got with a job lot of tackle off eBay and which I had never used. I found it quite straightforward, probably due to watching all those YouTube videos and cast across to near the opposite bank. Then it was time to set up my float rod and feed the swim a bit before sitting down with a cuppa. Nothing much happened, I re-cast the carp rod, checked the maggots, had a chat with the ever present ducks and enjoyed sitting in the sun. Then I got a bite, a small roach which led me to expect that I would start catching some more but it was not to be.
As there was nothing from the carp rod I decided to pre-bait an area next to my swim under a tree and try there in a little while. Still nothing else on the float rod so I tried different depths, different baits, bread then sweetcorn but still nothing. I had been noticing some small fish jumping and the V shape on the surface of the water where they were swimming just below and a little while later the float dipped and I was into a small perch. Not the smallest I have ever caught but certainly a contender! I moved my carp rod to the baited area but no luck. I am always surprised how fast the time goes on the bank even if I am not catching much. I think this is because I enjoy being out in the country looking at the birds and other wildlife and because I am always thinking what else I can try to catch more fish.
Soon it was time to pack up and stop to chat to the anglers I passed who told me that they were having even less luck than me. I saw on the club’s Facebook site later that evening that the young man caught another carp after I had left so he had something out of the day. Thinking about my session I was pleased that I didn’t blank but not pleased that having caught one roach I didn’t catch more. Perhaps it is still a bit cold or maybe the sunshine put them off, that would be a shame as I like fishing on warm sunny days! Also I haven’t caught a carp this year despite having my rods out several times. I am beginning to wonder whether having a float rod and a carp rod out at the same time is such a good idea, perhaps I should concentrate on one or the other, I would certainly have less gear to carry!
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