Normal Order is Restored

Saturdays fishing was spent at a my local set of commercial lakes.

Now normally, I wouldn't fish them on a weekend as it is ram packed with anglers and the noise is unbearable, but due to the predication of heavy rain at times, I know that the lakes would be quiet.

So I was up at 5:30am, breakfast was eaten, and the car was packed with the two specialist rods and the 13ft float rod. I set off for the 15min drive to the complex and arrived at the shop with a quandary.

The quandary was whether I would have a day on the horseshoe lake in the vain attempt to catch the larger bream and roach, which might be difficult, or fish the smaller lake where it would be much easier to catch fish of all sizes including double figure carp.

After a chat with the guy in the shop, a decision was made to tackle the smaller lake due to its abundance of quality size fish up to double figures. I decided that my normal two rod setup, method feeder/running ledger and float would be the best.

I drove around the lake and soon decided that a swim at the point of the island would be best, as the wind was pushing the waters surface around the point and lots of fish were rising in the coloured water.

The rods were soon setup and a initial cast to the island was made in order that the line clip could be set in order to get each cast back on the money.

First rod out was with a 10mm halibut "hard" pellet with a PVA bad with approx crushed pellets. This was followed up a couple of catapults of addition whole pellets over the target area in order to get the fish to home in hook bait.

Within minutes the island started to fizz with small fish.

Second rod was setup on a float rig, plumbed depth at the marginal shelf 15 yards out was 8ft, so straight waggler rig was setup with the hook bait about 2" above the bottom, but shotted so that the bait would get down quickly and avoided the small silver fish that frequents the lake.

The float was first to dart under and soon a small roach was unhooked and put back. This was followed in quick succession by a number of small roach, skimmer bream and the occasional perch all who seem to have homed in on the red maggots.

The pellet rod remained untouched, even though fish could be seen fizz around the baited area, so a couple more catapult's were sent out to the area, in the hope that the smelly halibut oil would draw the fish in to feed.

More roach followed on the float, but nothing much to write home about, all small, but all welcome.

Its been a difficult summer to catch large fish, with the exception of my red letter day in June, most session have resulted in blanks or a small number of fish, so it was a nice feel to get allot of fish on the bank, even though they were small.

Finally, at 10ish in the morning, after a fresh pellet was cast out, the indicator raised and dropped. Not enough to strike, but a sign that something was interested.

A couple of minutes passed and the bobbin lifted again, but this time it didn't drop back and the baitrunner started to whizz. I picked up the rod and lifted in to a solid lump. The rod bend over and i was in so a scrap with something a little bit tasty on the 1.3/4tc rod and 8lb hook line.

The line was soon uncliped from the line clip and the fight was on, it would give abit, and I would take some back, but after what seemed like an eternity, a nice carp graced the net.

Now not being a carper or even someone who goes after them generally for pleasure. My biggest carp is probably a couple of pounds. It was catch whilst fishing a teaching pond some year ago when the boy wanted a crack at fishing.

This fish was slightly bigger, and tipped the scales at 13lb 8oz, less the wet sling and the carp went just over the 11lb mark. My first double figure carp and a fin perfect mirror carp.

After a quick snap, see was quickly put back, but my only regret was that I did not get a better phone of her.

The rest of the session drift along with more skimmers and the occasional roach. The wind had changed direction and the fish seemed to be gathering in the corner of the lake, where a guy with fish the pole was having a good day with small carp and tench, with the occasional larger fish smashing him up from time to time.

Overall a good day, as normal order was restored with a decent fish gracing my net.

And with that a happy angler returned home to his wife, where upon his return, she had been lovingly making home-made pepperoni pizza....happy days.

TL for now......