Oiling the gears - Update 1

It has been a while since I last got around to an update, having decided to leave it longer than usual to do so.

My first trip was a couple of days prior to the start of the river season, I decided to head down to a very pretty and peaceful lake, one I have only fished a couple of times in the past, it really is picture perfect, beautiful marginal features, turbocharged carp slurping on the nearby reeds, a nice head of silver bream, roach and enigmatic crucian carp, granted the lake does not have a large populace of these creatures, but catching just one from here would mean a lot.

I planned to spend the day fishing on the stick and pin and at one end of the lake in particular, a feature packed area with an island, overhanging trees and bushes, a bit of a mangrove in places.

Maggots, red worms, lobworms, corn and a light amount of groundbait. I had also brought some inexpensive surface baits with me in the shape of  haribo marshmallows, popcorn and bread (imitation and real).

The day was sunny, but the fish fed well from the beginning, maggots taking roach, silver bream and even the odd small rudd, which until now I was unaware inhabited this lake, bite followed bite. Inbetween these fish, I was getting some very light taps and knocks, were they from the odd crucian?

I changed hook size, finer wire and one size smaller, chopped and changed from maggot to bread flake and brandlings and back to maggot again, but these particular bites remained the same, I was a tad puzzled. During the day, lean silhouettes drifted in and out of the tree line and the sound of carp slurping a nutritious smoothie of insects was to be heard from the far bank.

Switching to half a lobworm it was not long before the float slid away and the first carp of the day made a powerful dash for the safety of the snags, now these fish fight like their life depends on
it, the tussle was an exciting one, it eventually succumbing to the net.

Naturally I became preoccupied and picked up a few more of these scrappers, each and everyone putting a solid bend in my rod and tearing line from the pin, never knowing when they were beaten.

Around late afternoon I decided to pop open the bag of marshmallows and I have to be honest I did indulge myself with three or four before deciding to start using some small pieces, lightly balanced with a little heavier shot nearer the hook.

I have always found these a superb and economical bait, one which carp generally cannot turn a blind eye to and they certainly did not fail me on this occasion.

As late afternoon melted into evening and under the discerning eye of a Heron and half asleep Mallard, I managed to pick up a few more of these little powerhouse's, each and everyone giving myself an enjoyable and at times arm aching test.

Lean and mean, largest of the trip (6.1)

Alas no crucians, but with, roach, silver bream and these lean mean fighting machines it was the perfect way to spend the day and warm myself up for the start of the river season.

()><(((º> Ruddy Superb<º)))><()

Hello and a warm and wet welcome back to fishing for memories.



I decided to have a slight departure for a change on to a quiet still water for the day for some Rudd and Roach,I have never really tried to target them,so was looking forward to it,The feeder and float rod were hastily put in the car along with a bucket of crumb,maggots and hemp and I set off.



Arriving at the lake I decided to fish an area that had a lot of debris as well as some pads and reeds there was a lot of wildfowl activity in this area too,with the usual moorhens and other wildfowl regularly making sorties back and forth to make underwater feeding excursions







Both rods were set up with fine fluorocarbon hooklinks of 2.6lb and size 12 hooks,one rod with a cage feeder and the other rod with a Crow quill float.


I had brought some sweetcorn with me as well as animal feed maize I decided to put the feeder rod out with two grains of sweetcorn to the reeded area with wildfowl in the picture above and then fished the float in a similar area nearby but on maggots,feeding both areas intermittently with the animal maize.


Most of the day was very active with small rudd and lots of tiny Perch picking up the maggots on the float as well as a few small Roach on the feeder rod,but no sign of any larger specimens especially Rudd.At late evening the feeder Rod swept round and a fish I had no hope of controlling disappeared into the sunset with my hooklink,most likely one of the wild carp that reside in the lake,I was a bit crest fallen as I do love catching these torpedo like fish that look majestic and fight like demons on steroids.


I replaced the hooklink and baited it this time with one of the smaller grains of animal maize instead of sweetcorn and cast to the same spot,the evening had drawn in and darkness was gradually trying to engulf me in its cloak,my time was coming to an end,but I was happy.


I had brought the float rod in and decided to concentrate for the last hour or two on the feeder setup only.All was quiet not one sound of another person except myself,the lake came alive with bats sweeping in low across the water having their evening meal,an owl called out in one of the nearby trees.


The feeder rods bite alarm which was on low,bleeped once and the swinger climbed slow but steadily,I lifted in and was met with a solid resistance,thud thud came the reply from the other end,I played it as carefully as the hooklink and snags would allow,all the way to the net I had my heart in my mouth,it was certainly not a Carp and as it broke the surface film of the water I got my first glimpse of a chunky heavy weight specimen,which once in the net was a glorious Rudd immaculately conditioned.Scales out and fish weighed 3lb1oz a new personal best,I felt pleased as punch.







I had enough time for one more cast,but there is another day for such things,I packed up and went home a contented chap,dreaming about the knights in silver scaled armour with yellow eyes and proud upturned mouths that inhabited this lake.