Good Morning.
This morning was a bright sunny start but I am pleased that the moody weather is making its way back in. Dark patches of clouds are entwined with tinges of blue and fairly strong north westerly winds are pushing across the bay I am set up in. I want rain and slightly warmer winds but you don’t always get what you want in life – not all of the time!
"I get my way, all of the time!"
Yesterday flew by! I started reading a Lee Childs Thriller – Worth Dying For. A friend of mine left it for me in September and I have now got the chance to really enjoy it. Easy reading and half of the 500 pages have been devoured already. It is nice to imagine what is on the lakebed, feeding next to your hookbait, whilst also using your imagination to bring your book to life.
Just as it was getting dark at 7pm I had a take on the same rod that produced my first carp of the session. This rod is being fished in open water, in between the line of Oak trees, and on a slope, and I see it as a good patrol route. I am using a blow-back rig with a 24mm bottom bait and a 15mm fluro pop-up. A lovely snowman combo! The take came and line was pulled off the baitrunner. I picked the rod up and the carp took no more line. Normally a good sign of a better fish as the smaller ones do tend to strip line as if you have hooked into a blue marlin! I started to slowly draw the fish in as I nimbly swapped boots for waders, one foot at a time. Then all went slack as the hook pulled – you wins some, you lose some! It is easy to try to cast the blame on something when you suffer a hook pull, but one so early on in the fight can only mean one thing – a poor hook hold. I have swapped boots for waders, hundreds of times, mid-fight, early on, and that certainly wasn’t the reason, as I always keep the pressure on, whilst the balancing-on-one-leg manoeuvre is executed. I reeled in quickly, took off my hooklink and did a quick cast to my mark, clipped-up, reeled back in, put on a fresh pva nugget and a stringer, and whacked it back to my spot. It was now dark but still early with plenty of time for more.
Spot the dog!!!
It was noticeably colder last night. Only a few degrees, but the skies were clear and the cloud cover had gone. I cooked my dinner, or rather reheated a meal I cooked in my house, earlier in the week. Beef and chicken in a homemade black bean sauce accompanied by brown rice. A hearty meal for a hungry angler!
Soon overcome with tiredness and after devouring more of my book, I called it a night. I slept rather uncomfortably due to my arm, until I was woken at 3am by a short burst of activity on the rod that produced my second fish yesterday morning. I was straight into my waders and picked the rod off the rests. This rod is being fished a few yards from an Oak tree to my right. I immediately walked to my left holding the rod to my side and low down. Side strain was required to stop the fish reaching branches, and I felt the odd grate of line indicating I had been very close to danger. I felt the fish was now in open water so I slowly walked back to my starting blocks and began slowly retrieving line. The fish came in quite easily until it was ten yards from the bank. I like to back wind when playing a fish, but the speed that the carp suddenly took off with, meant the clutch had to be deployed; otherwise my knuckles would have been severely rapped with the reel-handle! The fight now began and the fish repeatedly took line in long bursts. Using the clutch was quite a benefit for my right arm, as it meant I could hold the rod with my left arm, and put the butt into my thigh during the fight. I stood in the water and patiently tired the fish till it was eventually ready for the net. Then I switched hands and reeled up the necessary line, shortening it, till it was the right length for netting. In she went!
A powerful looking common was weighed and retained; 24.5lbs! I got the rod back to my spot and topped it up with a few spombs of boilies. The air still had a slight chill and I wasn’t surprised when morning dawned that nothing else had happened during the remaining hours of darkness.
24.5lbs
Scales showing signs of healing, either from spawn damage or possibly dropped by a careless angler in the past?
In the morning I quickly photographed and released my carp. The fish showed healthy signs of recovering spawn damage on its right flank; I presume from rubbing on gravel to release its load last spring. With the photos done using a remote and tripod, it was now time for breakfast.
As the time now moves towards midday, I have redone one rod but am leaving the others till the wind dies down to achieve greater accuracy with my baiting up. Sometimes it is better to have your rods exactly where they are, rather than reel in, only to struggle to get things back where you want, followed by badly baiting up your area. With cross winds you must take drag into the equation and therefore your casts with your spomb will also need to take this into consideration.
Enjoy your weekend. I will be back tomorrow with another update.
Cheers
Jake & Flash!
