Good Morning.
Listening to radio one, online yesterday, revealed that the weather in the UK is pretty fine at the moment. I would imagine most of you have been out enjoying the sun, or even fishing perhaps? The football will be on most people’s minds today, so I decided to only write a weekend update to fill in the gaps since Friday’s post.
I have come to the conclusion that this lake is incredibly noisy at this busy time of year! Being a public lake it might be what you would expect, but after fishing several in the past 30 months (!) this rates as top of the pile for volume. We are in fact in a very isolated swim, down a steep track, off a fairly quiet road. This track separates a nursing home and a hotel. On Friday there was a wedding held at the hotel, followed by another one yesterday. The Italians certainly know how to sing, and by the sounds of it, also know how to throw a good party. The highlight of Friday’s wedding was when the newly wed, and happy couple, ventured down to the edge of the lake on the hotel grounds, just yards from our swim, to have some romantic photos taken. My friendly and inquisitive dogs decided to investigate this odd occurence, and the bride was last seen running towards the reception with brown stains on the back of her white satin dress! The photographer was a keen angler, so he enquired as to whether or not we had caught, took a snap of the dogs, and wished us luck!
I told Jon not to feed the animals!
The nursing home is, not surprisingly, a laid back and chilled location, and apart from the odd enquiry as to what we have caught from the residents, and the sight of one of the ‘hot’ nurses taking a dip in the outdoor pool, this has been the calming and peaceful side. Opposite our swim, 250 metres away, is the very busy main road. The traffic just never seems to stop in Italy, and as it is now the height of summer you can add to this constant hum-drum of noise, the late night parties, the revellers who have to scream and shout (for no apparent reason) all through the early hours, and the host of other unexpected raves above and beyond. Don’t get me wrong, I sometimes wish I was in attendance, rather than trying to sleep in a bivvy, looking at a green ceiling, but the worst noise is yet to come!
The dogs. Not my dogs, but a gang of dogs that obviously live opposite, outdoors, in someones garden, and I can’t understand how on earth the owners get away it. It can only be described as noise pollution! There seem to be three hounds, all with their own unique vocal range, that just do not stop howling and barking. The area opposite is made up of houses, on the mountain side, and there are several of them. Don’t get me wrong – I love dogs, but if that was in the UK, the RSPCA would no doubt be called out, along with the police, and I am positive there would be a film crew, shooting the next series of “Neighbours from hell!” We are probably half a kilometre from the yappy dogs, but it sounds like they are in Jon’s bivvy!
The Italians call this lake the Italian Cassien. The number of tourists and pleasure seekers it attracts could possibly be the reason that it is compared to the southern French venue; and the fact it is long and thin in places. It also holds some big carp, and these carp do seem to be quite nomadic, similar to Cassien. We have caught more carp since Friday, but only mid-doubles. I had one on Friday night on the tiger rod, Jon had two this morning from his hot-spot weed rod. It seems the bigger specimens are elsewhere for the time being, but just like Cassien there is a good chance they will pass through at some point during the next week. I have one week left and Jon is off home to his family this morning. I say I have one week left, I will fish till Saturday morning, and then head back to my base, in preparation for the next two-week session I have planned.
I can not move swims incidentally as all swims must be booked as I mentioned in the week. This is the swim we booked and it is here I must stay. One slightly irritating aspect of the booking system (it is actually a good idea) is the fact many people book swims and then don’t turn up. There are obviously vacant swims but you are not allowed to carp fish in them unless you have booked the space. You are allowed to book one particular swim in your name for four weeks of the year and it seems there is no limit as to how many swims and weeks you can book up for the year. I am sure some people book up so many, and then don’t arrive, unless they can be bothered, or the weather suits them. They should bring in a rule, where if you do not fill your swim within the first 24 hours, by confirming with the town office by text or telephone, then you forfeit your right to the swim. The booking system is a very good idea though, and for this reason: the town offices have all of your details so if you leave the swim in a terrible mess, they can chase you up, and ban you from ever booking a swim again. Cassien – maybe you should consider this system? Despite all of the above, I am more than happy with our swim choice and I am confident it may throw up a big fish before the week is out.
Shrinktubed hook baits ready to go.
After catching another small common from the pads on Friday night on the tigers, I yesterday moved this rod out into the middle channel to join my other two rods. I don’t think this is necessarily a spot for catching many carp, but I reckon it could pick up a big, lone, passing carp. That is now my plan and I am sticking with it for the rest of the week. So far it has thrown up the 35lb common and I am confident that was not a fluke. I am confident I would keep catching from the pad spot, but I don’t want to get up for anymore mid-double commons at 3am.
Clipping up...
To give it the biggun'...
Spot on!
In all fairness the action has slowed a little and the fish have got progressively smaller, but I am positive we had more fish here at the start of the session, that were hanging around to finish off the spawning. That has now stopped as they can no longer be heard, and quite possibly the carp were just ensuring they were completely done and dusted for the year, or maybe they were just perfecting their technique for next year!
What a sight!
Another successful landing by the road!
Ooops a daisy!
Here comes the rescue squad powered by 70HP!
You may have seem from some of the pictures that in front of us is a very high mountain. It probably rises up over a kilometre from the road and this weekend has seen a constant flow of paragliders. We have the best seats in the house for this display, and every ten minutes, a brightly coloured parachute drops from the sky, zig zagging its way down, and they are landing opposite on a very narrow strip of grass between the reeds (hiding the lake), and the dangerous and busy main road. There is an Italian red cross emergency boat on standby for any accidents, and yesterday afternoon at approximately 5pm, one of the daredevils got their landing slightly wrong. They landed in the reeds – sorry in the edge of the lake! The boat rushed to the scene and I am glad to say no one was hurt. The daredevil was later seen drying out his wet chute by the roadside, and Jon and I could make out a very embarrassed and red-faced guy, pretending he was just flying a large kite. It all happens at public lakes!!
Enjoy the football, enjoy the rest of your weekend, and come back tomorrow for another update.
Cheers
Jake and the dogs.
P.S Flash and Charley, although from German heritage, are supporting England, and predict England will win by two goals to one; and Rooney will score!
