Now on previous trips to the specimen lake and knowing where I should be fishing I knew I would be fishing some really hard banks now bearing in mind I use defiant banksticks that screw into anything means its not usually a problem but given 2 things , the cold weather means handling cold stainless steel isnt good so I spent the previous 2 weeks searching for a pod as my Fox Horizon has had a couple of changes made to it for fishing the Trent which has rendered it useless for normal use , anyway after searching and taking advice I decided to do something different and search for spares for the Horizon , on accessing the Fox site I discovered I could replace the adapted parts for £20 , which is cheaper than buying another pod ( its a Yorkshire thing ) . So in went the order , arriving home on wednesday at 2.30pm I discovered postie had left the said parts in a secure place and I set about digging pod out now at this point things were looking good but after 30 mins of trying to find the 3 legs I dont normally use I reasoned that I better get off and just use the stainless for this session again .
I arrived at the lake to be greeted by the bailiff doing some work on the entrance to the complex and to be informed that other than the odd pike to 10lb been caught nothing else had shown for last 2 weeks and there was a few of the caravan and lodgers fishing and blanking just what you want to hear when its bloody freezing with an easterly wind and looking at 4 hours max fishing time . Now I should add I have never blanked on here and the reason will be explained later .
Quick scan of the lake and a walk revealed 3 anglers packing up on the far bank , who had blanked and were very grumpy , now a quick scan revealed the grebes feeding at this end of the lake , always a good sign plus the anglers who were leaving had been fishing in the margins and up in the water because thats were the fish are at this time of year , yeah but not when the temps are like this .
Off back round to the bank I favour for both been able to access the deep channel and less dog and bank walkers disturbing you . I cranked the banksticks in and then proceeded to launch my feeders to the required distance , clipped up and put the marker braid on , now the easterly wind was blowing straight into my face but I know was my best area for a fish or 2 . I sent 6 feeders of maggot onto the area and was just going to set the rods when I was joined for a chat by John Macadam my friend Jason's dad he left me to it and finally got the traps set by 4.15pm , now my plan was to fish til 7.30pm or just beyond , tat was my plan until I discovered I had left my head torches in my barbel bag Doh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now what happened next was such a shock that I nearly fell off my chair ,at 4.30pm the left hand bobbin hit the floor and the alarm sounded and I lifted into my first fish or rather I didnt as nothing there , damn !!!!!!!!!!! quick check and rebait and cast out and decided to recast the right hand rod , half way through retrieving and the left hand rod starts going mental the bobbing is bouncing up and down and alarm screaming down with rod and lift into fish no nothing there again , double bugger !!!!!!!!!!!!!! . Get both rods back out and settle down , Now as I said earlier and mentioned in a previous blog I have never blanked on here and I put it down to the kingfisher , everytime I see it , within 10 mins I have a fish , so when it shot across the front of me I just went and stood net to rods and sure enough 10 mins later off went the left hand rod , no mistake this time and fish on playing it very gingerly on the barbless hook I netted a very welcome perch on the scales and a respectable 1lb 5oz
Blank avoided again , thanks to the kingfisher . I had just recast and my mrs arrived with Dizzy our little terrier after a quick update and greeting off they went for a quick walk round the lake they returned and no further action had happened , after a quick chat they were about to set off for home with me saying that since it was now 6.20pm and dark wasnt far away that I would start packing up as was calling at chippy for tea , now just as they were about to leave and the kingfisher flew back , I commented that would be another fish within 10mins off home went the mrs smiling about her insane husband . No sooner had the car pulled out of the car park the the right hand rod went off and fish on again after another careful playing an absolutely pristine roach lay in the landing net on the scales it went 1lb 7oz , I really dont think the picture does it justice but fingers were now starting to lose feeling and I didnt fancy setting the self take stuff up
I packed away more than happy with 2 fish from a day that was far from perfect and knowing nothing else had been caught , I actually only fished for 2 and a half hours . when I went back to retrieve the unhooking mat and weigh sling I discovered the water on them had turned to ice !!!!!!!!!!!
Called at the chippy on the way home for a nice large portion of chips , haddock and curry sauce .
I am planning on trying a few hours from first light this week before work which is something I have never done .
No comments:
Post a Comment