Well it didn’t quiet go to plan this weekend. The urban oasis and forgotten hideaway is still full of weed and now covered in leaves. This meant that for my first session on this special club lake is was a nonstarter! With only a few hours before darkness and the need for a weed rake I reluctantly went over to my nemesis lake. This is another club water Tony Smeets guests me on from time to time. I’ve fished it 3 times now and only managed one fish so far. It’s not a hard lake just very moody, deep and last time fully of dead stinking weed. Lets hope its better on all accounts this time.
Tony was pitched up on the Broken Arm Bank, kindly given its name by Terry Doe – Editor in Chief at Archant Publishing who whist fighting an epic battle against one of the lakes larger creatures slipped. Placing his arm out to break his fall, he broke more than his pride. He also doesn’t like to mention it, but he’s had a 17.06lb bream from this lake. Tony refused to take a picture, due to it being a pointless creature! Rebuffing Terry’s pleas of, but Tone it’s massive and a PB. This is now mentioned at every opportunity, hence the comment. He doesn’t like to mention it. Even typing this has me laughing out loud. Fishing is always about more than catching.
I’m situated in the middle of the bank with Tony to my right. Only 3 guys are fishing the far side of the lake so I have the prefect angle to the back of the reeds in the corner. With swims to my left you wouldn’t normally be able to cast at this angle, so I took full advantage. After a couple of casts and with only little dead (not smelly) weed I get the donk I’m after. It’s finally time to sit back with a beer, gammon steaks and rice with Tony to enjoy the social side of my fishing. The evening passes quietly and after a busy week at work, time for some much needed sleep.
After recent success I’m using Mad Baits Wicked Whites with a 16 mm Coconut Dispersion Pop Up on a supple hinge rig. This approach has done me well this month with water clarity improving. Making it a great starting point for my weekend session. It’s about 11:30pm and it seems like I’ve just nodded off, but wake with a start to the sound of a single tone from the Solace alarms! With over hanging trees to the side of the reeds I hold the 65 QD spool and walk back down the bank. The fish is kicking and battling against me all the way, but we are clear and in open water. Little did I know that was going to be the easy part of the fight.. Every time I tightened the clutch to gain some control of the fight it simply flat rodded me, then went on a 30 yards screaming charge across the lake. For the second time I’m holding the spool and walking down the bank as the fish kites round to my right. This time it’s trying to gain refuse in an overhanging tree. For over 20 minutes in the dark this duel plays out. After all this it still tried to stitch me up by zigzagging through the whole length of marginal reeds in front of me. Finally the fish is sitting quietly in the net and I’m looking over the lake feeling like a bus has just run over me. Thankfully after all that there was no crazy smashing about on the bank or even while taking pictures. It did however tense up and flaring all its fins in defiance to remind me I could still get a slap at any point.
Oh and I forgot to mention to add to my enjoyment it was raining on and off throughout this little battle. Just for a change I ran out wearing only my Wychwood polo shirt! Anyway the rod went back out on the spot and it was back to sleep until around 2:30am and a single beep had one eye open. This time picking up my fleece I’m standing next to the rod when the Wychwood Slug hits the butt! Thankfully it didn’t take so long to get a long learn 21.05lb Common in the net. Again it was pictures, cup of tea and back to my much-needed sleep.
Early morning and Martin, another fishing buddy has joined us and is fishing to my left, so no more fishing the reeds for me. Unfortunately the open water spots didn’t produce for the rest of the weekend, even after changing rigs several times and 3 zig depths. Not to mention the change of colours and flavours.
Packing up early on the Sunday morning it was of for the customary breakfast at Willow Park Fishery and a catch up with friends. I think most of the laughing was at my expense and my advice is below on how to limit this!
Side note and word of advice: If your barrow has a half flat tyre do not think it’s a good idea to push it in wet conditions across several dirt tracks and fields. You will end up looking like an idiot and like you have had a 2 hour work out in the gym. Also it tends to fall over and only through shire luck your gear stops at the waters edge! If I save one person with this advice it will be worth it!