It’s been awhile since I put any real fishing time into this place. I still bailiff the lake daily but after a few years of catching most of the fish you start to get repeat catches which to be honest started to bore me slightly. As with most lakes there’s an A-Team which I hadn’t yet completed. A long, big shouldered common known as Peanut would complete the list. But with most of my fishing now being over the bridge my only option is mid-week work nights.

So I decided to dedicate 2 nights a week until the end of September fishing 7pm – 6am the following morning. I had a swim in mind which I knew this fish had been caught from over the years around this time of the year “The Cat Swim”. My plan was to pre-bait for at least two weeks and get them feeding confidently I weren’t too concerned with anybody fishing the swim as it had been kind of looked over recently. The first time I put bait in was on a Monday, 3kg of Nash 4g squid to start then two days later another 2kg, then 1kg every other evening and by the following Monday there were fish all over the swim. After seeing so many fish in the swim I decided to do my first night but was disappointed to reel both rods in the following morning with no baits?

The pot of hook baits I’d had soaking in glug had gone a bit soft. I kept the bait going in for the rest of the week then set up after work on the Monday, the fish were still all over the swim. About half an hour after casting the rods in the left rod erupted into life, a strong heavy fish which would turn out to be Starburst an old acquaintance which had crossed my landing net cord twice before a beautiful looking mirror at 29lb 8oz and probably the one on most people’s list. I top up the swim get the rod back on the spot and half an hour or so later the same rod rips off this time I get the fish within 10 yards of the bank and the hook pulls, Gutted ! I’m already starting to think the kg Of bait I brought isn’t going to last me the night. It’s started to rain and its forecast all night so I make up a few bags ready for the night, there’s nothing worse than trying to tie bags after you’ve had a fish with everything all wet.

My next run comes just after I get my head down I’ve never been a great fan of Grass Carp and this one’s no exception still at 24lb It keeps the action coming. I put what’s left of the bait in and because of the rain beating like a drum on the bivvy I only get broken sleep. I get a wakeup call at about 5 am but hook pull it right at the net I did get a glimpse though, it was only a small mirror so I’m not to bothered. Shortly after I pack up I go home for a shower and off to work.

That afternoon the misses gives me the green light to do another night so with the van still loaded a quick stop at the house for bait and I’m fishing in no time. Conditions are spot on again overcast and light rain. It’s not long before I’m into my first fish a mid-double common. My mate Chris rang me that night and gave me his usual confidence boost of “you will have it” and if you do text me lol. I was absolutely shattered come 10’o clock so decided on an early night, just before 2am I fly out of bed to a screamer and lift into a good fish, it’s staying low and giving a good account of itself, once close in it spooks from the bright light of the head torch and makes a lunge taking line again so I lower the brightness and try again this time it’s in the net buzzing it looks like a decent common.

I get everything ready, mat, sling, scales and set up the camera and tripod. As soon as I lifted it out the water I was already thinking I wonder? Onto the mat rolled it over and Booooom there’s she was Peanut I could do nothing but just laugh to myself I was absolutely buzzing what I thought would maybe take me two months if I was lucky had actually only taken me just a few short nights, 29lb she went and the last of the A-Team to complete the list.

Peanut …… DONE

A quick post on Facebook and my phone was ringing in minutes Peter Lyons one of our Bailiffs asking if I needed pics done but I’d already had the pleasure, surprising who’s actually up at those times lol. Lamby holds some pearlers which are coming through the ranks and I’m sure will be added to that list in the future and I will always be around to tempt them onto the mat.
Jason Massay