Well despite my best intentions to actually go fishing this month. I’ve again failed to be consistent, Although I have managed a few sessions.
I started the month full of optimism as I was finally heading to my new syndicate water, for what would be only my second session on the water since I joined. Obviously my first session ended in me leaving early, after my rod folded on me during my first cast into the lake.
The syndicate has a week A and a week B rota system to accommodate the members during peak periods such as weekends and the rota system runs until Monday midday. So as it wasn’t my rota week, I was unable to start fishing until 12. This gave me the opportunity to walk the bank and attempt to get in-tune with the venue before my 24hr session.
There were only two other anglers on when I arrived and they were in a area on the end of a fairly warm wind. If I’d have turned up and just started fishing i’d have fancied that area. However as I mentioned I was walking the bank and this was to pay off, when I reached the far end of the lake. I noticed a number of big black backs out of the water, off the wind and I knew I’d found the fish. I still had a hour or so until I could get my stuff . So I sat in a couple of swims and simply watched and contemplated how best to target the fish in-front of me.
As you’d expect, time went incredibly slowly before I was finally able to collect my tackle and fetch it back to the swim. It was the furthest swim from the car and in the midday heat it wasn’t the easiest barrow journey I’ve ever experienced. I was fueld however by the thought of having found the fish and being able to fish in the area. The lake is steeped in angling history as are the fish which occupy the water.
I reached the swim and although I was knackered and hot, I knew I wanted to get some zigs out to where the fish were showing. At least one rod before I had a well deserved rest. I had a adjustable zig float which would be perfect as the water depth is very deep and I had no idea just how deep, as it was only my second session. A adjustable zig would allow me to cast directly into the area without disturbing the fish, I could get my hook-bait directly under the surface and in their faces without knowing the depth.
That was the idea, however my zig float had other ideas as I couldn’t get it to come up. Regardless of what I tried. Eventually I’d had enough and had no other choice than to marker the depth. I knew this may spook the fish but I was left with no other option.
As expected the markering had pushed the fish further back and out of my casting range. However I now new the depth was 15ft and I was able to set a zig out in the area. Hopefully the fish will draw back into the area and I’ll get a opportunity.
My other 2 rods, were fishing with two stiff hinge rigs over 2kg of CC Moore Equinox boilies which I’d pre soaked in a number of liquids. I’d done some filming with Alam Welch for CC Moore TV and he’d discussed liquids with me in detail and we formulated a concoction to boost the attraction. Basically Krill amino is a heavy liquid and therefore it leaches off the food-source and into the lake bed. Even when the food source is gone the Krill attraction remains and fish will remain in the area looking for it. Feedstim XP- obviously a very well known liquid attractor, will leech off and create and halo of attraction within the middle areas of the water and finally Hemp or Salmon oil. The oils leech off the bait and climb to the waters surface, carrying attraction and pulling fish down.
Both rods were fished tight together, on a clean area I’d found with my marker rod.
Once my rods were out I stood over them, watching the water and looking for signs of fish. The carp had begun to show closer to my zig and I’d even spotted a few drifting in a marginal bay to my
left. I kept a eye on the area and decided to move my zig for a hour or two. Sadly this didnt materialize into anything and fish had begun to show towards the middle of the lake again, so I blasted my zig back out towards the area.
As the last hour of light drew in the wind appeared to drop, and the angler on the far side who is also a friend. Decided to put a few floaters out, as the water has a reputation for responding to floaters and there certainly were enough fish in the upper layers to fish for.
The floaters had been out for a good half a hour before I started to notice fish feeding in the middle of the lake. The floaters had drifted over on the wind and the carp were feeding very confidently on them.
They continued to feed on the floaters right to 30yrds off my margin, and I was literally about to move my zig rod when it burst into life. I wish I could tell you how composed I was, however I literally watched in amazement as my delkim screamed and line was pouring off my spool. Eventually I lifted the rod, however I wouldn’t call it a strike and I played the fish terribly as-well. All I kept thinking was of the lakes and fishes history. To make matters worse the fish had begun to pull and it felt BIG!!! Now all I could think about was a size 10 mixa hook and a 3oz lead that I hadn’t dropped on a 8ft zig!!! Inevitability the fish shook the hook and I knew I had only myself to blame. I was gutted about the loss and i’m now desperate to get back down for another opportunity.
The other session I fished this month was on my club water with my good friend Gareth. You may have read the article on the CC Moore website, but if you haven’t Gareth managed his first fish of the year and of our over night campaign. When he landed a beautiful 29lb scaley mirror. The fish was caught in my swim but i’m not a bitter man so I’ll only mention it twice (the fish was in my swim lol).
In other news I have just started working in my local tackle shop (gone fishing). It’s the shop I’ve been going to since I started fishing which is nice, and it’s also a good opportunity to be employed within the trade. So I’m looking forward to that.
The football season has now finished and Cranfield United finished 2nd in the league. Despite good friend and fellow angler James Armstrong informing us that “CRANES DIDNT FINISH 2ND!”. I won’t let him forget that in a hurry. So now the football season has finished I have no further distractions to stop me fishing and I hope to get out regularly to the syndicate water from now on.