FISHING IT FIRST
I got a sneak peak before the launch of Willow Park Fishery’s redeveloped of the Big Lake. It also would have been rude not to get the rods out before it opened to the public. So lets see what all the talks been about.
I get to the lake about 3:30 in the afternoon on Friday 20th March and Bob Orford stops work to shows me round. A swim that catches my eye is a newly created one, soon to be named Bob’s View. This little swim is tucked away between Culvert and Bungalows and Bob tells me it’s likely to be a bailiff’s swim. Result I thought lets fish it before the other bailiffs do. It’s only a small bay with a maximum 40-yard cast, but I know the fish get in real close in here.
We walk round the rest of the lake and its clear to see a lot of time and effort has gone into get it looking like this. Bob explains it’s been his 5-year plan to develop the lake this way and he’s finally got it how he wants it.
Time is getting on and its back to Bob’s View. The first rod goes out on the left hand margin at 4:30 just under 8 wraps to a firm donk on a little supple hinge rig. The back lead goes on and the bobbin is set. The second rod is just over 8 wrap and cast into open water. The same rig, but fished in a small silt pocket. The rod is placed on the rests whilst I get the back lead out my pocket. I put my hand on the rod and as I do the back buzz bar turns causing both alarms to go off! I mutter a few words under my breath while I trying to sort the buzz bars and rods out. It’s at that point the penny drops and I realise the reason for the drama. The second rod had a fish on before I’d adjust the clutch!! The fish hadn’t ripped of, but was just keeping tension on the line causing everything to move in my hand. With a smile on my face I land a fin perfect double figure mirror. One early in the net is always a result.
This was just the start of what can only be described as the craziest 12hrs fishing I’ve ever had. 17 takes and 16 fish landed as I changed between a supple hinge and a snowman rig to keep the bits coming. I also baited the right hand margin, chopping and changing between the 3 spots to maximise the takes. After each fish 2 big catapults of boiles went out to keep the swim topped up. This session the winning bait was a mixture of Mad Baits ASBO, Winter Zing and Wicked Whites in 12, 14 and 16mm’s. On the supple hinge rig it was the ever-faithful FLURO Dispersion Pop Up range. The Peachamino in Fluro Orange did seem to single out the bigger fish.
At 4:30am the rods were reeled in for some much needed sleep. Bob drives past at 7:30am and its back to the café for breakfast. A few friends turn up throughout the morning and after many cups of coffee, its time to return to the lake. I’m not quiet sure where the time had gone but its now 1:30pm. The rods go out on the spots, but all seems quiet. I do see a number of fish topping at distance, so with only a couple of hours left its time for a move. I spend the next hour casting singles to showing fish. The result is a stunning double figure fully scaled mirror before its time to go back to the swim and pack my gear away.
The rods are flicked out and placed on the floor as I chat to Bob who’s down finishing a few bits on the lake. The brolly system is put away and half my gears loaded in the car before a clicking sound grabs my attention. This is to be the last and biggest fish of the session. At just over 18lbs the lovely common is the icing on the cake. A great end to a great session with a total of 19 takes and 18 fish landed. Some truly stunning fish are growing on in this lake. A lot of the fish have been hand picked not for size, but for what they look like. The futures bright, the futures Willow Park Fishery Big lake…