20th May - 22nd May – First session of the new season. Having had the last 2 years off through injury and operations to my bicep and shoulder, I panned a 2.5 day trip to the Lake. Tackle packed (too much as always) and off I went after a busy nights work. I arrived at the lake at about 07:30 with no other cars in the car park. Surprised at this I loaded the barrow and made tracks to the lake. The sun was out, giving the lake that attractive early morning look. I dropped the gear off by swim 4 and had a look around the lake for signs of the fish. There was one cruising the island between swims, and 3 fish doing the same by the small set of pads in front of another swim up th eother end of the lake. Not having any dog biscuit with me I fired out a few small pop-ups to see if they were in the mood. Not a sniff. I decided to plump for a swim in the middle as this gave me lots of water to fish as well as being in a great place for fish traveling between the 2 ends of the lake.
Having unloaded the barrow and getting the new 9ft 2¾lb Scope rods out, it was time to decide where to fish to. I baited the left hand rod with an 18mm Cell topped with a ½ 10mm white milky toffee. This was baited onto a Korda size 6b KD rig with a stick mix (crumbed cell, Cell pellets, desiccated coconut, and syrup). This was cast out to the edge of the pads in the middle of the lake over towards swim to my left, knowing that if someone came into that swim I’d have to move it. I toped this up with 20 free offerings scattered over the area.
The second rod was a homemade coated size 8 KD rig wit 3 grains of slow sinking plastic maze. This was also on a 2½oz COG lead system. A mesh PVA bag of maze & hemp was swung out 15yrds just to the right of the tree in the margin.
At 11:20 the left hand alarm sounded and line tearing off the real. I struck into a fish which went straight into the pads. Managing to get it out it took me on a merry dance in the margins to my left. After having worn it out in the net it went. Up on the scales at 20lb 14oz liner mirror dark top and lighter bottom half.
I was joined by my dad who jumped into the swim next to me so we could have a social. A couple of trophy shots and back t went. Rod re-bated and out again with a scattering of free offerings. The day passed with the sunshine being broken by the odd cloud and the rain holding off.
Dinner was made and I settled down for the evening. Then at 20:50 the left rod beeped into action again. This one didn’t fight as hard as the first keeping its head down until the gulp of air before the net. Onto the back it went and weighed in at 21lb 2oz mirror carp.
A couple of photos and back it went. Rod rebated and out to the spot aging. With that to bed it was. Nothing disturbed my sleep until the phone goes with the kids wanting to know how many fish I had caught. The day progressed with some nice weather. Others soon joined us on the lake.
Another member went into the swim to my left which meant I had to move my left rod on the pads, but I knew this when I put it there so wasn’t to disappointed (I did manage to get 2 before no5 was taken)
No other fish were to grace the bank for me during the rest of my stay. Which ended on Friday lunchtime.
A good start for me I think. Will need to up my game plan a bit for the rest of the season. I think the odd stalking/floater session after or before work will be the order of the day to winkle out a few more.