Things are beginning to ease at or near to the re-opening of the coarse fishing season, the glorious 16th. After weeks of some beautiful weather last week was different. Very windy, cooler, but anglers still enjoying swims around the Lake.
Two to the right, one next to the rushes, and one between us. The first, using a float, close to the rushes, attracted Carp, the other was on the method feeder, straight out in front, about three rod lengths. He was using one or two handfuls of small sinking pellets to interest the Carp. This worked and after about 20mins. with a Common of 6lbs. My start, in contrast, was the open ended feeder fished alongside the reeds to the right. As always, a lot of care went into preparing the ground bait to provide a plug at each end of the feeder, sandwiching sweet corn in between. The hook bait was a single piece of flavoured corn to a small hair rig hook to a short snood, fished to the right alongside the reeds. Some loose feed corn to encourage interest and after about 20 mins. the first signs became a Common of 5lbs. The wind made fishing more difficult throughout the afternoon, but it dissuaded the ducks from being too interested in the swim. In the remaining time until about 6 o’clock, the swim was regularly refreshed with small amounts of loose sinking pellet, but it needed this regular attention to keep them interested.
The rod to the right finished with several Commons up to 8lbs., and although the numbers were down the individual quality was good, and from the five caught, a total in excess of 25lbs., the best, the last fish a Mirror of 8lbs.+. The other thing about the session was the strength of the bites, an initial twitch or two, the prelude to a really strong hard pull, a couple of times pulling the rod off the rest.
At the other end of the lake an angler using the pole, had an excellent day, starting around 9am. finishing at 3pm., 20+ fish up to and over. His day finishing earlier when the top section of his pole broke.
The numbers of fish might have been more, but the quality overshadowed this, so another productive session was enjoyed by all.
Tinca Tinca.
