Woodlands Lakes. Birthday Blog. 22/04/2016

I'm woken at 05:00 by my alarm and my eyes and head explode in pain. I feel incredibly sick, my back is locked in agony and I feel close to death. This is not the best way to start any day let alone your 36th birthday especially on such a beautiful morning. 

First glimpse at dawn

Unfortunately this is largely all self inflicted so I have no-one else to blame as I scrape myself out of bed uttering a whispered curse so as to not wake Sam. I had spoiled myself with 2 days off for my birthday and started this session yesterday by spending the day with Sam and both our families allowing me to go fishing on my actual birthday and still see everyone. Blessed with a range of gifts  I'm spoiled not least with the fishing selection which includes a new Drennan Red Range Carp Feeder Rod a Shimano ST 4000 Fb reel and copious amounts of terminal tackle ranging from a new rod rest, artificial baits and PVA mesh to mention just a few of the items .

I get dressed while barely holding the contents of my stomach in place and quickly obtain some water and painkillers for my splitting head. I have a lot to do in an hour before Steve gets here and I now regret yesterdays consumption of alcohol and laziness enormously. I somehow manage to get ready with 15 minutes to spare and this combined with Steve arriving 20 minutes late I get time to lie on the couch and try and gather myself. Once here I serve him a coffee and I pack my stuff .With no time at all we are off on the road southbound to Woodlands Lakes Thirsk. Lets have it !

Rough Riders

With my stomach contents intact we arrive at the Lakes some 40 minutes later amazingly without any Rally Sport or wrong turns. Woodlands is a huge commercial complex set in 45 acres of North Yorkshire countryside with 13 fully stocked lakes all offering incredible sport from a huge number of species of fish .It.s £10 for a day ticket which is quite high but its worth the price easily. I cant wait to get fishing.

Pick a Peg

The fact Steve and I fished here a number of times last year combined with us being Tactical Recon Fishing Overlords we have of course done our homework and have a good idea how its being fishing. Steve has read the weeks match reports and interwebs and I had spoken with a few people at the tackle shop who had fished it this week in a match. Of the 12 available lakes today we have chosen The Partridge to be our venue.  

Home for the day.

A lake pretty much devoid of features and almost rectangular. Its far from the prettiest however its well stocked and has been fishing well. Steve and I had had some great success on Curlew lake last year which is very similar and I intend to fish similar tactics on this session. We aren't first here so we quickly suit up and roll out with a enough gear to claim a peg. I'm kicking myself already as I appear to have forgotten my extra coats and I'm concerned if the weather changes I'll suffer but Steve is convinced I'll be ok. 

We walk a few pegs past the first 3 anglers we come across with the usual mumbled informal greetings and set up camp at pegs 6 and 7. Its a lovely morning and having a plan I set up we speed. Other than almost immediately placing my left hand into a huge pile of goose poop, I'm off to a good start by making the perfect micro pellets. I'm quickly setup and making my first cast with my new rod. I make sure to have a few test casts with an empty feeder to get to grips with its power. Its a heavier rod than I have been using for a decade but still light by most standards with a 3oz glass tip. I'm soon comfortable with it and sat basking in the morning sun. All thoughts of my hangover gone I relax telling myself there is no better way to spend a birthday morning than fishing with new tackle in the sun with a friend.

Bliss at Peg 7

The weather is warm and winds are perfect and Its not long before Steve is into a fish . Like myself he's fishing with a feeder to the middle of the lake. From the scrap its giving him I can see it probably better than any fish we have had from the first few trips of the year.  He lands it with deft ease and its released before I can even think about a picture. After a quick trip to my peg for a chat he's back fishing with a smile on his face. Nothing like a early fish to lift the self imposed pressure that fisherman suffer from. I begin to slowly feed the near margin in the below picture as I fish out to the middle of the lake for my first bite.

Inner Peace in the Margins.

Its a few minutes and another cast later while I sit trying to roll my first birthday smoke my rod tip stutters round into a bend. I know at once its not a big fish but It puts up a good account of itself before I get the little fella into my net. For this venue he's just a baby but its the first fish of my birthday so I ask Steve to come take a photo. Its not the best picture but you should always celebrate avoiding the blank and I was over the moon to catch such a perfect little carp. 

Dappled Shade Baby Carpage

With a pep in my step after releasing the fish I walk back with Steve to his Peg.We both have caught our fish on a Method Feeder of varying brands with the same hook bait of 8 mm pellet. With the opposite bank largely clear we aren't contesting with other anglers and I feel confident we will both do well today. I stand and relax with a hot coffee and a smoke behind Steve as he starts fishing. I manage to capture a great shot. I think it pretty much captures the spirit of fishing on a calm sunny morning.

Calm Wake.

Moments after this shot the calm is shattered by a fish tearing off with Steve's trap. I grab a few action shots of the initial strike and battle as Steve expertly plays the fish into his net.

Fish On !

Netsmanship Masterclass

In a matter of minutes Steve has banked his second and the best fish of the day so far. Woodlands is by no means a difficult venue to fish due to its huge stock but we are having a great start to the session. The fish is angry and lets us know it but Steve does well to hold it for a shot. A cracking common at about 5 lb.Lovely Times!

  

Champion !

Once the fish is returned I go back to my peg eager to get another. I have a much more substantial selection of bait available to me today with the aim of testing out some of my new toys but for now I'll stay with the Feeder and see if I can land another quick bite. I cast pretty much at a showing fish a bit beyond my previous spot and settle down only for my rod to rip round into a bend after 2 small taps. Steve has also hooked a fish and we are blessed with a double hook up. Its a good scrap and a joy playing the fish on my new rod. 

Once in close the fish has good scrap in the near margin before I net him. Its fatter fish of around 3 lb but an ugly little face that greets me as I peer into the net. One of the drawbacks of Woodlands and indeed any busy commercial lake is that a lot fishing is done and some fish show the marks of either messy or repeated battles with anglers. This one looks like hes done rounds with Tyson. I suspect that people with tackle way to heavy have yanked this fish out of the depths more than a few times. 

Bubba Carp

After I think another fish each at about 10 the weather changes. The fishing slows as the wind turns cold and towards our bank. For an hour or so its eerily quiet. It feels like the fish have had some breakfast and then gone for a nap. I see no other fisherman catching and no sign of fish. I continue to cast every 7 minutes and struggle to get a bite. For another hour I struggle and manage to land just a few silver fish less than 1 lb each and another small carp.

 With bites being scarce I start to play with some of my options I start by trying a few different hook baits I try a bright orange mini boilie and a range of others with no real success. As it gets even colder I start working on a stick mix for use in my new Fox PVA Mesh Funnel. The mix must not have any water in it if possible as it will speed up the breakdown of the bags. I start with a tin of tuna in brine that I break down by mixing with some simple brown crumb, after this I add a large amount of 2 mm and small handful of 4 mm pellets, a few kernels of dried corn then a good squirt of Squid Bait Smoke Goo. 

My first attempt at Stick Mix

While I'm trying to add the mix clumsily to the PVA for the first time (its a bit like making a sausage) the top of my rod bounces round on the rest and as I strike into the fish the drag on my reel sings as the fish breaches the surface half way across the lake. In a state of panic I try and find somewhere dry to put my PVA mesh while I struggle to get up without spilling my mix everywhere.This is evidently a better fish and he's giving a great fight. The fish speeds towards my bank as I frantically try to keep a tight line and then proceeds to run up and down the near margin at speed. I eventually manage to net him and I'm overjoyed to finally have another carp of about 5 lb on my landing mat.

Small Woodlands Mirror

This fish had a lot of attitude and put up a great fight. I make sure to allow it time to recuperate in the net before release. Its important to do this.Make sure a fish can hold its own and can right itself and has shown a few flicks of the tail or eagerness to go back home to the depths. Where possible make sure to use a landing net or sling when returning a fish.

Take a breather son.

Once the fish is returned and I'm dry again I finish putting together my first ever PVA bag and eagerly take a picture, I dangle it up and proudly display my tight pink sausage for Steve. The bait must be high attract as within minutes of this Steve has brought his chair to my peg and is fondling my fishy phallus.

  

Stick Mix 

 While Steve rolls a smoke I decide its a good time to change my hook bait to some fake corn. A few casts this session I have brought in my line to find I have no hook bait. I cant say if this happened on retrieval or while the feeder is in place. I'm worried I'm leaving my line out with no bait even for a short time. I have a feeder set up already and quickly change the rig after reeling in, Same feeder but mounted on a hair I now have 2 bits of Korda Slow Sinking Corn in I.B Yellow. I want a bigger fish and I'm hoping that this will lure a hungry big boy into my net.

Another new toy on the test.

I'm not going to use my stick mix yet. I want too see if it holds form out of the water. I declare to Steve if anything takes this new double bait it will be a better fish and settle down for the wait. Shortly after much to Steve's amusement and my chagrin my rod tip hiccups and I've hooked a 10 oz skimmer bream. Not only that it tangles me slightly around my rod tip while unhooking. I'm not best pleased to say the least. Greedy little bugger made a fool of me. Its getting really cold now and after a few more casts I'm starting to really feel the wind and lack of fish and my mood has dipped. I tidy up my peg, organize my bait and secure my tackle as I plan to beg Steve for his spare top as the cold is taking the shine off my day. Before I leave throw a few more handfuls of feed into the near margin.

Today's Menu

Steve is happy to provide me with some clothing if it fits so we head to the car. The fish have dropped off again so a break from the fishing for some warming, food, exercise and a loo break as a welcome distraction. We get to the car and to both my shame and joy I find I did pack my coats and have suffered for the last few hours for nothing. I eagerly fleece up and head to the loo while Steve goes to get some hot food from the cafeteria they have here. I take a walk round the closest lake to see if anyone is catching or any fish are showing on the more sheltered area's the complex offers. I have a walk round a very picturesque lake named Cock Pheasant its sheltered from the wind but the few anglers on there all state they are having a slow day.

Cock Pheasant

Back at my peg It's almost an hour before Steve returns after his food. After a few more uneventful casts I roll smoke and we walk back to Steve's peg for a chat. Steve hasn't been idle this afternoon he's tried a few lines and methods. He's fished close in, far out and up in the water with his pole and managed to snag a few out when no one else was seeing any action but its not been easy. While we chat he gets another take. I manage a shot of him in action. Its a good fish when in the net of over 7 lb but its released without prolonged time out of the water as its giving him a kicking just in the net while unhooked.

Business as usual.

With Steve catching another my drive has returned and I rush back to my peg eager to get another. I throw in a bit more bait into the margins and change back to the feeder with the banded hook length and pellet. I cast far out again into the lake but shorter of where I have been casting previously be a few feet. Within 5 minutes I get my most brutal bite of the day the rod curves into what I know at last is a good fish. The line rips off my reel the fish kites away to my left towards open water, As other fish have done today it then turns back towards me at speed and I wind in trying recover the slack and as the fish approaches me I lift its head and scoop into the net before it gets a chance to turn. I'm buzzing as its a far better fish than my biggest so far and a beautifully scaled Mirror Carp very long but very slim sitting roughly around 7 lb.

Scales of gold

I'm over the moon now and feel like I can be happy with my days efforts. Once I return the fish I decide its time to try my spot in the margins I've been feeding this all day with a mix of ground bait, pellets of mixed sizes and a few bits of corn. I have had maybe 2 casts into this swim all day and nothing so far from it. I joked with Steve I was going to get a 20 lb fish from here at about 17:30 and it being 17:00 now its time to hopefully get some action from within a rod length. 

First cast I leave in for 10 mins and get a few signs of fish. I top up my feeder and throw 3 kernels of real corn into the water and drop my line in again as quietly as possible. As my rod tip starts to bob and weave about Steve announces its too cold for margin fishing considering how cold a wind is blowing into them and I'm just about to disagree when my rod pretty much folds towards the swim and I strike into a solid weight. I fight the fish under my rod tip for almost 10 minutes before I manage to lift his head and scoop him into my net. Its easily my best fish and feels double the last in weight.

I shout Steve to come take a picture once on the mat I know its a lump. I get a picture as quick as possible and Steve runs to get the scales while I breakdown the net to weigh it. In the net it clocks in at over 14 lb. Its a very broad fish and the picture doesn't do it justice. With a Happy Birthday from Steve I return it to the water and watch with pride as it glides into the murk. Huge smile on my face I quickly get set back up and drop another line into the margin while Steve returns to his peg. I'm a happy man and about to get even happier.

13 lb Common Carp.

My bait is in the water less than 3 minutes and I get another huge take.I strike at an angle away from the margin at first my stomach drops fearing I hit into a snag as I get no movement in return from the strike. After seconds that feel like an eternity the fish slowly with power moves away along the margin and I cant stop its progress at all.

What follows is a period of madness and errors. The fish turns and slowly moves towards me using its weight to stay low in the water. I look back for my net and see to my shame I have made a rookie mistake. After weighing the previous fish I haven't reassembled my landing net after using the net head as a sling to weigh the last fish. Cursing myself for a fool but also not owning a sling I call to Steve for help as the fish continues to bully me under the rod tip.Both sadly and happily I find Steve unable to provide the assist as he also is playing a fish. Double take joy is quickly washed away as the fish rolls wrapping itself in my line around its body as I try to keep pressure with the rod hand while I fumble with my left hand to assemble the net. I'm on my knees and with the net assembled now unable to move the fish at all as its entire weight is wrapped around my feeder section.Its as good as foul hooking the fish. I'm wounded.

The fish is now in panic and smashing my line to bits. I'm almost certain ill lose it when as it rises slightly in the water and turns on its side to dive again I manage to raise the rod tip and rotate the fish removing the loop round its body as it surfaces. I lower the net to the fish and it turns over the frame wrapping the line around the net but I manage to spin the net and scoop it safely in. I fall back onto my behind and sit for a moment rattled but relieved as the fishes splashes around secure in the net.

Its another big fish and longer and slightly fatter than the previous 13 lb Common. A Mirror Carp of considerable girth and length and immaculate in condition. I cant get a picture or weigh the fish and myself as Steve is still playing his and has the scales. I do manage once unhooking to grab a picture of my second fish from the margins in succession of what must be close to 15 lb. I'm proper chuffed. 

Mighty Mirror

I hold up the net as I release the fish to show Steve and its not long before he is walking towards my peg with a fish of his own secure in the net. He declares its not huge but its easily the best looking fish of the day and hes not wrong. Its worthy a picture and sadly the light at the time is unflattering and I'm unable to capture its true colour in the shot.

Ghost Faced Thriller.

Its just before 18:00 as Steve releases his fish from my peg with a smile. I had joked early in the day that I'd get a 20 lb fish from the margin at 17:30 and I had in someway both succeeded and fail to do this with what I'm certain was over 25 lb from two separate fish. Having a Double Take seems like a perfect time to call it a day and finish as we started on a high. Its time to go home the victors on what has been a tough but rewarding day at Woodlands Lakes.

Now as Steve packs ups I notice he's about to receive some company. His back turned and unaware a couple of large Black Swans make their way towards him on the search for food.

Incoming !

Much to my amusement they start having at his bait as he struggles to pack up around them without getting bitten. It pleases me to see him struggle but karma strikes. I should have anticipated once they were done with him I'd be next. Its not long before they turn up at my peg. These birds are big and they can hurt someone easily and I'm not wanting a fight with a swan to end the day. I know I'll lose.

Brace of Big Black Badboy Birds

I get some balls and manage to get a few great shots with my phone most of which I wont bore you with but I loved these two and had to share them.

HI !

MINE !

In the final stages of the packing up  takes the shine off his day by standing on the tip section of his pole. Cursing his luck we make sure our pegs are left as we found them in my case better as i clean up the previous anglers mess and i take one last shot of the late afternoon as a Heron flies across the lake. I wish i could have got a few pictures of what is a massive bird.

Goodbye to a great lake.

Car packed perfectly and ready to roll we head back home to what will be an evening of a selection of fine beers, food and films.Steve is stopping at mine for the night and we plan with my Girlfriend Sam to drink the night away and revel in today's highs and lows. A perfect way to end the day. 

A uneventful drive home and its not long before I'm fresh and clean an drinking great beers with two people I love and celebrating what has been great few days for my Birthday. I feel happy and loved and the evening slips away with itself into a smoky haze of laughter .

Stuff of win.

Its days like today that keep us going through tougher times and I've enjoyed sharing it. As always thanks for reading and Tight Lines.

Alex

A Return to Renny Lakes. 17/04/2016

Hello again folks. I wasn't expecting to write another blog so soon but my second trip of the year is an unscheduled revisit of Renny Lakes in East Harsley.

I received a short notice and surprising request for a Sunday session from Steve midweek. This has given me a bonus trip between my planned Birthday session and the last trip out at Renny Lakes a few weeks ago. This early on in the season I'm feeling the call of the waterside enormously to say the least so after a quick check of the weekly weather forecast I'm quick to say "yes" even if I haven't really got the money to go I can do it on a budget. To quote my girlfriend "I'm bloody fishing mental lately". I'm watching maybe 3 hours of fishing programs a day, reading magazines on the way to work and constantly looking at tackle and tactics on-line.

After a tough Saturday of spring cleaning with my girlfriend Sam I'm a little broken physically when my alarm rings out the following morning . It’s a perfect wake-up however as I've even set an alarm tone which sounds very like the Thinking Tackle theme. Sunday is finally here and after what was a crazy Saturday for weather with snow, sleet, sun and winds all playing a part, I'm overjoyed to find the morning very promising as I stand in the garden with a coffee and at 05:30 am. It's calm, warm and very clear as the sun begins to rise.

Daybreak 

I'm over the moon with the weather. I was fearing a damp day under my umbrella but things are looking up and this time of year a bit of sun should I hope bring the fish on the feed. This is as happy as my face can be at 05:30 in the morning. As you can tell I made sure I'm well wrapped up this time. I have a few more layers and a buff to keep me warm. The previous trip the wind was very cold and cutting and almost spoiled the day. This time I’ll be snug.

Sleepy Tired Happy Face

Steve is due to get here at 06:30 but after the miracle of what was him being on time last trip I'm not betting on the same again. As expected he turns up a bit late at 07:00 and regardless of a text sent to make sure he doesn't knock and cause the dog to wake up Sam he knocks anyway and it all goes Pete Tong, the dog goes nuts, Sam wakes up in a panic and I'm apologizing. Amazingly however today Steve's car is neither fresh with flatulence nor badly packed and the music is almost subdued. I serve him a coffee while I easily pack the car, this time making dam sure I take my wellies. After a mild panic that I've lost the dog only to find he's locked himself in the bathroom again (he's obsessed with bath's) we set off again southbound.

The trip there is eventful. I need to get into the habit of being a good co-pilot. Steve is borderline retarded at finding his way. I fall into the easy assumption he knows where he's going and then boom we have gone past our turn off and almost at Northallerton. The place we turn round is not much of an improvement and we end up in country back roads almost as narrow as 1 car with very little idea where we are. We do however locate the main road only for Steve to turn off it too early to an even smaller series of what can only be described as country tracks. After 30 minutes of butt clenching Rally Sport we get to Renny Lakes relieved to be alive and excited about the fishing to come. It’s still a beautiful morning even if as we had hoped, we aren't first here. We get our tickets sorted and head off round the lake. Our chosen swims taken moments before by a few lads who turn up and run to them before sorting their own tickets rather cheekily. Plenty more pegs should be available however so we have a walk around with the sun on our backs.

Sunny Sunday Morning

The pegs we were wanting to fish are either extremely muddy, taken or far too close to others who are fishing. Renny Lakes are all fairly small including the largest and this shouldn't really be a problem but sadly some of the lads who are fishing already seem determined to fish not only their own peg but every other they can see. The peg I fished last week can’t be fished as other fisherman are casting at it from 3 other swims. The top island in the picture above is too close to a couple of noisy blokes who feel they need to try and tell/shout everyone how to fish. It’s not the start I wanted. 

Steve decides to fish the same swim as last week as it’s fairly isolated and gets started. I'm really struggling to find somewhere to fish and for almost 40 mins I walk up and down the bank trying to decide on what to while I attempt to fathom where some of these lads are casting and where they are possibly fishing which isn’t easy as some of them seem to be mistaking the lake for a driving range. Finally I'm resigned to fishing into the middle of the snag filled island. The same island I fished the point of last week. A poor choice I will soon regret much to my surprise.

My Swim : Snagtopia

One of the main reasons I'm forced to fish this swim is the poor condition of the ground around certain sections of the lake. Don't get me wrong they are fishable but even with wellies on you are going to end up with a lot of damp and mucky fishing tackle if you try and set up on these bog as you have nowhere dry or firm to put your bags, boxes, and holdalls. I think this is largely down to the fact the owner on occasion drives around the lake to collect and check tickets churning it all up. It could also use a bit more work on the paths around the lakes even just a bit more gravel. It’s a shame as two of the best looking pegs would have me swimming in muck in minutes if I chose them. I'm very glad I have my wellies this time as even my current peg is a bit wet and going anywhere round this lake is gonna take some navigation without my splodgers on.

Splodgers

I eventually start to unpack my tackle and throw a few loose offerings of 8 mm pellets at the island to draw in fish while I get ready. Nothing special just a few handfuls of plain 8 mm fishery pellets. The same as what I'll be using as hook baits to start off with. I’ll do this every now and again as I get set up.

8 mm Pellet

I have a few options available for hook baits today. Corn, Meat, Pellets, Dog Biscuit and Boilies. Some of the boilies I've been soaking in a Squid Supreme Goo for a while. They started out as selection of small Orange Tuti Fruti both 8 and 10 mm in size but now they stink like a Fish Markets drains and look almost radioactive. As I open the container the smell almost brings tears to my eyes. I'm hoping they work a charm but will hold back on using them till I get desperate.

Squid Supreme Stinky Super Bait

Steve's already making his first cast and settles down to fishing looking ready for action. The noisy fella on the opposite bank is already doing our heads in a bit telling everyone how many fish he caught the last time he was here and insisting everyone looks at whatever bait he has. I'm very glad I'm not near him but still pissed of I can hear him. A glance and a grimace at Steve and he mirrors my expression. Unwelcome noise is becoming a consistent feature of Renny Lakes so far this year. Granted it’s only our second trip.

Steve ready for action.

First mistake of the day and it’s a repeat of last time much to my shame. I yet again over soak my bloody micro pellets turning them from tasty nibbles to a pale useless mushy slime. I really need to get better at this. I soak them in a bait tub for what should be 1 minute but I get distracted and forget about them. I need to focus more on my bait prep. I will now need to leave these to dry off for ages in a ground-bait bowl and try and mix them into some better prepared offerings later if possible.

Soggy Pathetic Micro Mush

As I curse the pellets Steve is already catching fish. I haven't even got my rod up yet and he’s avoided the blank. A small Mirror Carp graces his net. Pleased for him but angry at my own circumstances I push on with setting up and getting some more Micro Pellets for my feeder on the go. These ones look a lot better.

Much Better

The rig I plan to use will be a simple method feeder set up. Exactly as I used last time on this lake. It’s a very common rig now and very popular based on how strong and simple it is. The rod again a light feeder/bomb 11 ft Quiver tip. My reel a Drennan SERIES 7 9-45 Carp Feeder may be a tad heavy for this setup but it’s loaded with 6 lb Guru Drag Line. I love this reel. It’s not an expensive one but it performs very well for its price and comes with spare spools and features available usually on reels that cost a lot more. Great bit of kit.

Drennan SERIES 7 9-45 Carp Feeder

My main line is tied to a loop which hooks onto the X-Safe Guru Method Feeder very easily, this allows a quick change of feeder or tactics when required. The X-Safe is elasticated through the feeder and helps avoid hook pulls at the net. The Hook Length is 4 inches of 4 lb line tied to a size 10 hook with a bait band on the hair. This again is just tied in a loop and attached to the feeder very easily and can also be changed quickly if required. It takes very little time to put together and I'm almost ready to fish when Steve hooks into another.

Method Feeder Rig

 So Steve is off to a flyer. He's had 2 now and I'm still not fishing. He's chosen a swim in between two islands and is fishing tight to the left island with a method feeder. The below picture shows his swim. As you can see he does have to contend with the guy on the opposite bank and this is another example of how sometimes things can feel a bit close here. It's almost like the pegs need remapping as many seem to share swims.

Steve's Swim

I finally get things sorted and I'm ready to go. First cast is deliberately short of the island as I aim to let out a bit of line and then clip up and gradually move closer to the shallows. The island is covered in overhanging trees. It’s very very easy to overcast into a nightmare. With a bit of care however I "should" be able to handle it. I take a quick picture of my gear after the cast and settle down with a smile at last.

Fishing a last.

  I get a few taps from my first cast. A good sign I have fish in my swim. Just as last time I intend to time my casts. This time however I'm going for a quicker rate of casts. If I get no signs of fish after 5 or 6 minutes I'll recast using my stopwatch a feature of my trusty and super pricey Casio wristwatch. Which I may add is laden with many features including Water Resist to 100 meters and a back-light. Cutting Edge Technology I know.

Such Style

Unlike last visit sadly no fish takes my bait on first cast and I reel in and cast again this time closer to the bank. I let it settle. Sink the line and position the rod on the rest. I watch on the edge of my seat while I get a few taps then the line goes completely slack. I strike and hook into my first fish. Not bad at all. Second cast and I'm already fishing. A Stunning little Mirror about 2 lb in the net I take a quick picture then apply a dab of Klin-ik to an injured scale and let him swim off. Happy to avoid the blank again I can relax a bit more and enjoy myself.

First fish of the day.

As luck would have it I had very little joy for the next hour or so while Steve bags his 4th fish of the morning. I lose one fish to a hook pull and even worse discover that the island I'm fishing towards has an underwater feature that pretty much ruins my mornings work. On my 5th cast I reel in and hit a snag. A few yanks and my swim feeder emerges from the water and to my horror is see its snagged on someone's line. This line must be 15 lb or over it’s as thick as string I can see it clearly where as my 6 lb line can’t be seen. What's worse is by moving up and down the bank my line slides on the snag and I discover it runs the entire length of my island almost as if it’s been wrapped around it. God knows how this could happen. It makes no sense unless someone had a reel ripped bare to the backing while a fish did laps around the island like Mo Farra. 

I manage to somehow jiggle my hook free and get all of my rig back intact but I'm far from happy. I'm now left with the fact I can no longer fish this swim safely. I can’t risk it happening again and losing my tackle or fish around this. Fishing around and under the snaggy tree's was one thing but an unseen submerged snag like this is a kiss of death to my swim. I have no choice to try and fish the tip of the island again. Thankfully Steve has noticed over the last hour the lads who were encroaching on my swim with their casts are so inaccurate that they pose no real threat to me. Annoyed I position my rod rest again and start from scratch building up a swim just off the tip of the island. The sun is still shining but now we have a few clouds in the sky. It's still a beautiful day and with plenty time for catching fish ahead all is not lost.

Beautiful Day,

Back into the swing of things I start another batch of pellets with a bit of the failed batch mixed in and begin thinking about how to get some more bites. I stay on 8 mm pellet as hook bait and after a second cast at the tip of the island I get a fish. A cast which Steve proclaimed "was bang on" when I made it. His suspicions are confirmed. It’s about the same size as the last fish if not smaller and when unhooking it I notice its carrying in its mouth another hook and line snapped off a bit further down its throat. A frantic search for my longer forceps while it sits well behaved on my unhooking mat secure in the landing net. I free it from the hook and line and return it to the water feeling glad it’s free of the hook it was stuck with which to my horror I notice is barbed. A fish this size should not be snapping peoples lines, nor should it have a barbed hook stuck in it on a barbless hook only fishery. The fact it was carrying this line and hook means someone somewhere is ignoring rules and can either not tie a knot properly or worse has not been watching the their rods and the small fish has somehow gotten into reeds and snapped the line. Neither are acceptable circumstances. A quick moan to Steve he sarcastically proclaims me to be "The Fish Doctor” and with a smile I get back to business and cast out then go for my flask for a much needed coffee.

Bad Flask is Bad

I brought two flask today as I was short of soft drinks when packing lunch, I brought my new Thermos and the above a Fishing Flask my Mum bought me a few years ago, The Fishing flask is my first flask to be used as I know it isn't the best at keeping stuff warm. Which is a pretty essential feature of any sodding flask isn't it? It’s less than 2 and a half hours after we got here and the coffee is stone bloody cold. Not even warm. I'd bet the lake water was actually warmer. This flask has failed me for the last time, I'm livid. This is its final outing for sure. I may even destroy it with extreme ultra violence this evening. 

I could alternatively throw it at the face of the Utter Wassack who has taken to "Stalking" carp in between people’s swims on the opposite bank. His method throwing in huge half slices of bread into the lake while still shouting to his mate Alan at the other side of the lake every time a roach moves his bait. I'm fast becoming certain I won’t be coming back here unless I have no other option. It’s too small to escape the fecking idiots. This fool is loud as he is rude and as inconsiderate as he is certain the reason the lake isn't fishing well is anyone's fault other than his own. How is it ever considered ok to walk around ruining people’s swims with bread? He’s thrown out so much in one section you could walk across the lake using the bread as stepping stones. All this done while he takes up another prime peg both Steve and I could have fished all day.

Why people can’t just go fishing and be considerate and enjoy the quiet beauty of nature is beyond me. This kind of behaviour is sadly linked to Coarse Fishing. In almost 30 years of fishing I have never experienced it at a Fly fishing only water. It’s a reason I really need to join a club or syndicate with a more stringent rule set or membership requirements. Day ticket waters are policed enough for my liking. People need to be reminded to shut the hell up now and then.

The sun has dipped a bit behind clouds now but Steve is fishing well. He's not had anything big but he's onto his 6th now I think and I'm on only 2. He’s catching more than anyone on the lake so I take my Fishing flask of cold coffee to his peg to see his latest fish and have a bit of a chat and see how he's doing so well. I find he's doing exactly what I am rig wise and using the same baits other than the fact he has some maggots that he's fishing as a double. Early in the year I think it’s a good tip. Maggots are a great bait but can be a pain when trying to avoid silver fish unless you use multiples. Our methods aren't different but Steve has clearly got an edge. Accurate and efficient quiet angling and a good use of baits is proving a lethal combo for him.

Steve and another typical Renny Lake Mirror Carp

A quick trip to the loo and grabbing Steve's pole (not like that) and I'm back fishing. Confident I'm fishing well but eager to get another fish. I select a Stinky Squid Boilie and cast out and settle down watching my quiver tip as the clouds fly across the sky in the reflection of the water. Sometimes I can go a bit bong eyed staring at the tip through the glare for long periods, but I do love this technique. Nothing beats the take on a quiver tip rod. I love the thrill of watching a float sink but the way a quiver rips round is superb. . When it happens, which so far today hasn't been often enough.

It didn't take long at all to get better. The last cast must have been in the water less than 2 minutes and I get a bite on the Stinky Squid Supreme's. Another small Mirror Carp soon graces my net and this time a stunning golden scaled fish. I can’t get my camera to really capture just how much of a little bar of gold this fish was. A quick picture and he's unhooked and released to tell his mates to vacate the area. Renny Lakes don't allow Keepnets. Something I have no issue with at all. I think Keepnets should be reserved for match fishing only especially considering how little some people consider fish well being.

I'm almost content now, A few fish in the net and I feel a lot better. Even the new annoyance of some utter plonker now playing his radio can’t spoil my afternoon. Plus I won’t lie I like something to complain about and his taste for Katy Perry and Whitney are fuel for this. I hope he falls in and takes his radio with him. If I had some with me I'd have catapult some headphones at him. I take another loo break via Steve and have a quick moan about our resident lake DJ while sun breaks out again.

Cheers Pink Ears

Back at my peg I'm over the earlier swim change and fishing well again. It's time to go to flask number two "The Thermos". I'm hoping it’s performed better than than my stylish yet inept Fishing Flask of Failure. If not I'll have two projectiles for launching if the Stalking Chav Loud mouth gets any closer to my side of the bank with his bread blitz. Fortunately for him and me "The Thermos" has well and truly done the job. The coffee is still boiling almost 5 hours into the day, I lean back and slowly sip the wonderful hot sweet nectar. I really love my coffee. If I had to choose between coffee and any alcohol I'd probably have to choose coffee. This is coming from someone who had a World Craft Beer advent calendar last year :)

Flask of Awesome is Awesome.

A few more casts and swigs of coffee and I get another bite. All fish I land are well hooked. I've lost 2 small fish today to hook pulls. I can’t expect to land them all and as long as I'm not snapped and use the right hooks I'm happy it won’t damage the fish if they get off. Every fish I land is hooked in the same spot on the lower lip. A good sign the short hook lengths are working well.

Well Hooked

I'm really struggling to get any large fish from this venue. I've tried larger baits, longer hook lengths and even some larger free offering over the top. If big fish are in this lake I'm not sure what to do to trick them into getting hooked and for once I really don't fancy talking to others who are fishing. Steve is catching fish and none of them are any larger than the usual. I do think they have big fish in here but not a large amount of them. I could change swims and look around but it’s too small and busy to really start that now. I catch another small one after a few casts and Steve takes a quick picture. I think he's enjoying this blog he even reminded me to take more pictures this time.

What a beast

A few more of these fish come my way and a lot more annoyance from others especially the loud mouth mate of Alan as the day is getting on. I don't know who Alan is but he's got to be sick of his mate by now. Steve's luck runs out about 15:00 and he's lost 2 feeders to the island within about 30 minutes and now he's fishing with a small bomb. He's still catching however as am I. In fact very few others are catching other than one lad who's managed to nab a good fish on the pole from a ridiculous swim which he's fishing through some bushes. This from another part of the lake again intruding on water he shouldn't be from his own peg. I have to say I think this a smart little complex and I'm having a great time being here but it’s being royally spoiled by the people factor again. I soon get another little Mirror in my net after casting to open water at a showing fish. Another bar of gold.

Bar of Gold

At about 17:30 we decided to call it for the day and start packing up with roughly about 20 fish between us with Steve edging it. After a brief panic over me misplacing his car keys (they were in my hoody pouch all the time sorry mate). We slowly start the pack up and head back to the car. We have both had enough fish to keep us happy of course but we wanted bigger fish however it’s been a nice day bank side regardless of the plonkers. On the way home we have a few laughs and of course miss the turn off for my stop which adds a couple of miles to Steve's journey. I'm going to email the owner regarding the snag on the island but I doubt we will be back for some time. 

We are due at Woodlands Lakes near Thirsk on Friday where I'm certain we will get a lot better stamp of fish if the weather allows it. I've told Steve to be at mine for 06:00 this time so we may get there before lunchtime if he goes the right way. The next blog should be after Woodlands trip and I'm hoping we get some good fish. I'm going to fish for any bites on the morning then once I have a few go up after some big boys. Check back later this month to see if my planned tactics pay off. Hopefully it will have a few more pictures of big fish and lot less moaning about how inconsiderate some anglers are.

Thanks for reading and Tight Lines.

Alex