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
No comments:
Post a Comment