Hello again and welcome to another 2016 Fishing Blog. Its been almost 2 weeks since my last fishing trip I'm still haunted by fishing dreams and I'm still really feeling the fishing bug in a big way. My alarm goes off at the usual time of 05:00 but I've been awake on and off since about 03:00 thinking about the day ahead. Unlike my previous trip I'm well prepared for the day and this considering Liverpool F.C qualified for The Europa Cup Final last night I'm in fine fettle when I greet the morning.
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| Sunrise |
It's an incredible morning. Yesterday was very warm but today is due to be a few degree's cooler at about 18°C at its peak with broken cloud and a gentle breeze. I cant wait to get fishing I'm buzzing. As I have my morning coffee in the garden I can already feel the temperature increasing as the sun rises in the sky. Today's trip is our second to Woodlands Lakes this year and if the weather holds it should be a cracking days fishing.
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| Ready to rock |
With time to spare I can enjoy another coffee and some time reading fishing magazines as I wait for my Fishing buddy Steve to arrive. Angling Times new format is excellent and I plan to try out some of the bomb tactics recommended by Phil Ringer. I love experimenting with new rigs and the rewards from testing new tactics are only half the fun.
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| Last minute homework |
As I take my magazines and coffee into the living room I'm frozen in my tracks. Moving across the the sitting room ceiling is what can only be described as a Mega-Tarantula. As an arachnophobe I'm now in dangerously bad place. The titan is lurking over the living room door and I have no way to leave the house to go fishing now other than carry all my gear out the back and around the house. It's too early to wake up Sam to deal with it and I fear for Steve's safety if he comes in and triggers its attack instincts. Such horror at this hour is hard to handle !
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| Mega-Tarantula |
After some time the creature thankfully moves away from the door allowing me to escape. Steve arrives as always late at 06:29 (yes Steve it was I checked) I pack the car while he has a coffee and we are away southbound.
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| Arrived in good time |
In no time at all we are at the complex and we are one of the first there. Its a busy place usually hence my eagerness to set off early but with it being a weekday we are still free to have our pick of the pegs and lakes. We haven't yet picked our lake but as we walk past the last trips destination Partridge lake its like a sheet of glass. Not a breath of wind at the moment, the only disturbance caused by the resident Heron feeding on silver fish.
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| Calm Start |
We have a few options today. Either of three lakes could be our base. Skylark,Wagtail or Curlew. Skylark is the larger lake similar to Partridge in scale and stock but Wagtail and Curlew have the larger fish so I've read. After looking at all three we settle on The Curlew. We have fished it before and are confident it holds a good stamp of fish and also the pair of Black Swans from our previous visit are here so we see it as a good omen.
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| The Curlew |
We drop our gear and have a walk down the lake and as we move further down the bank the ground becomes increasingly boggy. This combined with the fact Steve is eager to fish a peg with a feature and his dad Keith is due to join us we decide to fish Pegs 1 and 3 holding Peg 2 until he arrives later this morning. Steve can then fish to an aerator in the middle or in the reeds to his left. He takes time to bait his dads swim also.
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| Peg 3 |
I'm very happy to fish Peg 3. Its open water and has a good looking margin to both left and right and the peg is free off thick mud. I quickly set up my rod then throw some pellets into the margins. I soak and drain some micro pellets and while they dry off I head back to Steve's peg for a chat about how he plans to start the session and enjoy a coffee in the morning sun. Much to my amusement Steve has done a MacGyver on his Seatbox due to a missing foot and used a tin of Spam as a stand in.
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| Spamtastic Solution |
Steve is fishing within minutes of settling down. The lake still dead calm he's quickly watching the tip of his rod waiting for the first bite. Its only 08:00 and its already T-Shirt weather. We both agree we are in for a cracking day's fishing and Steve is already getting signs of fish in his swim.
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| Waiting for the tip to quiver |
I pretty much skip back to my Peg after my coffee with Steve. I throw another few pellets into my margin to my left and and bait up a Method Feeder with the aim to fish out to the middle to start with. Its so calm I'm almost reluctant to cast out and spoil the tranquility. Days like today are what make fishing great.
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| Lake Placid |
Having no features to target and not wanting to clip up my line I decide to use a tree on the far bank as my marker for casting. I mix up a batch of 2 mm and 4 mm pellets for the feeder and add a lone piece of fake corn to the hair rigged hook. I'm using 6 lb Ultima main line through to a small Elasticated Guru X-Safe Method feeder again. A pre-tied 4 inch Hook length to a size 12 hair rigged hook. Its a quick and easy set up and one I've been using all year. I do however plan on fishing other methods today if the carp are up in the water I'll use the Pellet Waggler and Bomb with a lead-clip in the margins later in the day.
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| Marker Tree |
After three casts as always timed with a stop watch on a 7 minute basis I'm into my first fish. Sadly its only a Bream and its quickly in the net. Don't get me wrong I'm happy to catch any fish of any size (excluding eels) but I'm here for the carp and hopefully ones a lot larger than a half pound bream I release without a picture. I cast out again to the middle but again throw some loose feed into the margin to my left. As I do this I see Steve has unwelcome visitors already and the Black Swans are giving him some grief.
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| Swan Whisperer |
Its been a slow morning and shortly after Steve's dad arrives about 9:30 and after another small skimmer I finally get a great take. My rod double taps into a slack line and I pick up into a fish that charges straight towards me. I regain my line as it does a figure of 8 in front of my peg and after a small surge to the middle and back again I manage to scoop a carp into my net. Its not a huge fish at about 5 lb and its got a distinctive split through its tail. I take a quick picture and release it as soon as possible. Its great to get a carp on the mat. Sadly Steve isn't having such a good morning and is yet to catch one after losing a decent fish earlier.
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| Split Tail |
Its another 30 mins after my first carp before I get another bite. I'm still fishing out to the middle and this fish spends longer out in the open before I can gain any line. Its very strong for a fish for its size again at about 5lb and even after a prolonged fight its very lively once I have it on my mat. I try my best to take a picture but the best I could manage is this one of it trying to slap me with its tail. I don't want to risk the fish getting damaged so release it quickly.
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| Not best pleased |
Steve finally gets a fish and It goes all quiet for me for a while. Pressure of both of us we can relax. We had suspected Keith to turn up and get a few big fish in minutes as he usually does but its not happening for him so far. The temperature is rising and I can see a few fish moving about so I begin to setup my float rod when I get another take. Its the smallest fish of the day so far for me about 3 lb but again very lively so I grab a quick pic after unhooking and release it.
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| Baby Common |
After another lull of around 30 mins I start working on my stick mix which I plan to use later mixing Tuna in Brine with a mix of 2,4,and 8 mm pellets,a few bits of sweetcorn and some brown crumb. I'm halfway through this mix when I get solid bite and my rod quickly bends towards the lake. The rod hits the side of the rest in one quick jerk and I'm into another turbo charged carp. This one feels a bit better and a few times take line from my reel causing it to sing out. It's a huge buzz when fish do this and gets my heart rate climbing. Once landed I see the fish is a muscle bound Mirror and for its length very fat. Its a stunning little fish at about 4 lb.
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| Muscle Mirror |
Its not long after I've released this fish that Steve gets a good fish on. While he's battling this fish I also get another bite and we have our first double hook up of the day. His dad meanwhile wrestles with the swans and local cat in between us still fishless. I have my fish in the net fairly quickly and released. Both fish in quick succession reach about 10 lb combined.
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| Second of a quick brace |
Soon after I release my fish Steve brings his fish down to me in his bulging net and its a cracking Mirror. Its in the scales at about 14 lb so minus the net about 13lb
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| A reet lump |
Once he has it out the net and picked up its a superb looking fish. Looking a bit fat around the anal fin and broad across the shoulders its a unique shape with a sloping back. Its mouth is huge and for woodlands in very good condition.
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| Man with a Mirror |
With Steve's fish released he returns to his Peg . Both he and his dad decide to go to the shop for some tackle while I remain at my Peg. I throw a few more handful's of pellets and corn into the margin as I've been doing all day. I recast to the middle but I'm eager to start in the fishing close in. As the pace of bites slow from the middle of the lake the urge to get a line over the baited margin is growing. In the picture below you can see a a severely cut back bush that's dead. I'm feeding just under the overhanging branches very tight to the bank.
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| My Margin |
The margin to the right of me seems less attractive and not knowing if someone would turn up and fish it themselves I have left it unfed for some time. I decide to try another larger hook bait than I have used through the day. I've used 11 mm pellet , single corn, and 8 mm pellet so far but decide to change it up with a combination of fake corn and pellet together in a sort of snowman rig.
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| Right Margin |
I cast out my feeder again to the middle and its as I'm looking into my options for fishing the margin and having a few exploratory casts with an Pellet Waggler that my feeder rod slams against the rest and I frantically swing in the float and drop the rod behind me with one hand while striking with the other into a good fish . After a good 10 minutes scrap Steve and his dad return from the tackle shop just as I net what is for me the best looking fish of the day. With jet black shoulders and back, an orange flank and bright white belly its a stunning chunky carp. The picture doesn't do it justice at all. It's a cracking fish.
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| Black Beauty |
Steve and his Dad have returned with a double whammy of bad news. His Grandad has taken a turn for the worse health wise and so Keith is leaving early to check up on him. On top this already bad news they have discovered that the owners have since our arrival put up a sign indicating a complete ban on bread and surface baits.
This is massive shame and again another example of bad fisherman ruining things for the majority. Over the years we have had some great evenings fishing bread on the surface at this venue. Now due to a few idiots who throw in far too much bread loose and people not showing sufficient care for the fish, the owners have made a brave decision and banned it outright. I think largely based on 2 lads who were caught using barbed hooks with bread who failed to remove a hook from a fish in over 30 minutes of it being on the bank. Steve's dad is not best pleased and states he will be unlikely to return for evening sessions in future based on this change. I'm not entirely put off but its an exciting method of fishing I love and I can no longer enjoy thanks to some idiots. Gutted. What this will mean for the bird life is unsure. I know the Black Swans will be short a few meals.
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| No more bread for you guys |
Once Keith leaves and after reminiscing about the long summers evenings here we have had fishing bread on the surface we get back to fishing. I cant resist the margin swim any longer and at about 15:00 I swing in a Method Feeder gently on the spot I've been feeding all day. Within seconds the rod tip is showing nudges and in less that 2 mins the line goes slack. I pick up but nothing just slack line and I think I've missed the bite until the fish powers to my right then out into the lake taking line. After a superb scrap I reach out and pull a very fat carp into my net with superb scales across its body.
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| Apple Pie |
This fish looks like an Apple Pie. Its almost as wide as it is long and I shout Steve to come and get a photograph. I love the variation of scaling you get with Mirror Carp. It's gonna be a beast one day this fish you can just tell.
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| Apple Pie and I |
Apple Pie marks the start of an incredible afternoon fishing. The margin swim is alive and clouds of silt are showing everywhere letting me know I have fish in my swim. All thoughts of different rigs and styles of fishing are removed from my mind as I reap the benefits of feeding the margin all day. Its not long at all before another powerful take yanking my rod into a huge curve and after an arm battering scrap another good fish is in my net.
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| Another Super Fighter |
Steve is also getting into the action more often now and we are both on a good run. He bags another beauty and its definitely worth a picture. Stunning yellow flanks and just under a double. He's using his wonder bait the trusty Mussel across a few methods to devastating effect.
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| Cooking on Gas. |
I'm on a roll now. The margin swim is providing some epic sport. No shy bites just massive takes some of which could take my rod in if I wasn't on point. I'm waiting maybe 5 minutes maximum between bites Im so spoiled for fish I start only taking pics of the bigger ones. Lovely Times !
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| Myriad of Margin Mirrors |
I've just returned another Mirror when Steve shouts he's got a big fish. I look over and he's mid battle with a large carp on the pole. I offer the assist and he accepts and I walk over to him only for him to tell me his net (he needs a bigger one) may not handle the fish so I run back to my peg for mine. After a great battle Steve steers the lump towards the net and its soon on the bank. Its a very long fish and must be another double.
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| Long Common |
What a fish. Very similar to the double I caught last week a long pale common carp. A fish any man can be proud of at almost 14 lb. Top angling indeed considering it was tamed on a pole. Proper chuffed for him Its time for some time at my peg relaxing.
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| Fish of the Day at 14 lb |
Steve is at my peg still when my rod savagely bends into another fish while I'm distracted. Its been out less time than it took to sort my rig and have a drink. The fish is quickly netted by him and probably a bit soon as it batters me on the bank while we try and get a photo of another close to double carp. I have a stream of pictures trying to calm this fish. Maybe at the end of the year I'll publish them in a blooper reel blog.
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| Another superb fish |
This is proving to be a superb afternoon. I'm loving how fast and furious the action is. A bit like Paul Walker Steve's had a few run ins with the foliage in his swim and for maybe the second time hits a snag. With a curse and what I thought is a third time in the shrubs Steve announces he's foul hooked a fish and a fair fish at that. After an age fighting it and some help netting we manage to get the fish on the bank and its hooked in the side so slightly its hard to believe he's managed to land it at all. I go back to my swim and lower in another bait with an underarm swing this time attached to a stick mix PVA Bag and within minutes another fish is screaming away with my bait into the deep water taking line off at speed. Another great scrap and another great Mirror about 7 lb
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| Big Belly |
Its less than 5 mins later as I'm rolling a smoke that I get my most aggressive bite of the day, I almost lose my rod and smokes and need to shout Steve to come gather stuff that's scattered everywhere before I can stand up and fight the fish. The rod is pulled so tight against the rest I struggle to lift it free as line is ripped from my reel. The fish fights well. I'm not sure if I'm getting tired or the fish are increasingly angry but this fish was hard work. Once Steve arrives and saves the scattered paraphernalia I manage to land it. Its a beautiful fish and with Steve at hand worthy of a Photograph.
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| Carpe Diem |
This is great fishing and I take a break after the last fish to try and get some form of order to my peg. After so many fish I have tackle and bait everywhere and need to get things in check. Once done I have a breather and relax before lowering the feeder back into the swim this time with a small PVA bag of pellets attached to the hook bait of fake corn and pellet.
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| Peace that wont last |
At this point the fish are coming thick and fast. I cant capture them all as my phone is at 4% battery and I'm just taking a quick snap of the fish if they look above 5 lb and then releasing them quickly.
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| Another Mirror Carp |
The next fish I photograph is a lot bigger and has some weight as well as length. The margin swim is proving incredible and I wonder if I should have fished it all day rather than out to the middle. Would it have been as effective if I had used it all day ? Would it have died off eventually ? If we visit here again next this year I may only fish the margins and see how it goes.
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| Another Lump |
That's it then. The final fish of the day sadly. Steve lands another after announcing he's beginning to pack up and I can take some time to reflect on a days fishing I wont soon forget. We have both had a huge haul of fish, not all mentioned or with pictures taken and considering we had a slow start the lake has proven prolific. Even without surface fishing this is a great venue. A little easy maybe but hey I cant complain at all. I've had a blast. I take a quick picture as I pack up of my rig that's done the damage in the margin.
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| The Rig of Destiny |
After I'm all packed up I take a picture of my Peg for the day. Its been a pleasure to fish and I cant recommend this place enough especially to those who want to just get out and catch some fish. Granted we can and will fish more challenging waters but sometimes just having fun is all that matters.
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| What a peg ! |
When the time to leave comes I'm sad to go. I have had a superb day and both Steve and I have caught loads. I get a quick selfie as a the breeze picks up for the first time really today putting a ripple on the water. Next trip will be to a new Lake neither of us have fished and one renowned for fast and powerful carp and stunning tench. Something a bit more wild.
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| Happy man. |
For now as always thanks for reading and tight lines.
Alex
