Well, for the first time in an age I've managed to find some time to get on the bank! Okay, not match fishing, but still fishing.
Those that know me well will know that I've indulged in a fair bit of speci fishing in the past - mostly predator fishing, but a bit of carping too. In terms of the predators I've notched up some pretty respectable PB's, with pike to 23lb and zander up to 14lb 4oz. The carp side I'm stuck below what I still see as the magical 20lb barrier (magical as I've not reached it) with my PB being 19lb 4oz. Still, it was the biggest carp in the lake!
Anyway, with the absence of transport, venues and in all honesty money I've still found some time to get on the bank for the first time since I've moved to Milton Keynes. I do have a club lake just up the road, and I've wondered around it a few times without seeing a great deal.
Late last week, just after it thawed I set out determined to find some carp. With nothing but some polaroids and watercraft I found a few pretty quick - in some shallow water in the sun, and out of the wind. Having just five hours in total the following day I did manage to nobble one! They'd moved out in to the lake a bit as it wasn't so bright. As you can see from the picture it didn't threaten any records, even my modest PB, but I bet there wasn't a happier person than me when I returned that fish - my first since late September.
As to how much interest it is to those reading this as a match-fishing blog I don't know, but I'll give a quick mention as to how I caught it! My carp outfit isn't meant for long-range fishing, I've always liked closer range stuff and fishing with something that I can feel the fish on. The fish were visible just under the surface with a pair of small 8x21 binoculars that I carry in my speci kit, probably about 50m out at the very limit of what my soft 2.5lb TC rods and 6000RE baitrunners will cast. However, with no interest over a little bait where I'd seen the fish the previous day I cast a single bright yellow pineapple pop-up to them, trimmed down a little to leak the flavour and make it smaller in the very cold water. The first punt was a bit wayward but I was very happy with the second cast. I have to admit I near fell of my bucket when I got the bite after around two minutes, and was quite nervous playing my first fish in over four months!
Like I mentioned earlier, it didn't break any records, just scraping in to double figures at 10lb 3oz, but it was a very clean fish in lovely condition! It made me a very, very happy man!
I do hope to get out again soon and hopefully nobble some more - I've always enjoyed a bit of short session fishing and with only a relatively small amount of gear I like being able to move about after fish rather than having the tonnes of gear that always followed me match fishing.
I'll keep you updated as to how future sessions go!
Tight Lines.
Gavin.
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