Had a very pleasant session yesterday
(14-10-07) on Willows Lakes near St Albans. I won't describe the venue in
detail here, but this is where I often go when I'm looking to bag up and fancy
a few fish, with the main targets being the bream with the odd carp thrown in
for good measure.
I arrived at the venue at about 0710
and proceeded down the right hand side of the match lake to find many of the
end pegs free. This was quite a surprise as these are normally full of bivvies
(especially on a Sunday), but not to look a gift horse on the mouth, I quickly
got my gear on the bank and started setting up.
I was pleased to note significant
quantities of bubbling going on at about 30-40m out, which I assumed were
bream, so I decided to follow my usual plan of trying to draw the fish on to
the pole line with a backup plan of going out on the feeder is this failed.
Initial attack was a pot full of 4mm
pellets at 11m, and set up suitable rigs while this had a few minutes to settle.
Although we are well into the throws of Autumn, the weather has been mild, so
my initial plan was large expander pellet attack on heavy gear, dropping back
to smaller pellets if bites did not materialize.
Rig was therefore 0.20mm line, 1.0g
Drennan series 6 float, 3 x no.1 shot and a size 8 Drennan barbless carp feeder
hook with a 12mm expander pellet. The peg was between 5 and 6 feet deep, so
although the float may seem heavy, the venue is very exposed and so heavy
ripple can develop quickly. Experience has proven that a heavier rig and the
option to drag the bait on the bottom is a good idea.
After a few minutes, a few knocks and a
few air strikes, I finally made contact with a fish and the no.22 elastic
started to emerge from the pole in the classic 'that aint no bream' pose. A
brief fight later and a common carp of 7lb 8oz was in the landing net. This was
a very encouraging start, 0745 on an October morning and the carp were feeding.
Bites continued without ever being rapid and further carp of 7-8 and 8-0 were
added to a 2lb skimmer in the first hour. (Now you see why I use the heavy
gear). The fish were happy to take big baits, even in October, so I persevered
and tried to make the most of it.
Bites continued for the next few hours,
but then the problems started. Liners. One of the problems with the venue is
that a lot of fish come through the swim at mid depth and because of the weight
of the bait, you often get very good looking line bites, you strike, you
connect, the elastic zings out and then it all comes pinging back spooking
several fish in the process. Today was no exception…
More potted in feed helped the problem
by drawing the fish down, but did not eradicate the problem entirely. But despite
the problems of foul-hookers I continued to amass fish. The odd bream
(typically 2-3lb, but the odd smaller one) punctuated one of the better carp
sessions I've had on the lake, 3-4 fish an hour mostly between 6 and 9 pound
really started to accumulate my overall weight. Two 12 pounders, both mirrors,
helped also and as the day progressed the weight was really starting to build.
However, the liners continued to
frustrate. Changing the feeding pattern, the depth, the elastic, the rig did
not help at all. At some point it felt like I was losing 2 carp for each on
landed, although I suspect the true ratio was closer to 1 to 1, annoying.
So, after a very dull last hour, highlight of which
was the capture of a stunned looking 4lb tench, I finally gave in a packed up.
I had had a really good day, the best October weight ever for me at 193lb, but
still left wondering what might have been. What should I have done, if only I'd
landed a few more of those liners… then what might have been?
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