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The frosts came and went and with that the rains came. One of the continuing issues we have faced on the lake for the last 6 or 7 years was that the water levels have been down, and down quite considerably. Then out of the blue we’ve had the lake flood four times during the winter 06/07. Many people have different theories to this, with Global Warming being the most popular. Now when you consider we’re told Global Warming is getting worse, if the last 12 months are anything to go by, with the long warm summers and wet rainy winters then I’m all for it. They should make 4x4’s compulsory……
With the lake looking healthier and full to the brim with water, it made me want to spend every waking hour up there. The demographics had obviously changed, what was 2ft deep in water was now 5ft deep. We had water, but more importantly we had margins too. I continued my twice weekly visits on Tuesday and Thursdays to bait up with between 5 and 10kg’s of Ocean Fresh Red Shrimp and Garlic, although I had started to spread it around 3 or 4 spots rather than just the one swim. The 3 or 4 spots were 2 fishable swims and 2 snaggy tucked away areas that I knew the fish visited. I worked on the basis that the fish that weren’t already on the bait in front of my swim on the Railway Bank, would feel safe eating it in the snaggy areas knowing that they cannot be fished to there. Then next time they ventured out of the safety of the snags and they found themselves upon one of my baited areas, the likelihood would be that they felt more confident in feeding.
I continued to fish every week along the railway bank, the plan was to stay here until I no longer regularly caught fish. Well thanks to the rain this plan was changed quicker than expected. I’ve been quite lucky in that the Railway Bank gets quite wet and muddy. In order to not make it so obvious where I was fishing, I would walk to the swim via the Path Bank and then leave via the River Bank. It got to the stage where it wasn’t possible to leave via the River Bank. Actually it got to the stage where it wasn’t possible to fish the Railway Bank. I wouldn’t say that I’m a tackle tart, although some might disagree, but I do like to have good stuff that is top of the range or towards the higher end of the market. Now one thing I don’t mind is getting my stuff caked in mud, when I get home after my weekend session it will always get a thorough cleaning and dry out. So a bit of mud never bothers me. The first weekend of February, I arrived at the lake as usual. There were no cars in the car park and as per normal, I had the lake to myself. I loaded the barrow up and headed off towards the Railway Bank. When I arrived in my swim, I found it was well and truly unfishable. Now as I said I don’t mind a bit of mud, but this was ridiculous it was nearly 5 inches thick. I may be mad but I’m not stupid. Right where to now, that’s going to make me work. I decide to abandon the barrow in one of the swims along the path bank and attempt a few circuits of the lake. For the last 7-8 weeks I’ve been fishing the same swim and catching each week. Now I’m going to find out if I have managed to establish the bait or not. After one and a half circuits of the lake I opt to fish in peg one at the very tip on the lake. The weather was grey and overcast with the wind blowing into the swim, not much signs of life but as good a place as any. The lake is the shape of an elongated pyramid, with the railway bank at its base on the north and peg 1 at the tip to the south. Looking out from peg 1 there is an over hanging willow to the left, the bars that run almost the length of the lake start about 20 yards out, whilst there are over hanging branches to the right with some deep holes and gravel patches along the margin. Fortunately there is a Bailiff’s hut adjacent to peg 1, where we keep important things like tools, the lawn mower, kettle, stove, tea bags, sugar, long life milk. I’ll be making this home for the next few nights, at least it will save getting the bivvy out of its holdall.
I set the marker float up to have a plumb around, it’s been so long since anyone has fished this peg, let alone me that it’s time to reacquaint myself with the layout in front of me. A few casts around later and it’s all coming back, with the added bonus that everything is a lot deeper than it used to be thanks to the floods. Just as I put the kettle on a couple of the other bailiffs turn up. It’s funny that everyone seems to know the best place to fish from each swim. One suggested I go tight to the over-hanging trees along the right hand bank, the other suggested I go about 4ft off the boards right in front of the last peg on the path bank, whilst I fancied a bait amongst the new shoots of weed directly in front of the swim where the gravel bars start.
One of my visitors finishes making the tea, as I cast each rod out. Since catching 4 in the same night in the depths of winter I have continued to fish each rod with different hook baits, an 18mm Red Shrimp and Garlic on one, double 15mm Red Shrimp and Garlic on another and an 15mm and 18mm Red Shrimp and Garlic bottom bait snowman on the third. I was still catching the fish and as my Nan used to say “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”. The left hand rod with the bottom bait snowman went out towards the new weed and the start of the gravel bars in the middle, the middle rod with the 18mm to the boards in front of the last swim on the path bank and the third rod. Well I’d managed to hit the gravel hole underneath the over hanging tree first time with the marker rod, much to the annoyance of my fellow bailiffs. Now came the tricky bit, for some reason I’ve always been quite accurate with hitting a marker float with a fishing rod, regularly bouncing the lead off the marker float as it goes down. On this occasion my accuracy was to stay with me, much to the delight of my colleagues. “Go on then, do it again if your that good!”, “I bet you reel your hook in with your marker float”, “Fiver says you do!”. Now sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t, on this occasion I picked up the marker rod and wound down, and down and down. Another don’t, as thankfully the hook bait stayed where it landed, much to some peoples annoyance. Another brew was made and we caught up on the last week or so. The guys wished me farewell and disappeared into the night.
I dozed off quite early, only to be woken by a screaming take on the left hand rod at about 1am. Much to my satisfaction. A small battle ensued and the net was slipped under a decent sized mirror. Up on the scales she went 21lb 12oz, a Linear but sadly not the much sought after Zip Linear. Back she went with little fuss. I was pleased as punch, not only had I moved swims and caught but I couldn’t have been further away from my baited swim on the Railway Bank and still caught. This has given me new confidence to try other swims. The fish are definitely on the Red Shrimp and Garlic and with the spring approaching and an order for another 100kgs on it’s way I should have a happy spring. As February became March, I had tried 2 or 3 swims and managed to catch from all but one. Peg 41 my “Nemesis”. Now I had caught from peg 40 and peg 42, but peg 41. Not a chance, I will one day and I’ll dedicate an entire chapter to it.
The closed season would soon be upon us and with it a lot more angling pressure. Over the last few seasons I have seen the lake go from just me fishing on the final weekend of the season to 14 anglers on the first weekend of the closed season. But hey that’s life I guess and this year I’ll have been prepared. I have had all winter to condition them to Red Shrimp and Garlic, lets hope it pays off.
One of the swims I had sought out for my closed season fishing was the first one on the path bank. There were overhanging trees to the left and the right with a large amount of water in front of you. On the opposite side of the bank are some snags. Despite being able to fish to these from the bank in which they’re on, I have always found it more successful coming at them from a different angle. Namely the swim I’m in. I started baiting this swim with a kilo of Red Shrimp and Garlic to the over hanging tree on the left of the swim, a kilo to the snags out in front and a kilo in the margin to the right. I fished this swim a few times over the next few weeks managing fish to 18lb. Still averaging a fish a visit, which was reassuring. As we entered March the earliest I could get to the lake was first thing Saturday morning. I set the alarm for 5.30am and went to bed. As always the night before I’m fishing an early start, I was like a child on Christmas Eve waiting for morning to arrive. It must have taken an hour or two for me to fall asleep. The alarm went off and I got dressed as quickly as I could. I kissed the Mrs and kids good bye as they slept and slipped off into the early morning. I arrived at the lake shortly before quarter to 6, and for a change there was already a car in the car park. No need for a walk around the lake, I knew exactly where I was going to fish. Upon arrival at my chosen swim the other angler was fishing the opposite far corner of the lake and was still bivvy bound from the night before. As normal, first thing in the morning this lake looks absolutely stunning. The “Dawn Chorus” was in full swing as the morning sun rose slowly behind me. I cast all three rods out to the chosen spots, a 15mm and 18mm Red Shrimp and Garlic bottom bait snowman to the over hanging tree to my left, a double 15mm Red Shrimp and Garlic to the snags and a single 18mm Red Shrimp and Garlic to the right hand margin. At around 6.30 as the sun was breaking through the trees behind me I had a couple of bleeps on the left hand rod, I looked up and the bobbin slowly edged towards the rod. Seconds later it burst into life. I was on it in a flash and immediately turned the fish from the branches of the over hanging tree. Because the baited area was no more than a rod length and a half away, it was a short but strong fight before I slipped the net under the fish. I peered into the net to see a mid to upper twenty. A quick dunk of the unhooking mat in the lake and the fish was ready to be brought onto the bank. I zeroed the scales, slipped it into the weigh sling and slowly lifted the fish off the mat. Round the needle went 10lb, 15lb, 20lb, 25lb, settling at 27lb 4oz. Having had problems with my camera I’d ordered a new one. However as is always the way, the weekend had arrived but the camera hadn’t. Instead I’d brought the family digital camera. Now how do I set the self timer?. I fired off a couple of shots, and slowly slipped the fish back into the lake to the cheer of the Dawn Chorus. |