There were a number of cars already parked by the Reservoir and a small 5 peg match on the early pegs, this together with a few pleasure anglers and the fact no one seemed to be catching much put us off. We didn’t fancy Nicks so took a walk along Finches Pond. The wind was the wrong angle for it really blowing straight up it but as it is in a dip and mostly sheltered it wasn’t too bad.
We settled on the double peg in the middle of the pond as the two of you sit 5 yards apart and it is the narrowest part being 8 to 9 metres to the far side where in the summer you can get some good bags fishing tight over. Between us we decided that I would take the left and Tony the right. There are 2 bays on the far side one in front of each of you but plumming up showed they were a bit on the shallow side for this time of year ranging from 1ft tight to 2ft off the ledge. 2/3rds over it dropped to 3 foot. Something made me plumb up to my left and on the 9metre line at 10 o’clock it was still around 3 ft and as it was only another 1 ½ metre to get tight to the bank at the point. I shoved another section on and found it stayed at 3 foot deep even very tight to the bank.
As many of you know I usually fish 7 metre max and 9 at a push due to my bad wrists but today I felt that the fish would be tight over so decided to give it as long as I could at 11 metres to see how I could cope. I could always come down the nearside if I struggled.
Tony meanwhile had made the decision to fish mainly for silvers just off the far ledge with .10 line and small hook. I went the other way and took out a summer carp rig with a Wilkie 0.2 margin float to 0.18 line,cut the 14 hook off and replaced it with an 18 B911.
I cupped a big pot of mixed hemp and 4mm pellet at 111 metre to the left and another tight over straight in front. Put 2 maggot on the hook and shipped out and dropped it 6 inches from the overhanging grass ( fortunately they have recently chopped back a lot of the brambles which were taking over late last year ).
The float settled and 10 seconds later disappeared and a 2lb carp went into the landing net after a short fight. The same happened on the 2nd chuck so I changed to pellet to see if they wanted that as well. I missed the next bite but had another carp on the 4th chuck. At this point I concluded that there may be a few fish in the swim and I might need to keep a fair amount of feed going in.
Now I am not a great lover of using a catapult especially at this time of the year as I feel it can spread the feed too far and feel its better to keep things tight by using a larger size kinder pot, permanently attached to the end of the pole, in between using a larger pot on a cupping kit when bites die away. I put the kinder on and away I went. I cant say the fishing was hard as I continued to get regular bites by using the kiner evey chuck and topping with the big pot every now and again and contiued to net carp ranging from 1lb to 5lb regularly.
The only interuptions were a few spells of fing and blinding from Tony as now and again the wind tangled his light rigs. Followed at one stage by crash and band and a torrent of abuse. I looked round to see his elastic attached to the branches of the far bank tree about 8 foot up attached to his 9 metres of pole and his rig firmly stuck in the heights of the tree. I only just managed at this point to avoid dropping my own pole and rolling on the bank yellow stream myself laughing. Being the gentleman that I am I suppressed the laughter and gently enquired “ how the hell did you do that”
Apparently he had not had both feet on his platform and when striking at a small roach had lost his balance and struck the rig and pole straight up into the tree. At this stage I must sincerely apologise to all the readers as I hadnt put my camera in the box this week so couldn’t get a photo for you. I promise I wont forget next week.
Still he soon recovered and continued to catch roach and ended up coming in short ( Im not sure if that was because he could catch better there or that we didn’t want to lose another rig up the tree.) Then he really upset me , as after last weeks episode where he beat my targeted perch he again went and landed a further 2lb perch.
After that nothing exciting happened and we packed away at 4.15pm after just over 5 hours of fishing.
Tony’s estimate was 16lb of roach plus the 2lb perch and another of 1lb
My catch was 26 carp to 6lb and 2 roach for an estimated 69lb.
Another good days fishing with a few laughs and some yellow stream taking just as I like it.
