The Dawn Raid On Marsh Farm

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

Anticipation can be good (although I couldn't get to sleep at all last night).

Expectation can be bad (my levels were a "bit up" to say the least).

But on those rare occassions when it all comes together, they can be wonderous things!

Arrived at the locked gates at about 3:45am. What if he's forgotten? What if he was just having a laugh? But at 4am on the dot, Steve arrived (with the key!) and a bright and breezy "mornin, how are we?".

A swift cup of coffee later (it's great when your host has the keys to whole site including tackle shop and canteen!) and we were off to Harris Lake. I settled in peg 2 while Steve was to my left in 3. The sun was well on it's way up by the time I had my first "dip" with the pole (having "potted in" a bit of hemp and casters):



Second "dip" and the float shot away and I was into a fish. this turned out to be a lively tench of about 4lbs. I was almost disappointed! Told myself to stop being stupid and fish properly and see what happened

Steve was also into a tench and I was just thinking of wandering over to have a look when the float dipped and settled a bit lower. I lifted into a good fish which I assumed, because of the delicate bite, was a crucian. The immaculate 6lb 14oz female tench was therefore a bit of pleasant suprise



Steve then tried to make me feel good as he landed a big crucian weighing........you've guessed it....2lb 15oz:



At least the crucians were about but I had to wait until 7:15 before I found one. The float shot away and I lifted into the fish. Now, Harris Lake is getting clearer by the day and I soon saw the golden flash of the crucian. It looked "big" but as it slid into the net I reckoned it was about 2lb. As it happened it took the scales round to 2lb 12oz, a lovely fish. With the "honours done and recorded" I shipped out again only to watch the float dither about. It didn't settle as it should and I assumed a rudd was playing around with my double caster. I lifted into a sizable resistance! Another bar of gold slid into the net and I "knew" this was "it". It was........ 3lb 02oz....all was well with my world!



Not to be outdone, Steve then had another crucian of exactly 3lbs:



So with mission accomplished (and a tackle shop to open and breakfasts to be cooked), Steve packed up and departed a very happy man. I carried on and had a few nice roach and another good tench of around 5lbs. At about 8:30 I was craving a hot bacon and egg roll but just one more "cast" produced another delicate little lift. Suprise, suprise, I connected with the fish. Again I quickly saw the golden flash as the crucian stretched out the elastic. As it slid over the net, it looked "BIG". It was...at 3lb 09oz it is my new PB. A truly stunning fish - it even "posed" for me with it's dorsal fin fully displayed:



I was quite prepared to finish there and then, the plan had come together and I "floated over" to see Steve in the shop to thank him, buy him a drink or two and promise him a "double figure barbel from the Stour" (might need to enlist Twiddler for that one).

On my return, just one more "cast" turned into 3 or 4 and hey presto, one more crucian. This one was 3lb 03oz:



So the morning ended on another high, with four crucians, three of which were over the 3lb mark. Maybe there's a "4" out there...but that's just being plain greedy!

I'm now off to bed for a few hours pleasant dreaming

[pingu]

congrats neil know how hard you been trying for that magic number 3

best have 3 beers later

dave

[John Marshall]

Well deserved after the hours you put in.
Maybe theres a 4 plus waiting?

[Norfolkboy]

Awesome fish Neil, great photo with the PB too

Well done.

[Twiddler]

I knew you would get your 3lb+ soon and I wasn't wrong.

That is one beautiful looking crucian, top condition.

Very well done Neil, you deserve it after all the hours and work you put in to catching this one.

I have no doubt that the 4lber isn't far

[fishypaul]

some superb fish there neil,you deserved each one of them for the effort you put in

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

Thanks all, it was quite a morning and for once it lived up to "impossible" expectations. As for the effort, I've only had 11 trips there in the past 5 weeks! Unfortunately, work prevented me from any sustained campaign

"Crawling" to the local experts (gaining access from dawn) paid off in that I'm convinced being there from that sort of time helped build the swim in the right conditions to attract the bigger specimens. They may have come along eventually in "normal" time but I reckon this mornings effort reduced the odds considerably.

Thanks are very much due to Steve and crew at the venue

[Greenheart]

Great read Neil & well done on that new PB Crucian. That's one cracking fish....

[ctwhitelaw]

Well done mate some Cracking fish well done on the PB

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Well done indeed