A quickie christening trip

[fullcreel]

I've picked up a couple of rods inthe last couple of weeks. The first, a shimano match rod, my local tackle shop in Warminster decided to ceae to deal with shimano, and has been holding a sale, all their kit half price.
The other new rod is a split cane beauty, which I picked up at the collectors market at the Bath and West Showground last Sunday. I held it my sweaty hands and had to buy it...
Both needed to be christened.
The plan had been to go to the Avon at Claverton, but the river was likely to be very high, and I don't enjoy a flooded river I'm afraid. My regular fishing partner JP was ill, so i decided on a trip to Berkley Lake.
I had made some paste for the river, a combination of blue cheese flavour and a wonderful chilli sauce called 'Homer's Journey'. I also added soem orange dye to make it a bit more visable. After the success of my elderberry paste I was hopeful it would work.
Here it is, I made one eggs worth.



I got to the lake and could feel the wind on my face, by the time I made it to the bank the wind was full in my face and cold too, I recalled the weather forcaster saying something about tempretures being into double figures, it felt like something around the freezing point. But I had a job to do.
The new cane rod, a spinning rod of 8'6" was set up with a running ledger and an 10" hooklink with a size 10. This outfit was baited with the paste.
The match rod had a 3AAA+ insert waggler, I should have used a standard as the wind got worse. But in the end both rods were used in the margins.
The paste rod was the first to go, ther line tightened and as the tip began to curve I just picked up the rod and was delighted to feel a kick. A typical Berkley Wildie, fought well, but at about 2lb it was a bit small to give the cane a real workout.
Here it is.



I had another, larger carp about 3lb on the cane special, before the float dipped away, another wildie about 3lb. Like all Berkley fish it went like a rocket, in perfect condition too.
I packed up shortly after that, perhaps no more than 45 minutes on the bank,. but the wind was cutting through my clothes, straight into my face. So I headed in to Frome foe some shopping, for me of course, sod christmas :-)

[fishypaul]

lovely fish,well done mate

[blackwater]

Nice fish to break in your rod

Well done

BW

[pingu]

always nice to christen a rod

dave

[Fishing Forum Admin]

well done mate