A trip to Milemead...

[Baz T]

I had promised to take the son Aaron carp fishing at Milemead fishery, near Tavistock, on Monday. I woke up a bit stiff and footsore (must be my age...!!) having tramped up and down at least 5 miles of Exeter canal bank the day before, pike fishing.
We set off about 0830, much later than I normally do, but we decided we would only go for a few hours and chill out.
There were about 8 other anglers there on our arrival, and although it was sunny, there was a cold northerly breeze, with some darker clouds on the horizon.
I had brought a couple of worms, and no other bait apart from Chum Mixer. We had quite a lot of success on floaters last year and were hoping to get some fish again using the same tactic. As there were no other anglers in our immediate vicinity we walked around and chucked dog biscuits into a couple of swims, mainly in the margins. We waited, and waited, ...and waited some more. - No movement, or signs of fish at all. I wondered if the low temperature and unexpected frost the night before, plus the cold northerly, had perhaps put a damper on things. Eventually - after an hour or so, we saw some movement, in the margin accross from where we were.
My son Aaron nipped round, with pockets full of mixer, and one hair rigged onto his line. He sat patiently, and waited, as it appeared a carp would come up for a biscuit then disappear for 10 mins before coming back. Aaron eventually saw it coming slowly out of the gloomy, coloured water - first a shadow in the depths, and then he could make out the shape of the fish. He saw it rise slowly, - very slowly as if it was in slow motion. He gently lowered his chum mixer floater right above where the carp was, and it gently took it into its mouth and turned away. All hell broke loose - and it gave him a good fight before a carp of about 7lb was in the net.
It was difficult fishing, as the carp were only taking the odd biscuit now and again, and they were hardly making a ripple on the surface , and no slurping/sucking noise either as they took the biscuits, so it was a case of being extra vigilant and checking the baited areas at regular intervals. I evenutally saw a fish out of the corner of my eye - directly at my feet, about 3 inches from the margin. I crept behind a small bush, at the edge of the swim, and placed my floater exactly where I had seen the fish. Once again, as if in slow motion, the carp's mouth appeared, came up to the bait....and then turned away. I didnt move, held my breath, and a few seconds later it came back, and this time it was hooked. The carp put up a good struggle, staying deep, and although it didnt move far from where it was hooked, it took a while to get it to the net.
Aaron then had another, from the edge of a reed bed, as he had seen some reeds moving, and plonked his bait by the reeds, and was successful with another carp of about 5lb this time.
A while later I saw another carp rise at a different swim, so I flicked my freelined mixer pellet down to that area. Almost immediately a carp came up and took it, with a huge swirl and splash, and it proceeded to steam off at a great rate of knots towards the far side of the lake. My clutch was about as tight as it would go, and it was heading directly for 2 other anglers lines, who were fishing out towards the middle of the lake, and I could see if it didnt stop soon it would go through their lines at exactly the point where their lines entered the water. I increased the pressure slightly, with only a minimal tweak of the drag - and Ping! - the line broke.
Strange how the first fish I had, stayed within a 15ft radius for the whole of the fight, yet my second fish tore about 30 yards of line off without stopping to take a breath...
I had two more fish eventually on mixer, and as the wind picked up and the sky darkened with clouds, we decided to call it a day. 5 fish between us, with the biggest being 8lb 8oz - not a lot of fish, but we felt we had earned them - as it was a real game of patience and vigilance, but worth it.
Cant wait till the summer arrives!

Below - Aaron after his first fish of the day in the margin

[IMG][/IMG]

Below - Aaron tries by the reeds, and is rewarded with another fish

[IMG][/IMG]

Below - 2 of my carp...shame one of them has a bit of a raggedy dorsal fin..

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[devondave]

Well done baz and son! It seems you had an enjoyable day out

I must ask though is there nowhere closer to plymouth? Or is Tavistock closer than I thought?

[Baz T]

Hi Dave - It takes about 35 minutes to Milemead, depending on how much traffic you hit heading out of Plymouth. Havent researched many other fisheries nearby, or tried any others yet, as we only started carp fishing late August last year. However Bake Lakes is near Trerulefoot, and there is also Trewandra near Landrake, so they arent too far away. There is Plymouth and District Coarse angling club, who have waters at St Germans, Cadover, and Filham Park in Ivybridge. There is another lake in Hemerdon somewhere, but the Royal Navy and Royal Marines club run that one. We like Milemead but will also be trying new waters later this year, possibly Town Parks, Shillingford, and others.

[devondave]

Ah ok cool

for the kind of fishing it seems hour after with taking your son and surface fishing the. I would say you won't go wrong trying shillingford I prefer the top lake but I believe the middle lake fishes just as good!

I am urrently at town parks ( leaving in an hour or so for work) lost one fish this morning other than that I haven't had a sniff!

[Baz T]

Thanks for the info..have heard Shillingford can be good, (I take it you mean South View Farm fishery - one and the same as Shillingford?). I got work later too..but at least you managed to grab a couple of hours today. Shame you lost the fish this morning...hope u get one before you leave for work..

[devondave]

back home now didnt catch anything else

yes south view is the same place its nice there i do find it gets a little busy tho

there is other places once you become more established and want to sit for 24 hours or 48 hours without a bite!

again another place good for a bend in the rod and keeping the kids ocupied is upham farm..... only small ponds but rammed with fish and if you cant catch here you just aswell sell up now lol!

[pingu]

nice one baz

dave

[blackwater]

Well done,

BW