4 reports into 1

Banana Steve · #1 06-19-2010, 10:35 AM

Well what can say, apart from I have been a little lazy of late and I have not done my reports for the last two weeks. So here goes time to catch up.

Report 1: Saturday the 5th of June 2010.
With the weather forecasted clear and warm both Simon and I fancied chancing our arms at catching a few Orfe from Higher Farm at Burton in Somerset. The plan for the day was to get to the local tackle shop in Warminster and get the days bait at 8:30. Then head off to Higher Farm. After getting lost again we arrived at the Lower Lake at Higher Farm at 9:30 to find that there were already anglers set up and fishing. So a quick investigation of the lake and finding only two swims available we decided to go to the other lakes on Higher Farm. On arriving at the lakes we found that they were free and we had the pick of the swims. We choose to fish the deeper end near to the Island for which Simon took advantage of and set himself up opposite the island.

I choose the peg next to him; my peg had plenty of open water for which I wanted as my plan was to fish the waggler. But on pluming the depth and finding I had 12ft of water in-front of me my plan changed, it was time to fish the Slider, something I have not had much experience in over the years. Simon however, was on the Pole and seemed to be enjoying himself, as he was catching the small Carp.

As I proceeded to fish the slider I started to catch the resident Golden Rudd, to my mind are one of the most beautiful fish in the country.

I have yet to catch one over a lb in weight but I know I will one day.

Slider Rig Set-Up

As I fished the slider I started to hook the small carp that were on the bottom and with trying out my new rod they gave the rod a good test for its money.

We fished to about 5pm and we both had caught well, with small Carp and Rudd, I managed a bonus Carp of a couple of pound, Simon, however lost a cracking Carp on the Pole.

My Catch

I had a really good time and it was nice to try a different way of fishing, and I think Simon enjoyed himself as well.

Report 2: Friday the 11th of June 2010.
Well Friday was the last day of my Health and Safety Course and I managed to be home by 15:30. With the plan to fish Crockerton on Sunday evening through to Wednesday Morning with Simon, I fancied something different, so out came the Fly rod and the imitation dog biscuits flies, I saw myself heading to Berkley. Well not being that competent with the fly rod and with Berkley being a little bit difficult to cast I headed for the open swims that are situated half way along the lake, I had just enough room to cast. I brought my 4-5 weight rod that is just over 7ft which was a god send as I am still learning the cast. I Fed my swim with cat biscuit which I found as good as the dog biscuit just smaller and with the fly being on the small side as well it did the Trick. I caught 4 Carp on the fly but had a lot of takes, I just need to get used using the rod.

One of the Carp caught on the Fly.

Report 3: Sunday the 13th of June 2010.

As I stated earlier Both Simon and I had agreed to fish Crockerton for a couple of days, and as this a yearly thing for me in June, I was so up for it. Well maybe that’s when I should have stepped back, as the next 3 days were a bit of a disaster for. I arrived at the lake at 6pm on the Sunday, the weather was overcast and there was rain in the wind and considering that the day had been really nice. So on choosing Peg 2 I set my kit up and decided to fish both carp rods on boilies, one with the Matrix Boilies and the other with Esterberry. Simon was on Peg 1 so I only casted out in front of me just off the shelf that runs along the lake. As the evening drew on the Rain became heaver so by 11 we had decided to get our heads down.
It was 12 midnight when things started to go wrong big time. First of all my new dongles for my wireless system stopped working as rain had got into the electronics (not to happy about that) then just after midnight I had my first run, that took me straight into a snag and I had to pull for a break.

2am and my second run, as I slid to the rods down the bank and grabbed the rod I felt the thump of the fish then nothing, on retrieving my rig I found the hook length had snapped by the swivel, the knot had broken, The rig was one of my Palomar rigs, mm a one off maybe?

An hour later my 3rd run of the night same again as I struck I felt the thump then nothing. This too had broken on the hook length and was also the Palomar knot. Well the chance of that happening on two different rigs was to knock my confidence on all my rigs. So it was time to change back to using the Half Blood Knot. I was up and about at 7:30 on the Monday morning cooking bacon butties. The day itself was hard going with Simon being the only one to catch, a cracking Tench of 2lb-10oz a new PB and a 5lb common, 1.5 Male Tench and finally a Skimmer for which he caught on the surface.

I however faired not so good, the day finished off with yet another piece of the nightmare, I found that one of my reels stopped working, the baitrunner for some reason would not disengage, I managed to get a work around with the reel, but with everything else I was getting a little bit Peed off, and to top it off during the night I lost yet another fish but this time the hook just pulled.

Tuesday morning, determined to try and enjoy the day, I started the day of with more bacon butties and a positive attitude. At 9am the senior members turned up for their match with the friendly banter going on about where are their Bacon Butties they headed off towards their chosen swims.

By the end of their match they had some reasonable weights with the top weight being 19lb.

At 2pm my luck finally changed with a cracking run, and on striking I felt the power of the fish, no doubt it was a Carp and like all of Crockerton’s Carp it fought with every inch of its strength. During the fight I always mindful of the hooklength going again, but I needed not worry as the hooklength held perfectly and produced a cracking common just shy of 14lb at 13lb 14ozs.

I had further 2 more fish on the Wednesday another Carp of 5lb or so and a Skimmer. Simon however, well he did himself proud with yet another PB, this time a Mirror of 14lb 8ozs.

As darkness fell and midnight approached I went to bed with a good feeling that things had turned out all right in the end.
We were both packed up and were off the lake by 8:30 and ended the day at Morrisons for a full English (Yummy)

Report 4 (all most there) 17th of June 2010:
Not much to report, but both Simon and I went to Foxham on the River Avon to try for the Tench and Big Bream. However, we both struggled and with only a few smaller fish being caught, I managed to claim 3 points for the species hunt. A Dace and a Bleak
Bleak

Dace

Small Chub

View from my peg

I think that we need more people fishing the river so the fish get used to the bait and hopefully feed a lot more confident. I love that stretch and I know there are some very good fish to be had, just a case of catching them.

Finally, Ben Lee rang me and told me that he was fishing Crockerton with Monty GTI and Alex 82, well I thought it would be rude not to say hello so I popped down to see them, I must have only been there 10 minutes when Alex had a good take and produced this great looking common of 11lb.