A mixed bag at Higher Farm

Greenheart · #1 01-29-2012, 12:45 PM

Had a few hours yesterday with Banana Steve & Simon N at Higher Farm in Somerset. It's a small mixed fishery with 3 lakes, stocked with various species. We all set up using the pole with maggot for bait. I fished red maggot on a size 20 hook & a fine 1.5lb hooklength at about 9 metres. I tried white maggot on the hook, but could'nt get a bite. The bait was fished hard on the bottom with loose fed maggot & micro pellets.

Considering it was january & the water fairly clear, bites were suprisingly

Steve fishing the pole

plentiful. The only one who was struggling to get a bite was Simon. However a quick change to a waggler rod soon remedied this. Initially we were catching mainly Roach & Gudgeon, but my loose fed pellet soon brought some hard fighting carp onto the feed.

I then hooked what I thought was another carp, but the fight didn't feel quite right. I soon discovered that i'd hooked an un-seasonal tench. Quite unusual on a cold day in January..

This was soon followed by a second one.

We ended the day at about 3pm as the temperature started to drop even further & the warm fire in the pub beckoned. For the time of year it had been surprisingly productive with good mixed nets of fish. Species caught included Carp (Mirror, Common & Ghost) Gudgeon, Roach, Rudd, Perch, Bream & Tench. All in All a nice day & a few points for the species hunt too. Sadly the resident golden orfe did'nt show this time....

Steve & Simon discuss who has caught the largest Gudgeon.