Getting the hang of it

[Chappa]

I got the chance of another half day session on the Soar again yesterday so off I went to try and improve on the little jack from Tuesday. I went to exactly the same swim and threw a popped up perch in EXACTLY the same spot, put the rod on the alarm and started baiting up the float rod with a smelt for wobbling. Before I could get the float on Beeeeeeeeeeeeep, lifted, bend, fish gone! **!@@~~~!!!*** it!

I wobbled the smelt for 45 min and got nowt so I brought the rod in to change the bait for a perch and.... Beeeeeeeeeeeeep, lifted, bend, fish gone! **!@@~~~!!!*** it! A pattern was forming, obviously the fish were waiting for me to turn my back so they could watch me panic and cock things up! Next I dropped the floated roach close to the popped up perch about 5' out, just under the tree as that's where all the action was coming from. Then a lad pitched up and we chatted for a while about piking tips etc, when the float started bobbing up and down. This time I didn't rush, and waited. Then the float started quickly moving off upstream, but without going under so I lifted and felt a good weight only to lose it again **!@@~~~!!!*** it!.

I think the guy picked up on my vibe and left shortly after! I try and take positives from failure so analysed what was going wrong, made changes to the hook set up, and put out the roach (still in tact) again. By now it was nearing lunch and the bites always seem to dry up, unlike the weather which was still constant drizzle. Just when you thought it was going quiet the float started it's bouncing act again, so I picked up the rod and waited what seemed like ages. When the float went under and karted off downstream I struck into it and at last, this one was hooked. I brought it in to find the fish neatly hooked with a semi barbed trebble right on the edge of the scissors, job well done, and he weighed in at 6lb 6oz, twice the size of the day before and the heaviest fish I'd felt that day, even though the others were lost!

Lessons learned?

1 The fish here don't like sea baits, I haven't had a single take on one in 4 visits, perch and roach every time. (will try skimmers next time too).

2 I'm so preoccupied with avoiding a deep hooked fish that I'm probably striking a bit too early. Obviously better safe than sorry but there's a balance.

Overall I was pleased with the progress. even if I'm missing a few, at least I'm getting bites and fine tuning my rigs and tactics for this location. Next up another trip next week, and I'll try and get some tutoring sorted out from a pro.

Cheers, Chappa

[pingu]

all going in the right direction, sounds like found a good spot as well

dave