fishing in moonlight

baitmaster · #1 10-07-2006, 01:33 PM

well i went down to the fens today to go after my favourite fish the zander and while driving around looking for likely spots i bumped into Barrie c just as he was loading up his barrow for his own session after zander we chatted for about an hour on the subject of the drains and the zeds that inhabited them as we are both passionate about them .
i wish him all the best with his session and we agreed some time through the winter we have a session together . and decided to go onto another drain as i felt conditions were just out of sorts to fish this drain .
when i went tot the drain i was going to fish i met up with a friend who i see while adding over the winter and politely shook his hand and asked how he was and he firstly informed me i got his name wrong (did i feel an idiot ) and apologised (sorry Gary ) we also chatted for awhile and compared notes from last season and how thing were all ready going this year and we were both happy with how are year was going to far .
soon we were both walking down the drain to where we were going to fish and i was thinking i wish i only had a lure rod and net to carry : )
soon i was scurrying around getting my rods set up and out before it got to dark to see the far bank i just managed to get my far bank rods clipped up before it got to dark
.i again was fishing one of these on a fox ledger stem rig with a trace with size 8 trebles on it and the other far bank rod was fished slightly different with a buoyant ledger above my two ounce weight again this was set up with a trace with 8,s on it on the inside rod this was again a straight simple ledger paternoster i see no reason in trying to over complicate any set up and until i feel a change is needed or runs rate drops i,ll carry on keeping things simple .
i watched the full moon rise and make its way across the the drain getting higher as it went with clouds rushing by as if the were late to be some where and they kept making it go dark and light as the passed i like these changing light condition as i feel it actually stimulates the fish and they feed for shorter spell but with the condition going between dark and light seems to trigger them to sporadically through the whole session and actually make a short feeding spell into abnormally long one

Gary wondered down for a chat and a rest from his luring and he informed me he had one small one while he stood there i got a bit of interest on one of my far rods and i moved the net to the side of the rod so i was ready and at this moment i notice my inside rod bobbin making it way up to the top of the rod as i had not got the line in the indicator so i struck it straight away i connect and knew i had a zed on but sadly it head shaking manged to make it throw the hooks . i put the rod down and at this point the far rod decided it to was going to start and i watch the bobbin steadily rise up and struck but like before the fish was on for a couple of seconds then it to was off .
a bit annoyed with dropping to runs back to back cause this could be the kiss of death and might spook the fish away from an area .
soon both rods were back out in there positions and i continued to chat to Gary who then decided he have a few more cast and i watch him walk up the drain silhouetted against the moonlight and he was soon standing on the edge throwing out his lure and working it methodically through the swim.
soon my attention was brought back to my rods as again my middle rod over the far side signalled an attack from something it touched a few times and then dropped an i patiently waited then it started to steaderly rise and i swooped the rod back and got the satisfying arch through my rod the zed could be felt shaking his head trying to throw the hooks but this time they held firm and it was soon sliding into the waiting net .
it was quickly unhooked and a few pics were taken then it was let loose to go and cause more mayhem ,

i selected another bait and sent it over the the far side Gary had seen the camera flash and came back to see how big it was and i informed him it went 7lb 4oz and was quite spirited .
we continued to chat while i recast the other two rod on recasting the other far bank rod i felt the lead hit the bottom and proceeded to put the rod down and tighten up the braid but i felt a bump on the rod tip and stopped and Gary soon saw me quickly swooped the rod back and watched me start to play a zed i heard him say : ( you lucky sod you got that one on the drop ) he gathered up the net for me and waited to see the zed in front of me he gathered it up straight away no messing and just in time to as it went over the net the hooks came out .
again it was around the same size as the other and weighed 7lb 8oz Gary then done me a few pics and this was also released to go off and sulk .

soon the rods were again back out and i continue to fish and Gary decided tit was time to go and we decided to arrange a session were i would go with him to learn some skills to be able to catch zeds on lures as i,ve not done this yet .and with this he headed of i fished on and was waiting for further action but none came .
but as it was a pleasant evening i would stay longer and just enjoy a extra hour of just enjoying the moon lit evening even though no more zeds were banked i did not mind at all .

tightlines
Kevin

Norfolkboy · #2 10-07-2006, 01:44 PM

Well done Kev, sounded like you had a great session

Greenheart · #3 10-07-2006, 01:46 PM

Welcome back Kev. Excellent report as ever mate & some cracking fish too. Lure fishing for Zeds could be quite interesting & i'm looking forward to hearing how you get on. Have you signed your friend up for the forum yet?