68 acres pt 3

I had not been able to get up to the big pit for well over a month, time was limited and work was busy, id been planning the next few sessions for some time, but never actually finding the the time ! Late summer was here and the heat was unbearable. I got to the lake late on the Friday expecting it to be rammed with anglers to see just one chap on the high bank, 2 in the right hand corner and one up at the hall end. Starting the yomp with the kit for just 2 nights, i was glad to have ditched the bivvy and opted for just an umbrella. After having some great success from the small pool it was my first port of call and i dropped the kit in the same spot as last time, and went for a walkabout. Decision time came, and as the woods were vacant of anglers i had decided to get the kit and head into the shade of the trees, all that changed when heading back as i would find a large shoal of fish hanging off the snags in the gulley between the main lake and the pool.

I got a stalking kit together and quickly got into the waders, with having no surface baits with me attached a small trimmed down pop up onto the shank of the hook and crept out to the fish, keeping the disturbance to an absolute minimum i clambered over some dead fall and back into the water with barely a ripple. I  managed to get close enough to be able to cast from under the overhanging trees. Drawing the bait back towards the fish so slowly as to barely make a ripple it was noticed and what appeared to be a small common turned and waddled towards it. Knowing i had just one chance at this, i knew this was not the fish i wanted, there were far better fish in the pack out in front of me, gently tweaking the line i disturbed the common and it turned away  leaving a boil in the water and entered the shoal, thinking id blown it i was surprised to see the other fish unperturbed by the actions of this little pup. Back out went the hook bait and this time i managed to latch onto a feint breeze that had created a light ripple that the carp were sitting under and drift the morsel over their heads.
A tail pattern emerged less than a few feet away and next thing i knew was the rod being wrapped around and all kinds of madness broke loose, the shoal of fish scattered in all directions leaving wakes and bow waves crashing into my legs whilst the fish that i was connected to went to my right and was trying its best to get into the roots and snags. Leaning on it, it turned and came across my bows and off out into the main body of water. Again the fish ploughed off through the upper surface and this time i could feel it reacting to the pressure of the rod and hook hold, the shaking of the head was transmitted along to the rod and i half expected it to buck out of my hands. It was soon over though and she was mine, opening the folds of the net i would see the best common so far of my visits to the lake.

Realisation hit that the kit was back on the small pool I bundled the fish into a retainer sack and after giving it a good soaking moved back around to sort out the weighing and pictures. What a way to start the weekend off. Now totally undecided as to where to actually set up i opted to stay put and got the rods out onto the same areas as last time, but to no avail. other than a hand full of tench and a small common the session was quiet. Knowing i was back on in a couple of days, i thought id take a gamble and put the remainder of my pellet into an area in the woods in preparation , hoping that i would manage to get to fish in there on my return, and on the plus side it would mean i had 3kg less weight to carry back to the car with the kit !

The next couple of days couldn't pass quickly enough and i spent the time clock watching until the Tuesday evening when i would get the clearance off the missus to get up there a day early. Arriving to find a single angler on the high bank and no evidence of any other anglers cars, i was eager to get into the woods and when i did i found it devoid of anglers, giving me the chance to get onto the baited spots. In need of a brew and knowing i was spending 3 nights in here i took my time getting the gear together and by mid morning had done all that was needed, giving me time to escape into my thoughts. The left hand rod over a dozen pellets on the big snag 50 yards down the bank and 2 rods over the pre baited spot out in front of me.

The snag tree

 I was enjoying the tranquillity when i saw the angler on the opposite bank over 300 yards away sending a bait boat over to the snag tree and depositing a load of bait. Furious i gave him a bit of grief and a slanging match sadly occured. I couldn't believe he would fish tight to the snags like that at such range to start with , let alone when another angler was in the vicinity, his argument was that he was there before me. Then make the mile and a half walk to the feature you lazy ****

Things calmed down and i went back and sulked with my brew and kicked back with a smoke. The day passed quietly and as darkness fell the boat came over again to the big snag. This in my opinion was so wrong for him to consider fishing at the range he was from the snag, i was maybe 50 yards away and wouldn't present a bait closer than 8 yards, whereas he was dropping the baits on the edge of them. Once darkness enclosed me i flicked a rod over his two lines and dragged them in to me, while he was playing a 16 stone monster i cut them off and dropped them next to my kit for him to collect if he dared.
Feeling much more content and relaxed than earlier i could now re-position a rod safely on the big snag so it was out in the waders under total darkness i went to hand place the trap.The morning came and went but the chap from the far bank never made his appearance for his terminal tackle, i guess he thought he'd lost a good fish and taken out his other line! Strange how he didn't send another rig over this way though.

At a little after lunchtime i received a staccato take from one of the rods over the heavily baited patch of pellets and after a tussle with what i thought would be a low double figure common i was surprised to bank a tench not far short of 10 lbs. A female carrying  tonnes of spawn, she was treated with the utmost respect and returned to continue her days .

9lb 12oz

Just before dawn the on the last morning the snag tree rod went ballistic, i was fishing it locked up tight to stop any chance of a fish burying into the snags and the rod was bucking in the rests like it was possessed, lifting into it, this felt good, it appeared to have bowed out into the lake away from the snag but once i applied pressure, it turned and headed straight back to the snag, thankfully it shifted direction again and started to furrow its way through the shallow margins and across in front of me, by now i was up to my knees in water and hadn't even given it a thought to get into the waders. Light was breaking over to my right and the fish was heading that way taking copious amounts of line in the process, There seemed to be no way of slowing this creature down but over the course of the next 5 minutes it started to slow and tire. It was soon in enveloped in the folds of the net. Shaking like a leaf I looked in to see the prize. Words failed me. I was soaked through, kicking off the socks and pants i got into the waders  ready to return her and after a couple of self takes would do just that. At a little under 22 and a half pounds she wasn't the biggest fish id had but what a mirror carp !

Snag tree success