Following on from my last post, i was awoken by my alarm at 4.30am, it didnt even feel like i had been asleep, but i promtly put the kettle on and tried to wake myself up. I was able to watch the water from the comfort of my bag, and there wasnt really much going on out there, in the way of fish activity. Nether the less, i was confident the tench wouldnt be far way, so i put fresh baits on each rod, and swapped the corn for maggots and casters in the hope that the eels would no longer be active.
After around 15 or so minutes after recasting, the middle rod fished over the gravel patch signalled some interest. The bobbin lifted a inch or so, then dropped a couple of inches.... no line was taken from the baitrunner- i was using light bobbins so presumed it was a linebite. Then a few seconds later, the bobbin rose again, and stayed tight. I was out of the bag and on it in a flash, and i soon realised that an eel was the culprit. They seem to give a jag jag on the rod top, then ease off.... then jag jag. I couldnt believe how much trouble i had been experiencing with the eels in the Daylight! I dread to think how many i would have if i left the maggots out at night! Due to the short hooklink bolt rigged maggot feeder, it was hooked in the bottom lip, so was easily released without harm to him, or my landing net and rig!
Anyway.... i preceded to recast the rods every hour or so, leaving them out a fraction longer than the previous session as i thought it might take the tench a little while longer to find my hookbait amongst the free offerings. After several more brews my left hand rod fished out to the bar ripped off! I knew this was no eel from the take, and my new Drennan Distance Tench Rod was nicely bent into what appeared to be a decent fish. At last, all the baiting and waiting seemed to be paying off, and when i could see it powering away under the rod tip, just the size of its tail in the clear water confirmed what i had been hoping. It was soon engulfed in my net, and left to rest in the margin whilst i wet my sling and unhooking mat.
It was a pristine specimen, and at 8.8 was very welcome too. It appeared as though the warm spell we have been enjoying had encouraged the tench to not only feed, but to fill out too, as although it wasn't really fat, it was nice and plump. A couple of snaps then it was released to the depths, and it felt like it was all fitting into place.
For some reason though, for one i cant explain, the other piece to the jigsaw didn't fit into place, and that was the one and only tench of the session. Eel after eel showed, and despite topping up the swims early evening the action nether materialised on the Sunday morning/ afternoon spell either. The wind was blowing into the opposite bay on the other side of the lake, and although the carp were chasing themselves up and down the margins there, i had a feeling i had made a bad swim choice. I will be more conscious of where the wind blows on my next session, if there is room for me in amongst the carpers that is....
All in all though, alot was learnt in my weekend session, and i'll be able to put it all into practise again very soon. Highlights were obviously the nice Tench, and must mention the BBQ we had in the Evening. Chicken Kebabs, King Prawns, Sausages, Burgers, Salad etc etc.... who said fishing was dull?!
No comments:
Post a Comment