Wrong Tactics, Wrong Bait and the Wrong Weather

Pam's Pool, Friezeland Pools, Market Bosworth
Sunday 21st February

Last weekend I splashed out on a brand new rod, and I went for a Maver Abyss X 12' Feeder rod and a new Daiwa Harrier reel from Fisherman's Friend, in Bearwood.  I came home with visions of catching some double figure Carp, a couple of 2lb Roach, maybe a 3lb Bream or Tench and hopefully breaking a few personal bests with my shiny new toys.  All week I had been looking forward to finally getting out bankside after Luke had said that he had been ordered out of the house by his fiance Jo, as she had a girly day planned to discuss their forthcoming nuptials in August, and he was going to be on a free pass this weekend.  It was hastily agreed that we'd hit Friezeland Pools as it isn't too far for either of us and we could use the session to blow out a few cobwebs before we start on with the new PIDs Fishing Club outings during the Spring and Summer.

Pam's Pool

I arrived at the lakes about 08.00, to find Luke was already packing everything up because there was a match on the pool we were planning on fishing.  We were told that we would be able to go onto the smaller Pam's Pool, where there was a mythical 20lb Carp (isn't there always ?), so we made our way over to the new pool and the first thing that struck you was the South Westerly wind that was blowing strongly down the pool.  The pool looked very bare with little to no vegetation around the margins and no real bank to speak of.  The one end of the pool had a few reeds but nothing that would afford any cover to fish and the surrounding grass was waterlogged.  The area for parking resembled something that would not look out of place on the Western Front during the Great War, with thick glutinous mud that made walking to the pegs very slippy.

As the photograph shows, the western end of the lake has a few conifers that acted as a windbreak around the northern bank but for some reason (my idea I think) we decided to fish from the southern bank, into the wind.  After setting up a swim feeder full of red and white maggots on the line I was ready and things looked good for me when my first cast had been in the water a few minutes and the new rod dipped and bent round to the right.  I struck and immediately felt the weight of a fish on the line and the fight was on.  I managed to get the fish, a Common Carp, to the surface and it looked like it was between 1.5 to 2lb, when it slipped the hook and was off.  Little did I know that I wasn't going to experience that feeling again.

Whenever we go fishing there is something that happens to make it memorable and today was no exception.  At Friezeland, the bailiff comes round for your money and takes any orders for sandwiches or rolls at the same time.  They then disappear off and return within half an hour with the orders and walk around the various pegs delivering the food.  Usually the bailiff is a lady named Pam, who is on the ball and can usually remember the orders, but today she was not there and it was some old bloke who was a bit hard of hearing.  He came up to me and asked what I had ordered "Bacon and Sausage" I replied "Bacon and egg ?" he asked, "No" I replied "Bacon and sausage", "Sausage and egg ?" he said, "No, Bacon and sausage".  When I finally had my food he left and went over to Luke.  Luke had bought three of the kids with him and the four of them had all ordered sausage and egg, so after looking through his bag, the bailiff took one box from the bag and handed it over to Luke and then went off to the other end of the lake looking for whoever had ordered the remaining sandwich.  In no time at all he was back grumbling that he'd got a spare sausage and egg roll somehow and did anyone want it.  Luke said he'd have it and promptly paid for the extra sandwich.  After the bailiff had gone Luke called the kids round to have their food and it was then that he discovered that he only had three boxes in the bag and the 'extra' he had taken off the bailiff's hands was in fact his missing roll that he had already paid for.

 The wind was proving to be problematic for me as it was bouncing the tip of the feeder rod around and I couldn't tell whether I was getting a bite or not.  It was now that I realised that I had got my approach wrong and I was a little lost as to how to rectify the matter.  Luke and John were fishing with free running weights on their mainline and feeding lumps of luncheon meat over pellets.  In the excitement of using the new rod I had only bought maggots and two sticks of Pepperami it was clear that the fish weren't being tempted by the maggots at all.  I thought I'd move out of the wind and go around to the northern bank, which was sheltered from the wind and see if the fish round there would be less fussy, so I moved pegs and took up residency on the northern bank facing Luke and John.

The calmer conditions around the other side of the lake were very welcome and I cast out towards the island hoping that the fish were sheltering around this side, but again I was out of luck.  I had got it spectacularly wrong with regards bait, tactics and just about everything else.  The only things I had got right was to buy a warm hat the day before and to put on Jake's festival wellies which he had left in the back of the van.  I was just too excited and hadn't given much thought to anything other than getting out on the bankside again and had forgotten to cover all bases and bring along different baits in case of eventualities like this.  I decided that I'd try the other rod with a pellet waggler on, with some Pepperami as bait to see if this would bring in the fish and while I was setting up I left the feeder rod in the water as a last resort, in the hope that something would sacrifice itself for my pride and snare itself on my hook.

When I had got the second rod set up I decided to reel in the feeder rod to lay to one side and it was then that I realised that there was indeed a fish on the line.  I reeled in and there was a 4oz Rudd on the line and I had missed the take, the strike and just about everything, I had caught without the excitement of the catch.

My one fish of the day

This day was just getting better and better, but at least I hadn't blanked.  The rest of the session was just the same as before and I was effectively sat on a lake bank with a line in the water.  It didn't matter what I did, the fish were just not interested, and in the meantime I had been joined by Luke and John, who were happily catching some nice carp while I was sat between them and would have struggled to catch a cold.

You would think that a day like I was having couldn't get any worse but you'd be wrong, so very very wrong.  Because I'd bought the new feeder rod, I decided to give little Rhys my old rod, a feeder / float combination, a decision that I was due to regret by the time the day was over.  The biggest fish I have ever caught is a 6lb Carp and that was on the very first time I went fishing last May, so imagine my joy when wee Rhys lands an 8lb Carp using the rod I had earlier given him.....The fishing Gods had decided to not only give me a kick in the nuts with the lack of action around my hook, they had now decided to grind them with the heel of their boots.....

To end a stressful day I got stuck in the mud as I tried to leave the car park and had to spend 20 minutes throwing loose gravel into the mud under the tyres to get some sort of purchase on the ground as I tried reversing the short distance to the firmer ground.  I eventually managed it and left the venue and headed home....

You should always take something from every situation you're in, it's how we learn to deal with things and cope, it's how we develop our strategies for dealing with life and the surprises that get thrown up.  So what can I take from my first fishing session of 2016 ?....Well to quote the Boy Scout movements motto 'Be Prepared'.  From now on I will make sure that I carry a variety of baits to cover every eventuality, so I guess it wasn't a wasted session after all...

See you on the bankside......

I Need To Get Back On The Bankside......

It was pointed out to me earlier this week that I haven't written any blogs recently and to be honest I hadn't really thought about it much.  I haven't been fishing for a few months due to the weather and the cold, though saying that I did give it a try on a couple of times.  I went to a couple of places on the local canal system, The Smethwick Engine Arm behind the old Rolfe Street fire station and under the bridge at Tat Bank Road on the stretch of canal from Titford Pools to the old Birmingham Main Line canal.  Both times I blanked and caught nothing even though I had listened to what others were posting on social media about baits, approaches and tactics, but I suppose when the fish aren't biting then you're not going to catch.

I've used the Winter months constructively though and watched a plethora of videos on YouTube, read the Anglers Handbook that my youngest son and his partner bought me for Xmas and tried to develop some new strategies for the Spring and Summer.  I have decided that I am going to have a couple of years fishing in the warmer months first and hone the skills I have learned before attempting to fish in the Autumn and Winter months because it seems to me that there are a totally different set of skills required for that time of year.

I have also looked at the kit I have and what I will require for the coming campaign, especially as I plan on going after a few bigger carp this Spring and try and raise my personal best from 6lb for a Common to a double figure lump and from 4lb for a Mirror to another double figure lump.  I have started getting my gear together and over the next few weeks will begin changing the line on my reels, restocking my hooks but include some size 12 and 14 this time round, having a look at different bait options and even trying a few chopped worms after I finally get round to digging my back garden.

Last year was very much a time for learning the basics, tying knots, how to and when to strike, reading conditions, where to fish and what bait to use.  This year I will continue to develop those skills, but widen my horizons as well and try to be more of an all round angler rather than a bumbling novice.  I have enough people around me whose knowledge and skills I can call upon, so in reality there should not be anything I cannot work on and improve.

As for the depression, well surprisingly that has diminished recently thanks, I believe, to fishing.  I went from a complete novice who knew nothing and ended the year going off solo and pushing myself to try new things and places.  Twelve months ago I would never have done anything like that and allowed my own self doubt and lack of confidence to overpower the desire to get out there and actually do it.  This has also been reflected in my work life as well and I am now starting to believe in myself there as well and started to grow in confidence.

There have been a few setbacks which did slow me in my tracks, note they only slowed me and did not stop me, but these were easily dealt with a little positive thought instead of reflection on the negatives.  One set back which did hurt was not being given the chance to be interviewed for the role of Lead Engineer at work.  I had been given a date and time for an interview, but due to having contracted the Hand, Foot & Mouth virus, I was unable to attend the original interview and was promised that I would get my interview when we returned from the Xmas break.  However, upon my return I was informed that the positions had been filled and I was not going to be given the interview now.  That really did knock me back but by applying a little self belief and positive thinking, I have decided that I will not be applying for any future posts, that I will remain a humble engineer and just play the system now and do just enough to be considered a good engineer.  I won't be training other engineers to do jobs, I won't be writing or compiling anymore procedural documents, I won't be working overtime and I won't be doing anything above and beyond like I have in the past.

This may sound petulant and childish, but I firmly believe that they have made a huge mistake but I'm afraid that knowing I am a much better engineer than those who have been given the roles, and as I am not a second draft person, I am not prepared to do anything other than the bare minimum for them now.  I'm not the sort who will accept being picked second or third time around so it may seem like I am cutting my nose off, but as long as I do just what it is I need to and no more or less then I'll be happy.

Anyway, that's enough of that, it's time to concentrate on the fishing to come....See you on the bankside...