Monday 2nd April 2018 (Bank Holiday)
Springwood Fisheries, Melbourne, Derbyshire, DE73 8BJ
Cost - £6 day ticket
Weather – Raining
In the summer, the company I work
for held a contest organised as part of the 40th Anniversary of the
firm at this fishery. There are a few
anglers at work and it was decided to hold a contest where the winner would be
the person who could get as close to 40lbs of fish as they could. Higher or lower, as long as you had the
closest bag full to the magical 40lb weight you were the winner. It was organised by Dawn Shuttlewood who is
an avid angler and a well-known face around the bankside at the fishery and it
was decided that family members could also enter, so we all knew we had some
stiff competition from Dawn’s hubby Mike, who is also well known at
Springwood. Dawn’s Dad was going to officiate
and he would weigh the carp (if any were caught) so they could be released back
into the lake and not kept in the landing net with whatever silvers were
caught.
The weather on the day was red
hot and a great time was had by all with money being raised for the chosen
charity, and far be it from me to cast aspersions, but the top three were Mike,
Dawn and Matt Peace. Dawn and Matt were
/ are members of the 40th Anniversary Committee, but as I said it
isn’t my place to cast aspersions or question the results…. All joking aside, I
have been desperate to get back there and fish the bottom lake again. Unfortunately for Luke he was on a family
holiday when we had the contest and I had been raving about the place for ages
so we decided to make it our first outing of the year.
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| The not so waterproof boots |
As usual I arrived late after
reaching the M6 – M42 junction, about 15 miles from home, and realising I had
left my maggots in the fridge. I
promptly called myself a few choice names and turned around to retrieve the
missing bait. The weather was, to put it
mildly, pants but I was armed with my newly purchased ex-British Army desert
boots, that had seen service in Afghanistan according to the bloke at Ryder’s
where I got them, and my also newly purchased olive green waterproof trousers
so I wasn’t bothered by a little water.
I raced around the motorway and was soon heading along the flooded
country lanes that led to my destination.
I arrived and saw that Luke and John were already set up, huddled
beneath their umbrellas on the opposite bank with the rain at their backs. I made my way over suitably attired and
realised that my new boots were far from water-proof. I heard “Well they are for the desert you tit”
coming from the direction of Luke in reaction to my moaning.
Luke and John had decided that
the feeder approach was the order of the day but for me it was always going to
be a loaded waggler day. I don’t know
how to describe the feeling you get when your float dips below the surface on
your first session of the year, it’s like something washes away all of those
niggles and frustrations you’ve endured through the winter and you’re released
from the trials and tribulations of work for a few hours at least. I set up with the trusty Maver 12’ Match rod
and Garbolino reel, loaded with 4lb line with a 4” float shotted down with my
equally trusty Preston Innovations No. 10 Shotz and finished off with a 6” Size
16 hooklength. After plumbing the depth
I selected two red maggots who were about to give their souls for my enjoyment
and I launched my first cast. The sense
of relief washed over me as my season started in earnest. Saying ’washed over’ doesn’t really do it
justice to be honest, it was more like physically feeling the stress lift from
me, an almost spiritual sensation if you’re one of those tree hugger hippy
types.
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| The Bottom Pool |
Anyway, between periods of rain
and a watery sort of sunshine, the ground became more and more waterlogged and
soon it was beginning to resemble the photographs of the Western Front. The water was running down small, shallow
ditches into the lake right beside us, the cold started to bite as the day wore
on but no-one complained, no-one seemed bothered by the weather and I think all
three of us were just enjoying being out on the bankside, The fish were biting
and I had a personal best Tench as well as a lot of nice Roach who looked to be
in perfect condition, a few Chub and the odd Carp when I decided to get my
Shimano 8m Pole out. Luke and John had targeted an area between the two islands
and were having some nice Mirror and Common Carp of there, though Luke did
manage to hit the overhanging tree branches more than once and the air turned
blue at times. Had the sun been out like
on my first visit to the fishery it would have been an almost perfect day, but
despite the weather I came away from the fishery on a high and planning my next
visit. I was tired, not so much
physically but mentally, that lovely sort of tired that you know will guarantee
a really good night’s sleep.
Springwood has now become my
favourite fishery and I am hoping to get back there many more times over the
summer. The staff are friendly and offer
advice willingly, the hot food available is of a high standard and the toilet
facilities are very well looked after.
You can hire pods out for the night right next to the top lake or take a
tent or caravan along and pitch up if you fancied making a weekend of it. Have a look at their website by following the
link and make your own mind up, but it is well worth a visit.
I can’t say enough about this
place and they’ve got top marks from me...
See you on the bankside…..
