The Search Continues.....
After speaking to a few anglers in the know it seemed as though I was on the right track with my local drain in the search for a massive Perch. Better than that I was also in the right area last time. Rumour was it had done not one but two five pound Perch in the past.
On my next day off I was there at first light for a short morning session. I settled in a peg not far away from the one I fished on my previous visit. I rigged up my two trusty tip rods with three-swan links and size 12 wide gape specialist hooks. The session didn't get off to a great start when I sank into the mud and water up to my knee while putting my keepnet in. A wet foot on a cold February morning wasn't really what I needed and it would throb for the next couple of hours with that horrible biting cold ache that will be familiar to many of you. I'd timed my arrival just right though as it was just light enough to see my tips by the time I was ready to cast, which I did with great anticipation.
Just as before it didn't take long for something to show an interest in my worms and a flurry of frankly disappointingly small Perch came to hand. My spirits were slightly buoyed by the amount of activity in the water though. Some big fish were on the hunt, small fish scattering all over the drain betraying their location. A lure rod was quickly assembled and I had numerous casts at the unseen monsters all to no avail. The tips were suspiciously still too for a while. It soon became apparent that not only was the peg full of small Perch but also somewhat of a rarity- the Ruffe. Annoyingly even with my super sensitive tips they wouldn't give you a bite, just sit there with worm firmly in their mouths until I unknowingly wound them in. I had three of the little blighters in the end along with twenty odd Perch. They were even smaller than last time with nothing over a pound. One of the Ruffe with my one dry but still very muddy foot....
Sidetracked.....
After speaking to a few anglers in the know it seemed as though I was on the right track with my local drain in the search for a massive Perch. Better than that I was also in the right area last time. Rumour was it had done not one but two five pound Perch in the past.
On my next day off I was there at first light for a short morning session. I settled in a peg not far away from the one I fished on my previous visit. I rigged up my two trusty tip rods with three-swan links and size 12 wide gape specialist hooks. The session didn't get off to a great start when I sank into the mud and water up to my knee while putting my keepnet in. A wet foot on a cold February morning wasn't really what I needed and it would throb for the next couple of hours with that horrible biting cold ache that will be familiar to many of you. I'd timed my arrival just right though as it was just light enough to see my tips by the time I was ready to cast, which I did with great anticipation.
Just as before it didn't take long for something to show an interest in my worms and a flurry of frankly disappointingly small Perch came to hand. My spirits were slightly buoyed by the amount of activity in the water though. Some big fish were on the hunt, small fish scattering all over the drain betraying their location. A lure rod was quickly assembled and I had numerous casts at the unseen monsters all to no avail. The tips were suspiciously still too for a while. It soon became apparent that not only was the peg full of small Perch but also somewhat of a rarity- the Ruffe. Annoyingly even with my super sensitive tips they wouldn't give you a bite, just sit there with worm firmly in their mouths until I unknowingly wound them in. I had three of the little blighters in the end along with twenty odd Perch. They were even smaller than last time with nothing over a pound. One of the Ruffe with my one dry but still very muddy foot....
The Perch.....
So that is two visits, over sixty Perch and only one just over two pounds. This coupled with the horrible nature of the place (steep banks, muddy margins, busy road ten feet away etc) has made me reluctant to go back. Another factor is the amount of eastern European beer cans that litter the banks. You know me, I always play down the effects of Otters, Cormorants and the like and I'm sure only a tiny percentage of our foreign friends take fish for the table. The controlling club has put signs up everywhere too, in several languages so maybe it is just my mind trying to make excuses for my lack of skill. The only thing that is nagging at me to go back are those unseen Predators. Maybe, just maybe, some off them were Perch.
Remember those lakes on a caravan park I told you about last time? If you don't they produced a massive perch of 4lb 6oz in the not too distant past. After a magnificently dull first session there I decided to have another crack. On arrival I reported to reception and was happy to see a different man from the last time. I paid my £6 and also bought some maggots to feed. "Which one are you fishing?" enquired the chap. I told him and the reply wasn't great. "We're putting a new road in and you might not be able to get down there, have a word with the workmen," he added as I departed. Driving as close as I could I soon came across the workmen and did indeed have a word with them. They were typically blunt and I resisted the urge to bury them under their own hard-core and returned to reception to get my money back. Off to the river it was.
On unloading my gear I was a little perturbed that one on my reclining knobs on my chair had disappeared. I blamed it on the ridiculously muddy drain and resigned myself to be without a back rest for the rest of the day. Anyway, back to the fishing, with all the rain the River was heavily coloured as it has been for most of the winter. It was pulling through well too. Too much for my favourite Perch peg so I settled in a spot running on to a bush which is usually well clear of the water. With the water level up the branches were in the water and had collected some debris forming a valuable bit of cover. A simple four swan link-leger and a fourteen hook with three maggots went.......straight into the bush. A new rig quickly tied and I was finally in position.
As a set about catapulting a few free offerings well upstream my tip started to do its merry dance. As I struck my rod took on a satisfying curve and I gingerly played in my prize. Prior to this visit I had done a bit off digging on t'internet about the river. It turned out the much maligned E.A had done some electro-fishing a few years back and turned up, among other things, some examples of Blicca bjoerkna, the Silver Bream. This made me wonder about all those fish I had caught before that I thought were hybrids. Back to the action and i netted a sizable silver fish and upon inspection I was sure I had a genuine Silver Bream and at 2lb 11oz it was only ounces short of the British record......
As a set about catapulting a few free offerings well upstream my tip started to do its merry dance. As I struck my rod took on a satisfying curve and I gingerly played in my prize. Prior to this visit I had done a bit off digging on t'internet about the river. It turned out the much maligned E.A had done some electro-fishing a few years back and turned up, among other things, some examples of Blicca bjoerkna, the Silver Bream. This made me wonder about all those fish I had caught before that I thought were hybrids. Back to the action and i netted a sizable silver fish and upon inspection I was sure I had a genuine Silver Bream and at 2lb 11oz it was only ounces short of the British record......
With that fish safely in the net I carried on fishing and it wasn't long before I had another fish. It fought a lot harder than the last and was slightly bigger at 2lbs 14oz. But what was it?....
That was the end of the action for the rest of the day. Too much debris was coming down and I had to recast every five minutes or so to clear my lines which became very tiresome.
Sadly after having both fish checked it is thought my Silver Bream, although very close to a genuine one is most likely to be a hybrid and also my second fish is thought to be a Roach/Bream hybrid. Bugger.
Elation followed by Disappointment.
With the river still out of sorts, the road at the lakes being constructed and still mad at the drain for consuming bits of my chair I needed a new venue. After some more searching online I hit the jackpot. A lake about an hour away had the following described about it- 'There are Perch here that could threaten the British record'. Two days later I was outside the lake in my car and ready to go. One problem though- a big sign on the gate saying 'No fishing- closed'. I called the number on the online fishing guide and a curt chap answered, 'Sorry, closed about a year ago and is now closed permenantly'. As he put the phone down I cursed profusely. The sight of the reed-lined lake diminished in my mirrors as I drove away, its secrets to remain a frustrating mystery.
After another hour or so drive I ended up back at the river. I didn't stop long because it was still incredibly hard to fish, in addition to this a massive storm was due to hit around lunchtime. I did mange a couple of nice silvers again. I'll leave you to work out what they are, I've given up for the time being.........
A Change
With one free day left before another five-day stint at work and after the ridiculous amount of driving the day before I decided to stay close to home for my next session. A commercial complex about a mile away from my house was my chosen venue. The wind was a pain though, I couldn't really fish where I wanted to as I was keen to try the float for a change. I soon found a calm area though and set about cupping in some chopped worms and maggots to try and attract any resident perch. I wasn't going to fish the pole though and I set up my float rod. I don't really use my pole unless it's absolutely necessary. Somebody else was keen on it that morning though.....
To cut a long story short I didn't catch a single Perch all day. I did have about ten carp though including a nice but slightly deformed Crucian......
A couple of the Carp....
Tackle Talk
The tip rods I use are 10ft Shakespeare Mach 2's. Brilliant rods and the trip to the commercial confirmed just how nice they are. Playing small Carp is a great test of gear and they performed faultlessly. I think I paid £36 each for mine and you get four tips with them. The tips from the 9ft version also fit (I've just bought two just for some replacement tips) and I paid a barely believable £21 for these. The link is here......
http://www.sportsdirect.com/shakespeare-mach-2-xt-9ft-wand-fishing-rod-941250?colcode=94125003
After just encouraging you to buy something online I'd better sing the praises of my local tackle shops in the name of fair play. Tackle 4U in Skegness has most of what you need including something you can't put a price on- great advice. My tackle shop of the month though has to be Spilsby Angling Centre. They have an absolutely great stock including just recently Korum and Preston Innovations. They even have some fly fishing gear in stock. The bait is great and the service friendly. What more can you ask for?
Some welcome additions to my kit came from an unlikely source this month, a work colleague had been secretly harbouring these without my knowing for a while now.....
As soon as I found out I had to have them and a deal was struck. I fell out with Shimano for a while after a Stradic I owned didn't live up to my expectations but these 4010 Gtm's are the reel deal (excuse the pun). 'Made in Japan' models in my mind are far superior to the newer 'made in Malaysia' versions. Reel aficionados will remember Mitchell went much the same way when they stopped manufacturing in France. These views are, of course, just my opinion and not proven facts.
the.power@tesco.net
Afterword
The AGM for Spilsby Angling Association has been and gone for another year. It was an interesting meeting although very poorly attended. Lots of things were discussed although one thing wasn't mentioned. That is the amount of work done be various members on Partney Pit over the last year. I take this opportunity now to thank everyone involved. It's a great club and at £20 a year, embarrassingly cheap. If you go back a few months this Diary will inform you of the best pegs, tactics etc. Tickets from the above tackle shops. Thanks for reading.
Till next time.................................
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