Is it enough?
It's a Sunday afternoon in 1993. A Passion for Angling is being beamed into millions of living rooms. I actually watched one episode in a nightclub that was the base for a match I'd just fished. I digress, with Hugh Miles' stunning camera work and the watchable japery of Messrs Yates and James it transported us into a different world. A world where the warming tones of the inimitable Bernard Cribbins told us 'that sometimes just being there is enough'. It captured a moment, it was exquisite, for we wanted to be there too. Fast forward twenty-three years and that phrase accompanies every (usually rubbish) fishing photograph people take when they aren't catching anything. The phrase has been reduced to nothing but a platitude. The next time you are out fishing and you think that just being there is enough wind in and see if you feel the same. If just being there was enough we'd all be ramblers, or worse, play golf or something. Being there is nice, it can be magical, serene, biblical or any number of superlatives, it can never be enough.
Close season challenges
Continuing on with my theme of trying to do something different this year I decided to have a go at targeting Eels. Now I have to admit I didn't much like our serpent-like friends but then again I felt much the same way about Pike a few years ago and they have turned out to be one of my favourite fish to catch. The established Eel fraternity are currently mumbling about the number of people fishing for Eels but take my advice, ignore them. As with any aspect of our sport do your homework and if possible go with someone experienced. Much like Pike, Eels can be fragile creatures and need careful handling. The magnificent irony of this ill-will is that the current Eel record was caught by a Carp angler, its stood since 1978. There is some evidence larger Eels have been caught, again by people fishing for Carp.
Typically in my new quest for Eels the first two fish to take my popped-up lobworms were Carp.......
A switch to fish pieces turned up a greedy Perch which took a Roach head......
Finally a couple of very modest Eels fell to my tactics and I was slowly beginning to get to grips with this most odd facet of our pastime, or so I thought. Fishing Roach heads in a mysterious farm pond I connected with something that felt a little more substantial. At only 2lb it was still the biggest fish of my campaign. Ten minutes later my other rod tore off and I landed a new PB of 2lb 10oz. A fine fish and surprising in size. A passing Carp angler took an interest and was equally impressed by its proportions. Strange creatures.....
Now I wouldn't necessarily say it was a totally dedicated campaign but I was reasonably keen to catch a few more. On my next visit I had a total of fourteen runs. I connected with precisely none of them. I can't think of another time when I was more frustrated on the bank. Strangely I still quite enjoyed it. Bizarre. Luckily when I fail our friends from Specimen Hunting UK are always willing to take up the slack. Ash Bradley too experienced a lot of false starts before landing a couple to 3lb 5oz. This was the smaller of the two.......
Dave Owen got in on the act with his new Pb of 2lb 6oz.......
Last but not least is Lincolnshire's Martin Barnatt and this incredible Eel of 5lb 13oz for which he won a Drennan weekly award.
Pitsford
The middle of May saw Pitsford water open its doors to predator anglers and ten members of SHUK descended on Northamptonshire for our now annual pilgrimage. It was to be two day affair and on the first day I was paired with Kent ace Nate Green. We started off quite brightly as I hooked a hard-fighting Rainbow Trout on my second cast. Unfortunately that was a brief highlight of a relatively uneventful first couple of hours. Word soon got around though that James Aris and Jamie Potts had found a massive shoal of Perch that were taking a liking to their dropshot tactics, some good ones too.......
James Aris
Jamie Potts
James had two fish at 3lb 6oz and Jamie had two at a remarkable 3lb11oz. Soon enough Nate and I were in position to take some of the spoils. Nate was first off the mark with a stunning fish of 3lb 14 oz........
Then it was my turn with a fish of 3lb 6oz........
It was like big Perch ping-pong as Nate then had 3lb 9oz example....
I then had a fish of 2lb 15oz before disaster struck my boat partner. He lost his next fish which gave me an opportunity to sneak another from the shoal, three in fact, 3lb, 3lb 3oz and this one at 3lb 10oz.......
We then begrudgingly left the area for some of the other gang to enjoy some great sport.
Dave Owen
Leo Heathcote
Andy Wilson
Phil Kenny
The biggest fish of the day fell to lure nut Carl Arcus with a Perch of exactly 4lbs...........
As the Perch began to disperse we all explored the reservoir to see what else it had to offer. We all caught several small Pike with Leo and Carl witnessing a 25lb example for another visiting angler. I had a couple more rogue Trout too. At last knockings I took my best Perch of the day and new Pb (by on ounce) of 3lb 13oz. Truly amazing fishing........
We all wearily departed to our overnight campsite. As usual it proved difficult for ten grown adults to find. By the time Nate had taken me on a magical mystery tour to the worlds biggest Tesco for some supplies I was shattered. As ever after a night sleeping in the car I woke with a thick head and a little less enthusiasm than the day before. Luckily my boat partner for the day was James and he too felt the same. I like a man that I can have a comfortable silence with and when James did speak he has this rather wonderful calming manner. They were the perfect boat partners really. The effervescent Nate on day one, bristling with exuberance and the relaxing James on day two. I really must take this opportunity to thank them.
As it turned out day two was a slight anti-climax with no really big Perch caught although James and I sat and watched a couple of very big fish at close quarters in the crystal clear water. I took a few small pike before James, through sheer perseverance and no small amount of skill latched into a bigger example and at nearly 14lb, the best one of the day.
Other SHUK news
Darren Clark with a 33lb 12oz Carp taken while tench fishing...........
Not content with that he went on to catch a 2lb Roach.......
Dave Owen had four Bream in one session. Two just under 10lb and two just over. Still big fish in my book......
Martin Barnatt hasn't quite repeated his remarkable Tench captures from last season but he has had one red letter day with fish to just under 10lb.......
Andy Wilson and Nate also got in on some Tench action.....
Nate with his PB Koi Carp
Last but not least is Barry Fisher with this amazing Scottish Ferox........
Tackle Talk
D.A.M are back. They have brand new ranges out and some of the lure gear looks really nice. I bought a Yagi Rod which feels great and there are lots of rods in the range to suit all applications. Prices range from £25-£35 pounds........
They also have a few reel ranges. Purportedly made by Okuma they all look the part and this tiny little contrast 408 caught my eye. It really is the smallest reel I have ever seen. Should be fine for super-light dropshotting. Prices from a very reasonable £22. Don't worry I haven't become sponsored, so if they turn out to be a disappointment I'll have no qualms in passing it on.
Photo's
Chaos twins at the Eel lake and a protective Goose.....
Last Word
I've spent the last few weeks trying to catch the first of the Smoothounds that visit the East Coast. It has been tough fishing as they haven't yet arrived. Lots and lots of anglers are patiently waiting for them. As usual some are trawling the Internet for information instead of doing the hard yards. Often the greatest phrases are the simplest ones and one chap in particular came up with an absolute gem of a response that you could apply to almost all fishing-
"If you don't go, you wont know"
Till next time...........
