On the deck

Date fished 18/5/2022

3.30pm until 7.30pm

An evening session on Tilcon was planned, albeit "do the same as last time".

I finished work (in the office) and headed straight to the lake, its on the way home so an ideal location for after work sessions. The weather had been scorchio, surface fishing weather, but as above I was going to float fish sweetcorn again.

There was an angler in the peg I was going to fish, he was just finishing up and offered me the swim. I decided to fish one to the left, a swim I hadn't done well in before. I thought today may be different. 

I set the float to depth and started to fish. On every cast the corn was grabbed as it fell through the water. The fish were clearly up in the water, I put on my poloaroids and could see the fish just under the surface. I shallowed the rig and fished on. I caught a few roach but really I wanted the bream, on the deck and feeding. I put some pellets and corn in so hopefully they would follow it down to the bottom.

I hooked a bigger fish, it was either a bream or a tench as it actually looked like a brown tench!! We will never know as it rolled and the hook came out. I fished on and was soon on a good few roach. The number of missed bites was massive though, it was like the fish were just grabbing  at the corn.

I watched a crow have an argument with a heron, I think the heron won as it was soon fishing on the bank opposite me. Eventually a bigger fish came along, no messing this time and it was netted. I barely removed it from the water to take its picture and it was soon swimming away.

As the gulls dived into the water to catch fish, the wind picked up and I decided to call it a day. I ended with the one bream and about 20 roach and ide with one skimmer! Not bad for a short four hours after work, once I got the fish feeding where I wanted them to. Clearly once caught they had other ideas about feeding!! 

Unlucky for some

Date fished 13/05/2022

1pm until 7pm

Friday the 13th we meet again. 

I once worked with a guy that always booked this day off. He figured it was safer being at home than risking the jinx. He did claim that he was on a step ladder with a chain saw on one particular Friday 13th and there was an "incident".

Prior to the session, I decided to float fish with pellets, so I needed to make some hook lengths with hair rigged bands. I also bought some sweetcorn as a healthy alternative. 

I  checked the weather and it stated "fresh breeze", just like Friday 13th August 2021 so I took the ledger rod too! (Spoiler, it never got used).

Flexi helped me finish early and I was at the lake by 1pm.  The lillies had started to grow back, the howling wind aside it looked good. On the drive over I had changed my mind about bait. It was going to be sweetcorn as the main bait and switch to pellets if not. (Spoiler, I never did change to pellets, the rig tying was not needed!!) 

Micro pellets as loose feed

My swim

The rod was set up already so I was fishing straight away. A few pellets hoping to get the fish going. In less than 10 minutes the float buried and the first fish was landed. I didn't expect a bream so soon! 

Approx 3lb

I fished on, which came with its dangers. One gust had me grabbing hold off my chair, I honestly thought I was going to be blown away. Fortunately the extra chips and beers over the years kept me grounded.

Regular feeding had the float dipping and sailing away often. Within a short time I had another bream and two roach on the tally.

I was soon joined by a committee member and having a good natter. Not paying attention again, I missed several bites/fish. I did comment how I would like a tench......

As ordered!! 

The corn was going down quickly, but I continued with the feeding. The fish kept coming, some ide and hybrids really packing a punch for their weight. Several times they shot off like rockets, and were really only hand sized! 

You will be pleased to know, I didn't take pics of every fish. Several silver's went back without a snap, bream number three was more of a film star! 

The waggler was fished about a rod length off a bush, I tried to feed tight but this was difficult with the wind. I probably fed a 10ft square, where a proper match angler would feed a 10cm square! 

The fish didn't mind though, bream number four arrived soon after.

Another bury of the float was met with a strike. The rod bent over and the fish swam off. I initially thought Carp, but it was not as strong as that. This fish took line and headed towards the lillies. I played it back towards me, it kept low and was pulling back. Eventually it came to the surface, a good bream (defo a pb). I got the net and started to bring it towards me, a quick flip and the hook hold came away. Gutted, I had lost a good one. Was this the Friday 13th jinx? 

Not to be to annoyed, I fished on. The float went again and this time the bream was netted. 

Five bream, one tench, two roach and five silvers landed, there was no jinx! (13 fish)

Blank holiday photographer

Date fished 01/05/2022

6.30 am until 12.30 pm

A few beers on Friday night with Tom, and we planned a morning trip to Tilcon. Early was the order of the day as our son's were away on scout camp so needed collecting in the afternoon. Armed with the usual hybrid feeders and pellets, bream (my) target. 

We decided on some swims close to the car, incase we needed to get the brollies out. Rain was originally forecast, but unlikely by the time we arrived.

The six hour session can be condensed into 52 minutes of highlights. Between 8am and 52 minutes past  Tom caught three bream. All around the 4lb mark and all on pellets. Two were from the distance rod, one close in. All were landed in his massive Carp net. All were photographed by today's resident photographer aka me. All were stunning fish and all were welcome! 

Third

Second

First

The parts that may of also made the highlights package: 

Whilst setting up, there was a worm wriggling across my platform, I saw this as a sign so put it on the hook. Caught me nowt.

We both had bites, constant line bites, so the fish were very much moving about. 

We met some other members and had some good chats about all things fishy. 

We both had takes that resulted in a loss of pellet but no capture. Still don't know how fish can do that, regardless of what Captain Bird's-eye says, they don't have fingers! 

The lake looked lovely, no wind and with several fish splashing about. 

On the way home, Tom seemed to want to chat about ugly cousins or non Carp captures, I think he had eaten one too many nuts! 

I must admit, I feel bad to mention others in my blog when they blank, for example This post, so I hope today's title is a fair critique of my own performance!