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| wet and bloody miserable... |
I forced myself up at 9am this morning, despite setting the alarm for far earlier....and eventually headed out around midday. I decided to pay a trip to my local club water again in search of that elusive big Sergeant I've been wanting for so long. As some of you will know from a previous one or two blog posts, Ive had a couple of nice ones to low 2lbs but struggled to get among the really big girls.
With the continued wet and windy, but mild weather in tow, I guessed I may well be in with a bit of a chance as it was lovely and overcast. I decided to try a new swim as my regular ones have been slaughtered over the last 12 months and I think that
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| Everything you need for a big stripey! |
I set up two rods, both with the exact same set up on each. A small 1/3 oz square pear lead, freerunning up to a small CBS rubber bead and size 11 swivel. Then a short section of 6lb 12oz fluorocarbon hook length to a CBS Trident size 4 hook. This was swung down the margins either side of the swim into the deeper water just off the marginal shelf. Bait wise, I chose to give them a nice chunky Tiger Prawn glugged in CBS Carp Bait Specialists River Monster Dip with DMPT. This gave off a really pungent fishy smell and a lovely oily slick! Over the top of this I plopped a couple of handfuls of maggots, CBS Fishmeal Groundbait and prawns mashed up into a groundbait mush. I kept this going in every half hour or so until I started to get some interest.
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| Stunning winter common of 18lb 15oz! |
My first bit of action was on the left hand rod around 3pm. A short sharp take signaled a hooked fish and a few seconds later a pretty little Perch was sat looking at me. Not the chunk I'd been after but very welcome all the same! The next hour was very frustrating as I had numerous very quick takes which ended in nothing other than a missed opportunity? I decided to make a change to the set up and swapped the hook set up over to a short hair rig with the prawn dangling just below the bend of the hook. This did the trick and a few minutes later the right hand rod whizzed off at a rate of knots! There was no way this was a Perch! Out towards the middle of the pool it went with me hanging on like a scalded child! What a scrap on the pin with lightweight gear! While I was playing the Carp I had a run on the other rod, which was distinctly more 'Perchy' in its development. The fish was off before I had the opportunity to engage it and I felt a little gutted to have been engrossed with the carp when it was the Perch I really wanted to catch! Still, this looked a decent enough fish!
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| another carp on perch tactics! |
My next fish was on the left hand rod and I was again into yet another carp. I was starting to feel a little disappointed as it was really the Perch I so wanted! This one was a less pretty mirror of around 10lbs. I introduced a little more bait to both swims and almost instantly started to get liners and odd twitches.
There was no real signs of surface life in the swim and with the light fading fast and more torrential rain falling by the second, I felt my chances were quickly diminishing! Another quick take signaled yet another carp....this one only a small common at around 6lbs. I repositioned the bait and had a couple of missed opportunities come next as I was pouring a coffee and taking a pee! Not at the same time of course! Eventually the light got the better of my session and I had to start packing away. Under torch light from my head lamp, I loaded all my gear into its bags and just left the two rods laying on the floor at the front of the swim until last. You just never know when a rogue chunk may be sat waiting until the last minute to nail your hook bait!
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| Well worth the wait! 3lb 5oz New PB Perch! |
Well, I got the brolly down and one rod packed away, when suddenly the right hand rod ratchet sounded and the tip of the rod wobbled violently. A good Perch take I was sure!.......A few seconds later and I was hooked into what I was sure was going to be my star fish for the evening! Suddenly a large spikey dorsal fin flashed on the surface and it then became apparent that I'd hooked one of the much bigger ones at last! I finally sunk the net under the fish, after a torrid couple of uncomfortable minutes and looked down at my prize!!!! Wow, this fish was going to no doubt break my 3lb 3oz PB!
The scales don't lie and she tickled them round to a magical 3lb 5oz! Wonderful......I couldn't believe my luck! At last I'd caught a nice big Stripey! A few pics taken with the self take remote and back she went.....What a result. So pleased. I'm off out on Sunday with Joel and Ceri for the day Pike Fishing in the Brecons, so I'll look back and tell you all how we get on then.
Tight lines
Keith
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