Having read Joe's last post about catching a few silver bream I decided to give his secret location a go. Arriving about 8 this morning I mooched about the site checking out the 3 lakes/ponds on offer. First of all I chatted to Bob who apparently comes down from Lancashire every year for a week or two in his camper van - must be good then! Then the owner turned up. I mentioned that someone had posted on the internet about catching silver bream last week with his daughter. I was quite surprised when both of them said, "Oh, you mean Joe?". The element of stealth and secrecy had obviously gone out the window. So much in fact that while I was setting up another angler turned up and said "Oh, are you in this silver bream contest then?" Apparently the other two had told him about my dastardly attempt. I explained that it's not a contest, rather just a few people trying to catch various species. Anyway, he showed me photos of some of his catches including a nice chub.
Back to the actual fishing. I set up on the Silver Pool where the target fish were caught by Joe. Using 6mm pellets I had fun catching crucians, baby carp and one lovely bright red and white koi. None bigger than 1/2lb but welcome anyway. No silver bream. Around midday I moved up to one of the larger pools which apparently contain a mixture of species including good size carp and perch. Here I put out a light carp rod with a method feeder (God, this Spicy Sausage method mix is REVOLTING!) and continued with my new float rod. A 2 lb hook link with a size 14 barbless hook went out against the near reeds. I had some small roach on pellet but no interest from the larger fish so changed over to prawns. I started to catch a better size of roach, only up to 3/4lb but in lovely condition. This was a first for me, picking up roach on prawn. The carp rod remained particularly motionless. During one of the many showers my float dipped down and stayed so. Tightening up I realised I was into a carp. The 2lb hook link made me be particularly careful but the centre pin kept me company with beautifull music. The 16 footer hooped round into a lovely arc and luckilly the carp didn't seem to want the tree roots and kept out in open water.After what seemed like ages but probably was only 10 minutes I managed to bring it close to the net. During all the fight I was proud of my light touch but literally as I slid it over the net....CRACK, the top section snapped. At that moment a rhyme from my junior school days came into my head:
"I'm a boy scout, I don't swear
shit a bugger arsehole I don't care"
The carp was a smashing torpedo-shaped common of 9lbs 5oz. I almost forgave it for the fight it put up. You can just see the snapped section by the reel.
So, no silver bream, an enjoyable morning catching small interesting bits and an afternoon of mixed fortunes. Finally, I reeled in the method rod only to find a 1oz roach hooked fairly having gone for a 10mm pellet!
No secrets any of my locations David, I usually write it in the title! and take photos! Will have a word with Mark the owner though, I should get some free fishing from the publicity he is getting!
ReplyDeleteBad luck on the rod Dave, would have been ideal for long trotting, but it can be repaired easily enough and there must have been a fault in the carbon anyway. Shame about the silvers but now you know where they are its only a matter of time. They can be caught at Harvington BTW - well, I had one...
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