My desire to test drive a new pole fell victim, this week, to a bag of bait. In the car boot and having enjoyed a long life was a bag of pre drilled 16mm Bait Tech halibut pellets.
They finally got my back up often enough to ensure that some of them, at least, were going to a watery grave. Possibly in tribute to Neil Maidment's travel and conquer approach, I opted for a lake I really should have made more of since moving here, in short the day ticket lake at Milton Abbas.
There are two lakes here, one is a big carp water overseen by a syndicate, the second, day ticket, has a good reputation for tench.
The pole stayed at home and I went for a big hit approach, a Mk 4 Drennan Tench float rod, a Browning Ultimatch 50 reel with 10lb Maxima through to a ready tied 10lb braid hair rig culminating in a size 8. With the pellets, I had a tin of bacon grill, a tin of vanilla flavoured corn and a big jar of Dynamite chilli hemp.
I feel the attached waggler to be deserving of mention on its own but, in the words of a BBC newscaster, if you are S-Kippy then look away now. I found some disgusting, garish coloured wagglers on ebay recently, made by a company by Konga and though one fights not to press the "buy it now" button, well it's Father Dougal territory isn't it? I failed miserably and they arrived, even more garish than the online version. I mean disgraceful, truly.
Anyway, I opted for a bright red version carrying 3AAA to allow a good cast and plenty of water to explore.
Out it went, followed by a big field of cattied hemp. Not being used to using pellets on this scale, the thing looked like a depth charge and I expected Jurgen Prochnow to surface and scuttle U96 any time. Anyway, it landed with a pleasing splash and, with a nice sunshine in my face, I poured tea, unwrapped a couple of seriously oaty biscuits and fired up some Louis Armstrong on the ipod. Life felt not all bad, perhaps a Wonderful World indeed.
After an hour of no action, a change was obviously required so I opted for Glenn Miller and shifted back even further in my chair, sun in face. The bailiff duly arrived and, ten bucks lighter, no unsolicited advice, relaxation returned. For about ten minutes. That's when all hell didn't just break loose, it booted itself out like a Welsh kicker trying for 60 yards touch.
The float dipped and I hit it and what felt like a refrigerator suddenly hit the hyperspace button and shifted itself about fifty yards in a second. With plenty of open water and no obvious snags, I felt unworried but the sheer power was impressive nonetheless.
It battled most impressively and any line I gained was taken again in short order. The fish then slowed up and, I would guess, turned itself sideways on to me as I could not shift it any worthwhile distance. After a few minutes of sidestrain stalemate, it took off again and I was able to regain some.
After 12 minutes of sheer brute force on both sides, she took the first gulp and, at the third attempt, the first two resulting in absolute anger when she saw the net, I scooped her up and dragged in my prize.
It was at this point I found there was an angler on the next swim, separated by a tree. He'd snuck round and said hello. Although I had no plans, he wanted to weigh the carp, a nice fat mirror which, on his scales, went exactly 14lb. Nice opener and a while since anything that size as I tend not to really fish for them that often and the commercials are so full of smaller samples.
Anyway, the rod and reel had held up perfectly and I had, I hate to admit it, really enjoyed the fight. I cattied another splurdge of hemp and a fresh pellet soon followed.
Settling back, somewhere near half an hour later, the float dived again and, likewise, another decent sample took off determined not to be netted. Another great fight followed with real physical effort needed to steer the fish and again, several attempts as seeing the net renewed her enthusiasm. Eventually she fell in, tired but I'm not fully sure really beaten. I'd have to estimate at 12lbs as, quite simply, my first thought was "couple of pounds lighter than the last". Again, a partially scaled mirror so no complaints.
Back out and the waggler shot under after just a very few minutes. This time, though, although the fish fought and ran well, it didn't feel like it had the physical charge and bulk. This turned out to be very much the case as a smaller sample around 5lbs was netted.
The guy on the next swim had had seven tench so I wondered if a change might bring one or two may way. Stripping down (the rod, not me dear reader), I changed the reel out for a Preston PXR 4000 with 6lb straight through to a 14 and a fantastically, disgusting yellow Konga waggler taking 3BB. Bait was a banded 6mm Dynamite hard pellet (courtesy of the car boot)
Whipped out to about twenty yards out, I figured I might have left it a bit late in the day to start out after tench but I guess they could have got to the big pellet first.
I'd just decided on some of The Prodigy's best efforts when the waggler went and another good scrap ensued. After several minutes of tussle, I readied the net and a good (for me) tench slipped in. Although I love tench, I've never done any good against them and my PB was a most modest sub 4lbs. This one looked a threat and I shouted over to Alf (for twas he) on the next swim to weigh it. I have a feeling he was a bit perplexed to be asked to weigh a modest tench and not the 20lb leviathan I think he anticipated.
But, with good grace, he did the business and a result of 4lbs 2oz established. I have to admit to feeling quite pleased, modest by most standards but good enough for me.
Three more tench followed, two around a pound and a half and one maybe edging 3lbs. The last fish was a perfect, newly minted roach around the pound mark.
With a ton of work to do, I reluctantly called it a day and packed up vowing to use those 16mm pellets again. I also felt a bit guilty about not using the pole but a week will probably fly by and normal service will be resumed.
I really enjoyed the departure from my norm and especially catching a few tench. Spring's here, Pilgrims - enjoy it!!
I bid you adieu until the next missive, after pole in hand.
---------- Post added at 12:59 ---------- Previous post was at 12:53 ----------
Unfortunately this was 'missionary' work - over the Bolton border - starting them on Garden Peas - and work up to mushy peas later
What dya reckon - mushy peas in a cage feeder - or with a paste / pellet skin? I'll stick with the defrosted Garden Peas for now - for the fish - far less messy! Maybe - for the Wigan fish - a bit of crumbled pie-crust as scatter bait
Hoof a few chips in as well, mate?? You could be on to something there....
Holland's going in to the groundbait market, crusty groundbait. That could work.
