Back to the woodland pond today; with another dubious weather forecast it's at least sheltered. It threatened to be over before it started, when the gate to the access track - a heavy metal monster - refused to open, the latch so misaligned it couldn't possibly. I Pushed, pulled and lifted in various combinations, then phoned one of the bailiffs who said he'd ring around and get someone to come out to me! I weighed it up again, pulled it closed a further tad, and bingo. I called the bailiff again. Rather than implying I was an idiot, he was quick to say the gate is a sod. Anyway,, once in I opted to fish the tip. I can't remember the last time I did, and I wondered if this would get me more fish than I've managed on the waggler, the long rod and pin and the pole. It seems whatever I do, I can't get more than 10 bites in a session.
The swims are all a bit tight and under trees, so it took a few minutes to work out how I could cast and strike while pointing down the "flow".
I accept that method feeder-type fishing is super efficient, but I like to fish light conventional feeders and a wand-type rod just for the feel of light tackle. This rod wouldn't sell for £5 on ebay, but I love it. It's a bitsa, cobbled together 30 years ago from a chopped up cheap composite leger rod, the handle of a Shakespeare Sigma Canal rod - lovely cork - and home made tips with Tri-cast type put-over fitting made from old No1 pole section off-cuts joined to various light tips. I'm biased, but I think it beats any expensive carbon wand. I've got two such, and one made on a Harrison fly blank, , but I use this one for preference.
I chucked in 25 yards out 3 times with the bigger feeder, then started fishing with the small one, one of a bunch made from pop bottle plastic and bits of lead flashing. It's about as old as the rod. If you don't lose them in a snag or up a tree, they last forever - you can't tear it, crush it or break it. Unlike those made by many companies. Bait was brown crumb with a bit of Sensas Magic which turned it alarmingly red, they put so much dye in it, with some pineapple flavoured dead maggots and a few bit of corn.
I started about 3pm. You can't hurry the fish in this pond, and I got a bite at 4pm.
A nice bream. I know that's a baffling concept for some, but I like bream. It's not their fault they don't put up a good show on tackle suited to equivalent size carp. If you're on light gear you edge them in carefully. The next bite, an hour later was this pretty little fat carp
After that, nothing much happened, so I took the risk of putting out a few more "large" feederfuls of bait, and attracted a few more bites.
Four bream like this one
and another mirror of 2.5lb or so. It seems that whatever method I try, the catches come out much the same, but I'll keep trying.
About an hour before I packed in, which I did around 6.30, another bloke turned up. We had a chat for a bit, then he told me he was the bailiff whom the one I rang had contacted. He told me of a good day ticket water close-by - I'm always up for trying a new place, so I thanked him for that. And for not striding over to me with that I'm-here-to-catch-you-doing-something-wrong manner beloved of so many bailiffs.
