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He is also a very keen angler, having come back to the sport in 1995 following a break of several years. In this regular column he will tell us about his progress as an angler – his thoughts about the sport, what he learns, the fishing trips he makes, the anguish, the humour, in fact everything he experiences as his angling career develops.
Pilgrim’s Progress – read it everyThursday!
LIVING ON AN ISLAND
Again, following on from the recent ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’,subtitled ‘Bits And Pieces’, this is not a musical tribute. I’mreferring to a single that Status Quo had some years ago with thesame title as this weeks article. But I am going to write about thevenue which is occupying most of my time at the moment – the IslandPool. Mrs Sedge says I spend that much time on it I should livethere…hence – Living On An Island…
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Situated in South Staffordshire, the Island Pool is around threeacres. An acre by the way is 4840 square yards. Or to put it in termsmost of us can relate to, it’s approximately the size of a footballpitch….The pool is run by a local club, Wombourne Mount PleasantAngling Club (WMPAC) and is my current target water.
Just like coming home
I had the pleasure of fishing the pool in 1999. Club membershipruns from January to December and I spent a lot of time on the waterthroughout the course of the year. So much so, that when I re-joinedrecently, it was like coming home. The pool, along with most localwaters, had been closed in the early part of the year due to the Footand Mouth disease. However, it’s re-opening was a real godsend to me.Up till the time it opened again, a month ago, I was reallystruggling for somewhere to fish. Although I was able to get out,most of my fishing was not done on a venue that I chose, but ratherone that was open at the time.
In fact, I had been working late one night, and as I drove home,my route took me within a mile of the Island Pool. I decided to takea detour and have a look at the lake as I noticed that the accessroad had just opened. Imagine my pleasant surprise to discover, onarriving at the water, that the pool had re-opened that very day.Needless to say, my prayers had been answered, as I had been seekinga target water, one that I could fish by choice. The next morning sawme at Beddows Tackle in Wombourne, leaving with my permit in hand. Anextremely happy man was I that day.
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And only three miles from home
The Island Pool is situated in a lovely rural setting, sandwichedbetween Baggeridge and Himley country parks in South Staffordshire.The name comes from the fact that there is an island in the lake.It’s actually accessible to club members and offers real peace andquiet, particularly when the public footpath along one side of thewater gets busy with walkers on a warm summer’s day.
In fact, one of the real advantages for me is that the venue is 3miles from where I live, which means I can get there late in theevening when things get quieter. As night fishing is allowed for clubmembers I’ve been doing a lot of overnighters recently, fishing fromabout 6.00pm. Packing up at 9.00am the next morning, I’ve been goinghome, taking a shower and still been at work for about 10am.
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When I targeted the water in 1999 I did so for a number ofspecies. I had tench up to 5lb, perch up to 3lb and roach up to 2lb.The highlight of my year though was a 20lb 2oz pike. One species thatI didn’t target was carp. However, when fishing for the tench andbream (I didn’t manage a bream over 3lb. They run quite small in thewater, an average of 2-3 lb is the norm) I did land carp in the highsingles and low doubles. Fishing the pool this year it’s carp that Iam now targeting.
Rumours of big fish
As with most waters there are rumours of big fish, and a couple ofpeople I’ve spoken to have told me that there are carp in the 30’s inthe pool. However, no-one that I’ve spoken to so far can verify thatwith a documented fish on the bank. I do believe there are fish therein the low 20’s though. But, in all reality, a high double would beconsidered a specimen for the water. Hence I have set myself a targetof 20 doubles, and if I catch a 15lb fish, I’ll consider that atarget well reached as far as individual weight is concerned.
Although we’ve had some warm days in the last month the nightshave been quite cool. Typical spring weather really. I’m lookingforward to the next few weeks, as the nights start to pick up too,temperature wise. I’ll certainly be focusing 100% on the venue uptill June16. But regardless of what happens with the rivers, I willcontinue targeting the Island Pool carp until September.
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It was on the Island Pool that my youngest daughter Miriam caughther first fish, a small rudd, in 1999. Already she’s asking me ‘Dad,can I go fishing again on the island?’ I’m looking forward to thelong, warm summer evenings when Mim can perhaps catch herself somemore fish. I don’t have a son that I can take fishing with me, butMiriam more than makes up for it.
Day tickets available
WMPAC offer day tickets as well as a club membership. As well asthe Island Pool, there is also the Spring Pool further up the valley.Day tickets are £ 3.00 (Juniors £ 2.00) and must be purchasedin advance. Season ticket prices are £ 60 for the Specimen Groupand £ 33.00 for the standard ticket. The difference between thetwo is that the dearer ticket includes night fishing and access tothe island. The club also lets out the water for matches (30 pegs).For further details on the Island Pool contact Trevor Beardsmore on01902 896801.
So, how am I getting on at themoment with my angling on the water? All will be revealed in nextweeks Pilgrim’s Progress, ‘Update From The Island Pool’. A recentacquisition of a digital camera means that instead of waiting forfilms to be developed, thus meaning that Pilgrim’s Progress was ineffect written about three weeks in advance, I can now keep right upto date with reports. I actually bought the camera from GrahamMarsden, doing a shady looking exchange one Saturday evening on an M6service station….I gave him the money, he gave me thecamera….That camera has seen some big fish action in the past, Isure hope nothing is going to change for the future…..See you nextThursday….
