The Catfish Fish-in 2008Trev’s Write-upAfter months of anticipation and excitement I finally collected Chris and shoehorned his kit into my magical Narnia car and we were off down south to sunnier climes. We arrived at Elphicks at around lunchtime and popped into the well stocked shop to pay the remainder of the fees, Mark the bailiff told us that it was going ok at the moment and the group who had been there most of the week had been catching well and had also had some cats out. Things were looking up already.
I took Chris for a walk round the lake and chatted to Colin and Sue who had arrived already and briefly spoke to Les and Chris who were in the car park. On our way round we met Cakey and as the spaces were filling up we decided to drop into a spot that had just been vacated by two lads from the earlier group. It was also right next to the road which meant I didn’t have to carry a million bags belonging to Chris half way round the lake. It always takes a while to set up when your planning for a longish session but I very quickly got a rod out and put a bait on a spot near to the area where id seen the previous incumbent cast to. I was also using plastic corn after being inspired by the article on FM recently. Chris took absolutely ages to set up shop and id put the brews on and welcomed a few more members to the lake by the time he’d sorted himself out.
Cakey was the first of the FM bunch to catch something in the shape of a lovely looking carp. Seven carp later and Cakey is desperate to tell the world. We waited ages for everyone to arrive but eventually Claudia being fashionably late turned up and I could relax a bit as everything seemed to be going to plan. Claudia borrowed some rigs from Cakey who just happened to have hundreds made up to exacting standards and cast out. The Northern side of the lake was getting most of the action until Mark caught a small kitten on the opposite side. The first evening saw us all treated to Windy’s special pork and beans cassoulet and thus suitably replete we all retired to our bivvies to await a night full of line bites and single bleeps.
The weather the next day was absolutely glorious as you will see from some of the pictures that the guys will no doubt be posting up, a few fish were caught from around the lake all of them being carp. Colin and Les both had a cat on which took them both all over the lake before it finally smashed them up and left them both nervous wrecks sitting in shock. Saturday was the day of the social barbeque and it was quickly agreed where we would have it and at what time. Several disposable barbeques were fired up, Colin’s Ninja knife came out and the sausages were cut up and a short while later clouds of smoke were seen from miles around cooking our scoff. Plenty of beer was drunk plenty of well cooked food (take note Wol) was consumed, Steaker’s Mexican thingy was quite popular and I’m sure it led to a lot of heartburn and discomfort during the Saturday night, well done Gary. The social was full of fun and laughter and lots of new friends were made before we all dispersed back to our respective swims to face a second night of line action.
Sunday morning passed by without any special occurrences and we all packed up and went home. No not really; as a few of us were finally admitting defeat, Dan who had been fishing his socks off and had caught a decent carp for his efforts already, latched onto a Cat that stripped nearly a hundred yards of line from his reel before he slowed it down enough to get to grips with it, finally landing it a good while later was the cherry on top of the cake for the Cat fishing Social weekend as far as I’m concerned. See Dan’s own story and pictures, he was there I wasn’t, and it is always better to get first hand reporting from the captor. Finally packing up on the Sunday lunchtime with the bad weather looming I had a quick walk around to say goodbye to the few members left and have a quick litter check at the same time it was heartening to see that absolutely nothing had been left and in all of the swims we used the only evidence that anglers had been there were some patches of flattened grass. I visited the shop on the way out and proudly reported that FM had had a great time, caught a few fish, had a social with no problems and had left the lakes as we had found them, that made me feel so good. Pity about the traffic on the way home though. I shall be visiting Elphicks again in the next few months, it is a lovely water, well looked after and with good facilities. The remainder of the Catfish crew have their own write ups and pictures which will no doubt grace our screens in the fullness of time. Colin and Sue’s weekendWell, we’re sorry to say that we blanked. Having said that, Colin did hook a catfish on Saturday morning that went straight down the lake to his left, through Les’ swim, hooking him up in the process, before, finally, breaking Colin’s 15lb line. It’s a shame, because it looked like and felt like a very good fish. Still, there is always another day.
It seems that we were on the wrong side of the lake, and at the wrong end, because most (not all) of the fish caught came from the bank opposite or down the other end of the lake. We could have moved swims, but the hassle of gathering up all the gear, the bivvy and everything else was just a bit too daunting. We could, we suppose, have done a bit of stalking. What a wonderful bunch of people (and one working dog) this little FM band are. It was great to meet old friends and some new ones like Cakey, Emmo, Dan and Chris (Mankeybait) and despite the fact that we didn’t catch anything; we thoroughly enjoyed the weekend, and the company.
One highlight was the BBQ on Saturday evening, a thoroughly enjoyable and somewhat boozy affair, with good food. Most people “mucked in” with the cooking, and some great scoff was produced by Steaker, with his Chilli Paella concoction on the Saturday, and Evan, with his Pork and Beans on the Friday. Steaker did the business with the booze, and I believe that Mark and Evan also contributed. Another high point was when Dan finally managed to drag one of the Catfish out on Sunday. Mark caught a tiny catfish on Saturday.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable weekend in good company. I am looking forward to next year already. Cakey’s Viewafter arriving at the lake and saying hello to Sue and Colin, Chris and Les, Kev, Chris and Ashley I decided to go for the far end right hand side (wind blowing into that corner and lots of water compared to other swims).After setting 3 rods up I decided to go for the carp and change for the cats at night. I put left hand and middle rods to holes in the island and right hand rod down the right hand margin all on boilies and about 6 freebies round each.
I had only been in about half an hour when the right hand rod went screaming off and I lifted into something strong after playing it for a couple of minutes I saw it was a cat only a small one but a cat but then ping and it was gone, gutted couldn’t believe and as it turned out was my one and only chance of a cat. On checking it had done my hooklength halfway along. I pulled all the rods in and upped the hooklength strength on all rods and put them all back where they were. 20 mins later same rod screamed off again and a couple of minutes later a really nice 12 -13lb mirror was in the net, I was now very happy not a cat but a nice fish and I had not blanked another fish-in like I normally do.
About an hour later the same rod screamed off and this time a 15-16lb mirror was in the net. I thought cool two fish at a fish-in. Then the dreaded happened its like 20 deg C on the Friday afternoon Id lost one and had two, line bites left right and centre and bosh…dead, nothing, not a bleep all through Friday afternoon changed to cat baits on two rods and all Friday night, nothing not a bleep. but as my swim went dead Marks seemed to pick up and I had to go round and photograph a 30lb 2oz mirror that he took off the top just as it was getting dark , I will let him tell you of the cross lake banter!
Saturday I was up with the birds and decided to go with pellets that way I might catch carp or cats wrong, through the course of Saturday I had 5 more carp no cats , 18llb, 26lb 8oz, scraper 20, 14lb common and a last fish of 16lb. In between I went and photographed a nice fish to Claudia which to me was a Koi which weighed in at 15lb 2oz well done Claudia (she had more but thats her story). The Porknbeans Friday night was out of this world ,thanks Windy it was superb. And Saturday night BBQ was also superb ,thanks for the herring Les. It was nice to see Emmo again and meet his son ,Nice to meet Colin and Sue , Steaker (don’t upset him ,he is massive), Nick, Kev and Chris with Ashley, Windy ,Mark “call me Sly”, Les and Chris and Claudia. Let’s do it again. Cakey |
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