| 5 PB’s on Ocean Fresh |
Hi Guys and Gals,
As you will know from my first report I must always start off with a little thanks to my partner for without her co-operation fishing would be extremely difficult. No more Mc Donald’s breakfast or late night curry’s delivered to my swim. Have you twigged it yet? My wife’s name is shared by one of the most famous of southern carp (Heather the Leather) hehe, co-incidence or what. “Honest luv,” its you, I really want to be cradling in my arms on a cold winter’s night. Grovelling done, let’s get on with it.
45 years fishing and still waiting for the elusive 20+ fish. What had I been doing wrong all these years? Well Geeman put me onto the answers and here’s tip No1.
“You can’t catch big fish if they aren’t in the lake” he cried. Research your venue and make sure they are there. We had sussed out a couple of lakes and we new there were fish to at least 30lb. A date was set and Geeman and I set off into the wilds of Essex to pick up some quality bait that Timbo had organised with the Jedi Master (Leigh O’Keefe, big boss Ocean fresh). Tip No2 make sure your bait is as fresh as possible. Bait does go stale once it is opened. Keep it securely sealed with as much air taken out as possible. Would you prefer a nice lump of freshly baked crusty French loaf, or the hard, dry old tasteless thing it turns into the next day? Fish have taste bud too folks.
Well with the bait on board we headed back to the lake and got set up. Timbo arrived in his pick-up to take the rest of the bait back home and Geeman and I got stuck in. We had picked a couple of adjacent swims on the footpath bank down towards the boathouse. Timbo let it slip that he had been putting loads of particles into a spot under a willow close to my swim (guess where the first OF Oily Crab baited hook went). With a deft flick the bait soared out to the right and sank into the hole under the willow he had been baiting. Perfect I thought as I set the bobbin and clipped up the line. The left hand rod was set in the margins and half a dozen baits were scattered on both areas.
Well what a disappointment (fishing wise) the evening was to be, lots of bleep bleeps, but no takes. Geeman and I settled down to watch the telly and have a few beers. (Something that was to be my downfall, the very next morning). Totally knackered and just a little intoxicated we both went to bed about 1am. About 5am I was rudely awakened from my slumber by the scream of a buzzer. My right hand (willow) rod was off and I was into my first fish with the Oily Crab. I shouted to the Geeman but no response so I set about landing the fish on my own. Not an easy task as the water was down by 6ft and I had to slide down a sheer drop and balance on a 12” shelf just to get the fish in the net. After climbing back up the bank I realised that this was a heavy fish, my heart was pumping as I shouted for the Geeman to help. My shouts were greeted with grunts and snores as he turned over, so fish in tow I went over to his bivvie and shook him to wake him up. (BIG BIG mistake) Eyes still closed and lightning fast Geeman was out of his bed and with a swift tomanagi ooh flungduckett. “Judo I believe” I was launched fish and all onto my back and pinned to the ground by a slowly awaking Geeman. A casual what’s up he said! As he realised I wasn’t lunatic about to try and cave his head in. Loooook I gasped as I tried to show him my prize. Well that was history as the scales topped 22lb 8oz. My 1st fish on the OF and my first 20+ what a result!
Anyone would think it was my 1st Twenty |
|
Well after that I didn’t get out much, but what a season it turned into. Every time I did get a line wet the OF and the Oily Crab did the trick. I just couldn’t go wrong and my PB just kept rising.
The next trip saw me fishing on the night bank. Gee was up in the cut out and I was a little way further down in the arm chair. The traps were set with the trusty Oily Crab and we sat back to wait. With no action during the evening I went to bed dreaming of the big ones lurking in the lake. Early morning I was up with the birds, it was still dark and a cup of tea and a ciggy was in order. I had just got the kettle on when the stillness of the morning was broken by the scream of an alarm. Out into the water we go and another mirror slips into the net. Not much action to my rods that trip only the one fish. But guess what another PB 27LB 12oz it just keeps getting better whoohoo.
|
" 2nd PB 27lb 12oz Mirror"
|
The next trip saw me back on the deeps (my personal favourite area of the lake)
Gee was off to the left and Timbo in number 4 I think. They had fished all night with me having not so much as a bleep. My bait had been on a clear spot just short of the monument when, as I was just thinking about reeling it in off went the alarms. I struck into the fish and most surprisingly it came straight to the surface and tore off like a submarine on the top. Then just as suddenly, it rolled on its side and came easily and gracefully to the net. With Gee’s and Timbo’s help the weighing was sorted, pics done and my first named fish was in the bag, “Crinkle Tail” had raised my PB to 28lb 12oz. Was I on a high or what! Three trips and three PB’s RESULT! |
"3rd PB Crinkle Tail at 28lb 12oz”
|
The next couple of trips whilst I produced fish of 24lb and 27lb it didn’t do anything for my PB. I thought the run was over but was I bovvered, no chance, I had caught fish of a lifetime and I was still on a high.
It was on a fishing trip off the deeps again when I was to catch my largest fish to-date. Gee and I had fished all night with not a lot of luck, and he decided to go home for a well deserved shower. As the wind picked up and started to push hard into the deeps, I decided to give it a few more hours. Whilst this was a gamble, Gee had caught big in these conditions and I was prepared, no more broken knots for me. A short chod rig (Gee style) fully crimped and baited with Oily Crab dipped in amino was order of the day. This was placed far out on the same spot where I had been snapped off all those months ago on my very first trip here. With baited breath I sat back to wait it out. Suddenly the alarm was off and the fight was on. Waders on and I was out in the water, I was not going to loose it this time. 15 minutes and a hard fight later, a large dark shadow slipped its nose up to the spreader block and was in the net. I could see this was a big fish and my heart started to pump. Knees trembling and whilst still in the water I grabbed my phone and started to ring around. I left a message on Timbo’s voicemail and gasped and croaked down the line to Gee. “Get here quick bud I need your help it’s bloody big”. I stayed out in the water with the fish for what seemed hours until help arrived in the shape of (David Baily aka Timbo) and the Geeman.
Trembling, I carefully handed the fish over to the experts as I climbed out of the water. I could hardly look as the scales spun round and round, finally stopping on 33lb 5oz. Over the moon, hardly, I was totally elated as Timbo’s pic clearly shows. 4th PB and a 30+ to boot, “rock on the Ocean Fresh”. |
"4th PB 33lb 5oz Mirror"
|
Well I promised you 5 PB’s, whilst not the biggest caught that season; the next one is special to me. Up to now all these fish have been mirror carp and I really wanted to catch a PB common, which would round off the season a treat. My previous largest common was caught some 10 years ago from California County Park at 14lb 10oz, snatched from within inches of Gees swim (honest he told me to fish there and even gave me the bait). Hehe.
One day whilst congratulating me on the big mirror, Bonnie (Mark) showed me a picture of a stunning 30+ common that he had caught from that very same water. I was in heaven, water that held not just 20’s but both Mirrors and Commons to over 30lb, the hunt was on.
A few more trips and nothing had come to my net, maybe my luck had finally run out. Should I have worried no! You guessed it; the very next fish to my rods was a PB common. Whilst not as big as Bonnies, a stunning long lean fish which Timbo nicknamed Ian. It’s a reference to my poor eyesight (a story I will tell you next time). Here is a pic of that lovely long common it’s going to be a big boy one day. |
" 5th PB 19lb 6oz common (Popeye or more commonly, now known as Ian)"
|
PS, thanks to all the lads for their help and support in making last season so special. Not only did I have a lifetime’s best season, they came to my 50th birthday party and made it a night to remember. May thanks to all the gang, Timbo for the dodgy pictures, Geeman, Bonnie, Dougie and last but not least Jedi Master, (Mr Ocean Fresh).
|
|
| |
|
|
e
e
e
e
ee
