Red Shrimp and Garlic is a Winner. |
As I talked about last month the spring was almost in full flow I was keen to get down to Redlands for some early year action. I managed about 12 nights in two months, April and May one usually mid week and one on the Saturday nights. The lake is busy this time of year as the close season forces the guys that fish Southlake to come over to get their fishing fix on this lake whilst Southlake is closed. Mid week is usually quiet with only one or two anglers fishing so it is your best chance of getting a bite.
My first night out was a Saturday night. I managed to get down the lake about 3pm so I could have a good look for the fish before it got dark. I was up a tree that over looked the lake looking for fish, not many to be seen but I did see a few cruising around so I choose a little swim near the top of the lake opposite to the river bank and well back from the railway bank. The swim is just big enough to get a set up in and the rods were out and sorted. I opted for a straight forward set up consisting of size 6 long shank hook set blow back style with a ring to hold it in place, attached was a double 18mm RSG bait. The hook link was 6’ length of snake bite gold with 1cm striped back. To finish it off I threaded a piece of silicone on and over the eye of the hook shrunk it down and put a slight bend on it. |
"The rig without the silicone tubing"
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Gee-man was fishing a little way down the bank so I went to have a chat with him as the weather was warm for the time of year and very pleasant to sit in.
I was about 30metres away from my rod when the sounder box screamed for attention and I was up and running to get to the rod. It seem to take ages to get to the rod which was in reality only about 25seconds, I hit the rod puffing and blowing in to what was evident only a small fish, it turned out to be a small stocky. No photo required as after a I landed the carp I guestimated it about 9lb. Nothing else happened that session and I went home happy that the bait and rigs were working.
The next session was a Wednesday night the lake was empty and I was confident that I was going to get a bite or two. I fished opposite the swim I last spoke last about it’s a bit more comfortable and easier to land a fish without snagging the net in the margin brambles. |
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Same RSG doubled on but I changed the rig a little, because using a ring you need to tie a piece of PVA to hold the boilie in the right place during the cast it causes a problem with my type of fishing as I only get over night sessions I need my sleep to able to function at work correctly the next day. So any time saved in the middle on night due to a bream or a fish I want to able to flick the rod back out quickly attaching a pre-tied stringer and get back in bed. I decided to change the ring for a small piece of shrink tube that would act like a ring but not come back up the shank on the cast.
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A baited rig ready for the cast and modified the main hook link material for some trigger link from Nash. It shrinks when wet and becomes elasticated. Similar to a OF recoil rig, but simple to tie yourself. I then tie on a small piece of supple braid to make the hair and the first 1cm of the rig.
It was a busy night with three takes resulting in two fish one lost. The first fish was a small stockie again of about 9lb which I didn’t take a photo of and the second fish was a very nice common which got me really excited as I thought I had caught my summer target, a 30lb common carp. I have caught a few 30s but never a common in the UK. When I lifted the net it felt close but to no avail. |
"28lb and just short of my summer target" |
I went home a happy boy brimming with confidence. The next session was in the same swim at the weekend. Not may people were down and I was fishing with Mark. Same setup was used, RSG on the springy rig. Nothing happened that night but just as I was packing up I had a belter on the one of the twingy rigs and I was in. A short fight later I had a nice upper double in the net. |
"16lb and some bits" |
It was coming to end of April and the fishing had been great I was catching on most sessions. The weather was getting nice and warm and I felt strange having 20 degrees but still not many leaves on the trees. I caught a slightly bigger mirror the following Wednesday I moved to middle of the lake for a change to see if I could pick up some of the bigger fish and was rewarded with this fish just short of 20lb. |
"They are just loving the bait…….. So am I !!!!!!!!" |
May was the wettest we had had since 1947 apparently and with the rain can no fish I struggled to be honest right until the very end of the month when I squeezed a 20 out of the railway bank. Again a double RS&G seduced the mirror from it watery home. |
"They are just loving the bait…….. So am I !!!!!!!!" |
It had rained all night and was still raining in the morning when I needed to pack up so this face explains how I was feeling but happy inside with 21.5lb when the whole lake had been blanking big time.
That’s it for me, we have just had our annual match on Redlands where Mark and I were crap and only managed two fish one of 17lb and one that I caught of 9lb which didn’t count. I will not go into it too much as Doug can tell you all about it as he won the jammy bastard. Red Shrimp and Garlic is a winner. |
Laters Timbo
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