Following on from my last ramblings I said the fishing had been slow, I was due to fish in a charity match on Southlake and had managed to secure the whole weekend to do this.
There was a catch though. As a member of the committee I had agreed with Mark to do the cooking for the match. This meant Breakfast Saturday and Sunday Morning and a curry on the Saturday night. For this we needed to some space and had to pick a swim that was in a good position to setup the BBQ and various other necessary items to cook for thirteen anglers. Some might say it was unfair as we had advanced warning of where we could fish as the other anglers were to draw from a hat. As it turned out I think there was only a toss for the bay as everyone else agreed amicably where to fish so no major headaches. Plus it was all for Charity so it was going to be more social anything.

The Rabble on the Friday night waiting for the off!!

The gear was set up and rods out and ready with the usual 18mm and 15mm snowman on a 8’ stealth skin in black with shrink tubing added to turn and keeping the hair in place. A liberal scattering of bait was placed over each spot. I had found some nice hard areas just in front of me about 4 rod lengths out that were around 3-4 feet deep.

Nothing happened on the first night all was quite for Mark and I but Doug and Nick had managed a couple and a pair down in the deeps having two fish one of which was a new lake record the half linear at 39.12lb. It’s funny because the guy who caught her didn’t really fish Southlake and had come over and used a method approach and bagged two nice carp. Just goes to show you can get stuck in a rut of doing the same thing session after session and it just takes someone new to come on make a difference.

All I managed on the Saturday was a seagull, dived on my Zig rig which I had been messing about with as the bottom bait was not getting any attention. With that netted and returned it was time for a mass curry making mission. I did struggle to stop Mark putting it in the curry as he isn’t a big fan of bird life that tends to plague the crap out of us on Southlake. I convinced him that wasn’t much meat on it and it would be more hassle plucking and gutting.

Curry out the way time for the rods to be sorted, as I had no action the night before I decided to put some baits out a bit further and as I had no one on the opposite bank I decided to whack a bait out to the other side. Using throwing stick I sticked out about 30 odd baits and settled into some proper social with a few beers and banta.

I stumbled to the bed chair about 12.30am and hit the pillow and was out like a light in minutes.

About 2am and the right hand rod was away in true one noter fashion. Now I had had a few beers so getting the waders on was I bit tricky as I was ummm wobbly. Any how I did manage it and struck in t a nice plodder I don’t know! But great I thought now I’m in with a chance as the prize was £140.00 I could be back in it.

Due to the fact I had been drinking all night and once I had come to my senses I had a really bad sensation that I needed to pee. So I did it there and then whilst the fish was out at range just plodding, by this time Mark had heard the commotion and was standing at the back of my swim ready to assist if needed. He did inquire to what the running water noise was? “I’m taking a pee mate was the response” Oh mark said and proceeded to giggle. Knob back in my trousers I could now start to take this a bit more seriously and concentrate on getting the fish in. It was quite happy kiting left and right in front of me so when I did get it closer it had worn its self out for me. It tried a few last minute desperate lunges but I had the measure of it and slipped the net under a good fish. Up of the scales it went 30.5lb and a fish Mark or I had never seen before.

That capture gave me a massive boost and I was now right up for this and thought I could have a chance a slim one but a chance of taking the money. Rod went back out and I hit the sack again as I was now nursing a beer induced headache.

I fished my arse off all morning the following day but it was not to be and eventually came third with Doug and Nick coming second and Graham and partner coming first.

Everyone had a good laugh and some nice fish came out once more on the bait.
Next time I went fishing I was off to the river for a surprise.

Laters

Timbo