I left the office slightly before 4pm yesterday and was in the syndicate car park in 30 seconds flat, the barrow was soon loaded and I jogged round the bank. I knew where I wanted to be courtesy of "Dumpy" keeping me informed during the day about the carpy activity.
It didn't take me long to get all 3 rods positioned at the bottom of a shelf on the far margin, I sat back with the first brew of the session with a new found confidence.
After having a good chat with "Dumpy" my wife arrived with some welcoming warm baguettes and a bottle of Shiraz firmly in her grasp. All 3 of us had been sat in "Dumpy's" swim talking about anything and everything for about an hour when "Dumpy's" middles rod went into melt down and after a few of what I shall describe as "entertaining" moments we soon had the fish in the net, which turned out to be a stunning 23 lb+ Mirror.
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| "Dumpy" with his stunning 23 lb+ Mirror...... |
I struggled to sleep, I could hear fish rolling in front of me all night and by 4am I decided to get up, have a smoke and see what they were up to!
I squeezed back into the bag at about 5am and slowly drifted off to sleep. Before I knew it was 6:45am and I was being screamed at by the shrill of my Neville!
I flew out of the bivvy and lifted into a good fish that was kiting to the left on a tight line, at this point I was wondering why my Neville was still screaming at me (obviously a fault looking back now) I lent down to switch it off and at that exact same time the fish turned and flew towards me, with one hand still on the alarm and one on the rod the fish was soon on a slack line and by the time I had attempted to get back in contact the hook had pulled.......my heart sank, I was gutted.
A complete school boy error which I shall never forget, I launched the "Torrix" down the margin into the reeds and had a paddy, Trudi went and hid in the bivvy whilst I "sorted" myself out.
After 10 Min's and a cup of coffee with a smoke I was almost back in a normal (ish) state of mind and retrieved the rod from the reeds, rebaited it then put it back on the spot but unfortunately the moment had passed and the lake looked lifeless.
After demolishing two packs of Bacon and several gallons of coffee I decided to pack up before the rain arrived and typically just as I had put the bivvy in its bag the heaven's opened and I mean Opened!
So with all the gear completely sodden I pushed the barrow back to the van all the whilst swearing that I will have my revenge next weekend...........
Until then,
Smithy
