I stuck around for a while and had a smoke in the car park whilst watching the sun rise before heading off to get a few jobs done.
I had Tuesday off and got a few things done at home, but by the evening I was staring out of the window at the ever strengthening wind, chomping at the bit to get back on the bank.
So with the van still loaded from Monday I shot down the lake yesterday morning like a man possessed! I helped the fishery manager do a few jobs around the lake before getting the rods out at about 4pm. The conditions couldn’t have looked better and I was full of confidence, that first brew of the session really did taste good!
As usual Pete came down after work for what seems now like an everyday occurrence of a social and a Chinese (not that I am complaining!), he commented before leaving that he was fully expecting a text with news of a fish.
After Pete had left at about 10pm I got straight into the bag exhausted from a hard days graft around the lake and it didn’t take me long to nod off. I awoke at 6:30am to the alarm on the my Blackberry and immediately fired up the coleman and rolled a smoke, I peered out of the bivvy door, it still looked spot on but time was running out as I had to be packed away by 9am. I must have had 4 or 5 coffees in quick succession all the while not taking my eyes off the water then at 7:40am it happened, a stuttery take woke me from my daze…….I looked for coot or swan but couldn’t see any, “it can’t be a fish can it?” I thought, then reality hit and I lifted into the culprit! It was a pretty uneventful fight to be honest, other than it taking me into a weed bed 30 yards out but with a bit of persuasion I soon had it wallowing over the net cord before being safely netted. I let out a quiet cheer just to myself (well it has been a long hard winter) before inspecting my prize. It certainly wasn’t one of the lumps I was hoping for but was an absolutely stunning little common.
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| Size is irrelevant when they look like this.... |
Now normally I would have just slipped it back but seeing it was a little gem I secured it in the net in the margin and then went and got Craig from a few swims up to take a few pictures for me before safely returning her to her watery home.
I didn’t recast the rod in fear of spooking anything in the area for the remaining hour of the session so had a celebratory coffee and a smoke or two before slowly packing up and heading home.
Which bring us to now, the kit has been sorted and food stocks replenished, so tomorrow lunch time I shall be heading to a another very special water for the night that I spent some time on a few years ago, I can’t wait to grace it’s banks again and look forward to pitting my wits against its mystical resident’s………
Until next time,
Smithy
