Just Mooching!

Well since my last entry with news of my success landing the pretty one I haven’t done much at all.

I have fitted in a couple of very short evening sessions on a small lake behind the Snag Pit, I even managed to bank a lovely low 20 mirror on one of them but most of my time has been spent walking round the pit trying to work out a plan for the rest of the year but to be honest I’m still nowhere nearer a decision than I was before!

A lovely low 20 taken on a short evening session....

I have however been using a few new items on the market and so far I am very impressed with them!

The first item is the New Korda Kaptors in the curve pattern, to begin with I wasn’t sure what to make of them as I had a read a few things on various forums but decided to give them a go myself before I passed judgement, I’m sure a lot of people just jump on the bandwagon with the rest of the certain brand haters, jealously or not…….it really annoys me!

My first impressions of the hook were very good, the point is protected by a rubber stop and once removed the “sticky” sharp point is exposed, I couldn’t believe just how sharp it was…..much sharper than anything else I have seen before but would the point last?

Korda Kaptors

I gave them their first testing on the session where I landed the “Pretty one” and a low 20, now normally I change the hook regardless after a fish but was so impressed with the point after the first fish that decided to put it back out and see how it would cope and shortly after landed another.

The point was still as sharp as when I took it out of the packet, I was impressed - very impressed!

Obviously since that session I have only done a couple of short evening sessions landing a low 20 as well as three Tench all weighing 9 – 10 lb which is always a good sign that the rig is working, not to mention sticky sharp!

The next product is the new PVA bag loading kit from Avid Carp, this item is simply brilliant and makes it child’s play to make perfect solid bags every time. Avid have really pulled out the stops with this product, admittedly it is such a simple idea but one that no-one else had thought of before so full marks to them for putting it out on the market. 

I would definitely say that “Avid Carp” are a company to keep your eye on for the future!

I would just like to mention that I am in no way connected to the above companies either, just my honest opinion after a short test period, but they will both now take a permanent space in my Fox box!

That’s all from me for now, with various things going on I’m not sure when I will manage to get behind the rods again, I will keep mooching about the pit often to see what the witty beasts are up to though!

Until next time,

Smithy

A meeting with the "Pretty One"....

I arrived for my annual social with Pete on his syndicate water and headed straight round the far side of the lake where he was set up. If I’m honest I didn’t really have my fishing head having received some bad news over Easter and just chucked 3 rods out more in hope than anything, and to cut a long story short I blanked although Pete managed to bank a couple including a stunning low 30.

I left the venue knowing that I didn’t deserve anything, I just needed a good laugh and the social did me the world of good.

I had to drive down to Devon with the family for a few days after the social and whilst down there I managed to get my head together a bit so on the Saturday evening whilst sat on the beach I made the call to Pete saying that I wanted another crack on his syndicate and that I wouldn’t be beaten this time! He just laughed and said “I will see you Monday then!”

I made the journey home up the M5 on Sunday afternoon and once home got the car loaded ready for the off on Monday morning.

I arrived at the Pit slightly later than planned, but was more than happy when I noticed nearly all of the bank holiday anglers were packing up so I left the kit in the car and took a stroll round the lake to Pete who had fished the previous night but with nothing to report. I sat in his swim and had a brew whilst the last few anglers vacated their swims then we set off on a circuit of the lake trying to find something to have a go at, but after two circuits we didn’t see a thing!.

Pete had seen a few the previous night in front of him so we decided to stay put, I barrowed my kit round and dropped in next to him.

I got a rod sorted and had a feel about in front of me, I managed to find a nice bar about 20 yards out so decided to place a bait at the foot of the bar, the other two were fished to the right of the bar at about 50 yards range.

Once I was all sorted I rolled a smoke and had a brew, it was great to be out again although I’m not sure who’s idea it was to set up on the end a freezing cold easterly, although it was quite pleasant out of the wind under the oval.

I was just enjoying my umpteenth coffee when my left hand rod pulled up tight and ripped off, I was on it in a flash although Pete had a good giggle laughing at me trying to get my waders on whilst in full battle and nearly falling in the lake! After a good scrap I pulled an old looking warrior over the net cord, we weighed her at 21lb 10oz then safely returned her.

An old looking warrior....

The rod was placed back on the spot and soon after I had a delicious chicken vindaloo bubbling away on the stove. The evening past quietly other than Pete getting plagued by bream, so I called it a night at 11pm and got in the bag.

I must have had the best night’s sleep I have had in ages because I can’t remember my alarm clock going off, it was 07:30am when I finally crawled out from under the Oval!

I had a brew whilst thinking about what I could do to winkle out another before I headed off a few hours later. I decided to re-do the left hand rod, and a few minutes later it was back out and at the foot of the bar.

The smell of bacon was soon drifting out from under the Oval as I devoured a whole packet , I laid back on the bedchair to rest my stomach and then an hour later the left hand rod pulled up tight and roared off again, the Neville was screaming for my attention! I lifted into it and instantly had to loosen the clutch as the unseen culprit ripped 50 yards from the spool, it weeded me up several times but after a long battle, she was mine.

Pete looked down into the net then looked at me and said “you’ve got the Pretty One, You C%&*!”.

The stunning "Pretty One"

We weighed her at 31lb 2oz  then took a few trophy shots before returning her to the crystal clear waters of the pit, I was tempted to pack up but in the end decided to give it another hour and then 10 minutes later a big tench made an appearance, I quickly returned it then decided to have a slow pack up. I was chuffed to bits to land one of the most sought after fish in the lake, it’s far from the biggest but one of the lookers that’s for sure.

I headed for home a happy man and with my confidence restored I may just head back to the “Snag Pit” to continue my quest for ‘’The Linear’’ tomorrow night....

Until then,

Smithy