Well the planned trip to Oxford with Pete was something of a disaster! We arrived as planned mid morning and were pleasantly surprised to have the Pit to ourselves other than a few pike anglers, we were feeling confident as we had pretty much free reign of the place.
We decided to set up on a point which gives you access to a large expanse of water and where the due strong south westerly was anticipated to blow but following a brief chat with the bailiff our confidence was soon knocked after he informed us that the Pit hadn't done a fish in 10 days, hence why it was so quiet! We should have figured that out for ourselves really as the Pit is normally bivvy city, not the kind of venue either of us generally choose to fish but as we are both on different syndicates it made a change.
To cut a long story short, the session went down hill right from the moment we had the chat with the bailiff, firstly with my Coleman packing up then on the second day my reel deciding to blow up, not what you expect from a top of the range reel!
That pretty much sums the session up, it just didn't improve and after 48 fruitless hours we were both pleased to be heading back up the A34!
After a few days of sulking I gave Pete a call to see if he could get my reel sent back to the manufacturer as he works in the trade which he kindly agreed to, then after a bit of moaning we decided to have a short day session the following Sunday on the same intimate Pit I have written about recently which is part of Pete's Syndicate located in the Ouse Valley.
I met Pete at the gate that Sunday and had a quick scout about the pit, we didn't have much to go on as there was a couple of anglers bivvied up where we fancied so we decided to double up again in the same swim as before where we'd both had a bit success previously.
The conditions were far from perfect, with a heavy fog and near sub zero temperature's but after all it only takes one bite!
I soon had two rigs dispatched to a couple of likely spots, and quickly fired up the stove for a brew! The morning past quickly without anything to note but just as the fog cleared at lunch time I received a flier on my left hand rod and after a brief scrap a nice little common was soon pulled over the net cord, the rod was soon back out on the spot but before I had a chance to put the kettle on the same rod was away again! Once again after a brief little battle another stunning little common was in the net.
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| Size is irrelevant when they look like this... |
Once I had returned the little stunner I found Pete rummaging in my bait bucket but after a brief telling off he soon sat down and sulked!
I repositioned the rod back on the spot hopeful of another take but certainly not expecting one given the conditions, a bitterly cold easterly was now gaining in strength but as we were on the back of it there was hope.
A few hours past and just as we were considering packing up after an eventful day (for me anyway!) the same left hand rod pulled up tight once again! This fish felt a little heavier than the first two and after good scrap this was confirmed when a nice 20+ Mirror was netted, we quickly weighed and photographed her before returning her.
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| A cracking 20+ mirror, which was the biggest of the day |
After that we decided to call it a day, more than happy with my success on the short session. Pete gave me a bit of stick whilst barrowing back to the vans, I just told him "it's next year you should worry about mate, get my ticket in Feb, no more guest sessions for me!" we both had a chuckle then bid each other farewell and headed for home.
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| A year older but certainly no wiser! |
Since that session last weekend, I have celebrated being a year older and also had the heart ache of a dream job offer being withdrawn.
So I may just head back down to the Snag Pit next week to chill out for a couple of days and have some therapy before the anticipated big freeze takes hold of the country, then who knows I may just pay the Beds Pit a visit - "the Pit that never freezes".
Until then,
Smithy
