I began to question my sanity as I was scraping the ice off the inside of the van windscreen this morning, spraying ice all over the interior and in my face during the process!
I turned on the ignition and the dash lights lit up, I glanced at the thermometer - it read an outside temperature of -3c…I just said to myself “see Smithy, it isn’t that bad” and chuckled as I pulled off the drive, I was leaving slightly later than planned due to a dodgy curry the previous night!
Two minutes later I was pulling into the Park gates, there was already a few dog walkers mooching about the café, no doubt having a hot drink after a long walk through the heavily frosted Park.
I made my way up to the over flow car park, noting the sign that said “overflow gates close at 4pm” as once again I had forgotten my key so needed to be packed up and off my then.
Once I had parked the van I quickly set about loading the barrow then skipped up the path to the same area I fished last time.
The conditions couldn’t have been any worse, there was not a breath of wind, clear skies and sub-zero temperatures but it beats being sat at home in front of the TV.
Once I pushed the barrow down the incline into the swim I quickly set about getting the rods sorted, all three were fished on running chod’s baited with the ever faithful Northern Specials.
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The ever faithful Northern Specials fished on running chod’s…. |
I had exactly the same problem as last time with regards to getting the rigs out there due to the canopy of trees a few feet above my head; I really must remember the chest waders next time!
But once again after a bit of bending in awkward positions and cursing I soon had 3 single hook baits at 60 yards range.
As usual I sat back and fired up the coleman and rolled a smoke, the park was getting busier now and over the next few hours whilst I sat with my eyes fixed to the water I lost count of the times that I heard passers-by behind say “oh look,there’s a fisherman, never seen one here before!” and “he must be mad”, one women looked quite annoyed that I was there. I think I heard her say something to her friend along the lines of “well what if I wanted to let my dog swim in there?, he can’t now” I just mumbled something like “go away” – well kind of!.
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Is there anything better in the world? |
The thing that I really do like about the Park lake though is the look on children’s faces when they see you, all camouflaged crouched behind 3 rods at first they look intrigued and just stare in amazement then run off back to their parents shouting about this ”strange man who’s fishing and he’s going to catch the biggest “. I really hope they leave the Park thinking about fishing and that this somehow influences them to take it up as after all these children really are the future of our sport.
Anyway back to the fishing, I hadn’t taken my eyes off the water all morning but hadn’t seen a thing although to be honest I really wasn’t expecting to given the conditions.
By now it was about mid-day, I was knelt down by the rods praying for something to stick its head out when I received a text from a friend called Chris, I hadn’t seen him since the summer when I was fishing down snag pit, he had celebrated his 30th birthday the previous night so was feeling a bit rough but fancied a walk to clear his head so said he would pop down for a brew and a catch up.
About an hour later I heard a familiar voice shout “well I can’t see any wet slings!” Chris was here!
So I fired up the coleman and we chatted away about what had been going on in the last few months and excitedly about the new season, both of us full of expectation….well hope, I guess!
The next couple of hours flew by as when I checked my phone to see how long I had left I couldn’t believe that it was nearly 3:30pm!
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Giving them some food! |
I grabbed a bag of Live System out of the barrow bag and put a couple of kilos out using the throwing stick, I won’t be able to get down next weekend due to a Carp Show in Norwich so just wanted to put a bit of food out to keep the area ticking over, I will try and pop into the park on my way back from the show next weekend to top the area up with a few more kg and later again that week before fishing it the following weekend all being well.
For once I really didn’t want to get locked in, normally I wouldn’t turn my nose up at a sneaky night on a day’s only water but the wife was due back from her mums with the kids and I couldn’t wait to see them so once the barrow was all loaded up we jogged back to the vans just beating the 4pm lock up time, I quickly loaded up the van then we bid each other farewell and headed for home.
Once home, I unloaded the van and checked the post and was pleased to see a Carpology amongst a load of bills, that’s my night sorted then…although I really should make a start on the chapter I have been asked to right for an Ebook!
Until next time,
Smithy
