With a few hours spare (and more to the point I had finally sorted out some perch fishing), I had a go on my local day ticket water. I took a small rod with a few choices of jig heads and had a play around.
I knew there were perch in here, so I headed for the dead pads and would you believe my luck? On the third cast into the swim, 1lb 1oz will do me for a starting point.
Not a happy Perch.
I used to fish for them many years ago but just lost the love (when carp took over).
It was some time before I received my next perch, it was from an area I was 100% sure that I would get one. The small fry were all over the place but I couldn’t get a pick up for over half an hour. I even left the swim and came back as it was that frustrating. I’m sure there are no pike in there but there where a couple of very large swirls. I will just have to see.
The second one and 1lb 3oz this time.
Need to sort out the holding malarky – it’d been some time and practice makes perfect.
I was very happy with that and I will be back for more.
I would like to give a brief snap shot of my life and introduce myself;
My name is Richard Handel and was born in 1965 in Suffolk. I have worked as a UK Operation & Intermodule Manager for a shipping company. I live in Hampshire now and am married with 2 young children, both girls so I am a bit outnumbered even the cat is a girl!
I have been fishing since I was about 7 years old. I started on small local rivers in Suffolk, then moved onto gravel pits and then carp fishing. My personal best is a 39.08 mirror, over recent years I have started river fishing again, on the Hampshire Avon, this is a nice break from the carp lakes.
My life has turned a big corner this year, the company I was working for relocated their Operation centre to Estonia. I was offered a job at the head office in London. This would have meant a 5 day commute and working in Stratford. As a family, we did not fancy this, as I would hardly spend any time with the children (and the Mrs). So after 22.5 years, I was given a nice redundancy package and with my wife is working full time. I became the house husband.
This has meant a complete turn around in my fishing, as I can pick and choose when I go. I have found a splendid new syndicate to fish this year, which includes 5 lakes and some 8 miles of river with only 150 members. It's an amazing change to the way I am able to fish.
I am now trying to start my own tackle business and make a bit of a name for myself in the world of fishing, as I have retired from real work.
Richard
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