With my girl’s dropped off at their clubs. I was on my way down the lake and all done before dark.
Back on my spots again and another 2 kilos of Smokey Jack out there with a couple of 20mm bottom baits on two Ronnie Rigs, tied up with fin skin to a long shank turning point hook.
It’s so nice to have it all done before dark as you can sit back, get a brew on and watch as the last rays of light fade away. It looks like there is only me and another angler on the lake tonight. Fish are showing in front of me, hopefully it’s only a matter of time. As the moon popped over the trees, I got my camera out and played around with some shots.
Here are my two best shots. Just after this, the left hand rod was off across the lake and I was into a hard fighting Meadow Carp. For once it was not going right and trying to go round the tree, it still managed to hook up my other line as it dived right in the margins. After 10 minutes or so, the fish was safely in the net, I quickly unhooked it and got it in the sling. I sorted out the mess and got both rods back out.
A nice 24 lb 5 oz common to add to the list of fish I have had on Spotted Fin products.
Time for another brew and get in the winter bags as I think is finally winter bag time.
With a few more liners in the night and the odd fish crashing about I was feel confident. With a bit of a drop in temperature, the fish weren’t having it.
I arrived down the lake to find way too many people fishing tonight (in the middle of the week night). After a quick chat with a fellow member, I headed on around the lake, looking for a likely area to fish. The second from last swim I looked in, a carp popped it’s head out – that will do me. This is an area I was not to familiar with, since not fishing this area for a few years.
Camp is set up in the dark for the first time this year, something I have been doing for more years than I can remember, over the winter months.
I have just baited one area. This is something I have been doing a lot more of over the years. I will have to write a blog on my thinking behind this some time soon. I Spombed out just over a kilo of Smokey Jack boilies, flicked out a bottom bait and wafter on either side of a nice silty are a just off the side of a gravel bar.
At 0200 ish the right hand rod belted off and I was onto a very hard fighting fish which managed to pick up the other line despite me using back leads. This caused me all sorts of problems and a complete new set up on both rod’s after having to strip the line back on both rods.
It was a torpedo and just would not give up in the margins. It tipped the scales at just over twenty pounds. An hour later the same rod was off again but this one made it just round the tip of the point where I was fishing off and under the over hanging tree. This was despite my rod tip being under where the fish clipped a branch. This was when the lead pinged and the fish slipped the hook. Oh well. The alarm clock had just gone off and it signals packing up time.
I was so nearly going to be fishing the Airfield lake for the last time this trip out. However, I would have only been able to fish Thursday night and with a quick change of arrangements with the wife, I was able to fish the weekend. Then came the hard choice; one night on the Airfield, then move to Meadow lake or just do both nights on the Meadow. I would have to hope there would be a few on the Airfield, which would reduce the numbers on Meadow.
I arrived about 1830 and started to drive around the lake. Much to my amazement, this swim was free. The other three I had in mind had other angler’s in. So without missing a heart beat, I parked up and unloaded the kit into the swim. I proceeded to put out 3 kilos of Smokey Jack. If I was going to be here for 48 hrs, I needed a good bed of bait. If no fish came the first night, I hand made up some of my ground Bait mix, it was frozen krill & bloodworm with a mix of Spotted Fin groundbait, with a load of pellets soaked on CSL liquid. I had made up very sloppy, to give a cloud effect. I would be putting out this tomorrow lunchtime, to get the fish moving into the area for the afternoon and evening feeding spell.
I was using a Smokey Jack wafter on one rod and a 18 mm bottom bait on the other rod. Both were soaked in Smokey Jack dip and they where both being fished on the Ronnie rig. I have found this to be absolutely brilliant for both bottom baits, Wafters and of course, pop ups. Both rigs have been tied up with semi stuff fin skin and a size 6 Turning point hook.
Lets see what the first 12 hrs bring.
Well, that night was rubbish. Only bream, a broken clip on my spoil and plenty of linners to keep me up and keen. I was up at just after 7 am to get the baits perfectly back on the spots and hope this morning brings a fish or two.
My first take came around 1030 to the left hand round which had the 18 mm bottom bait on and after a quick battle (as it was daylight), oh this swim is so much easier in the day time.
Just over the 16lb mark, which will do me to start off with. I had been playing with rigs in the week and the Go2 wafter range. I thought it would an ideal time to test it out during the day on here, as I am thinking ahead for the winter.
I tried up a couple of Florocarbon-line rigs to a size 6 Sf straight point hook, with 3 of the Go2 Wafters on. This sat very nicely in the water.
So after that fish, it was a perfect opportunity to give them a try.
The day passed, the wind and the rain picked up as forecast. I had Spombed out a load of ground bait, I had mixed up and topped up the swim just before dark with about six Spombs of boilies.
I didn’t want to over do it due to the lack of takes so far. However, I was very hopeful of tonight and sure enough at the normal take time, the right hand rod ripped off. I was attached to a nice lump, well it felt like it. Unfortunately, the hook pulled, which it very unusual for me, but these things happen. Time for a new rig and some fun casting out in these strong winds. Job done, it was time to warm up with a brew and get my head down again.
I was woken up by the next take at first light and proceeded to reel straight into what felt a bit like a bream, until it broke the surface some 3 rod lengths out and went crazy. Up and down the margins, crashing around on the surface, it finally top the scales at 22 lb 2 oz. I put it in the retaining sling, I felt it would be best of the carp. It was certainly not happy on the mat. However after about 10 minutes, when I had recast my rod back onto the spot, it was feeling a bit less stressed out.
The rain had past and the wind calmed down a lot.
A lot calmer than through the night.
With all but the bivvy down, the rods on the floor and all but the mat & net out. I am sitting on my bucket reflecting on a nice weekends fishing. We all have that last few minutes of hope. That one last fish. Would you believe it? I heard the right hand rod reel whizz off and I was attached to another nice Meadow Lake carp.
As luck would have it another nice 20 lber, which is a nice end to the weekend.
With only a few days left before the Airfield lake shuts for winter. I found myself on the middle part of the complex, not far from where my last trip out was. Before leaving last time, I had a good look around and put some bait out in a few spots where I had seen a few fish show.
I arrived just with enough time to set up before darkness fell upon the lake. I didn’t look around, just headed to that area, hoping the bait had done it’s job and the fish would be after more. I was also hoping they were up for feeding at night, as I would be off at first light.
I was fishing at the bottom of the margin shelf, in a nice silt gully which went around the front of this point. I had put 10 small pouch fulls of the Smokey Jack boilies of each rod. With a bottom bait on one and a wafter on the other. I sat back with a brew and watched the last bit of fading light disappear.
Despite hearing fish crashing in the bay behind me, they will just not come out into the open water or even round the point. I haven’t even had a single bleep in the night. It’s good for the sleep factor, but that’s not what we are here for. This has surprised me and I’m not sure how to approach my last trip on here in a few days. A bit of thinking will need to be done I feel. There were some nice big lumps crashing in the bay. There is a tiny day swim set in the corner but I feel that there is a very high change of losing fish in the overhanging tree. Especially at night, even by flicking the baits to the middle of the bay. May just have to try. Could be worth a very sleepless night. Effort equals rewards, as they say.
Well it’s time to pack up, the clock has struck 6 am. The first of many pack ups in the dark. This is something I have been doing since the age of 16, very nearly 37 years and it becomes part of fishing life. It doesn’t last for that long as you realise, it’s just for about 4 months. Which is quite a short period of time.
With the airfield lake closing next Saturday, I just had to be fishing on there this weekend. The wife was out Friday night, so I was limited to just Saturday night, which will do me fine.
When I arrived, I expected to see a few cars on the car park, however there was none. Driving around the other side, there was also no cars round there. Lucky me, spoilt for choice. Where to start? With a long walk and a fair few swims later, I settled on the bay area. It is in the middle part of the complex, as I was seeing fish everywhere as normal. I thought my best option is the part of the lake which was more coloured up. And with the wind in my face, there are a few areas to pick from (when the wind is blowing SE), but this felt the best option. I did nearly set up on other swim at one point but moved the barrow back again.
With a good couple of kilos of The Smokey Jack out over the spots and my left over ground bait from last weekend’s session (which was in that lovely cold northerly’s and hail), this was just so much better conditions. Let’s hope the Carp are also of that opinion. I have a Smokey Jack wafter on one rod and after doing so well on the FW Masala pop ups (earlier on in the season), I just had to give on of then a go as a tub arrived in the post this week.
Just sitting and watching, a perfect way to spend the next 12 hrs.
Well, I certainly didn’t expect that to happen, not a single bleep in the night. It’s now just after 8 am and all is silent on the lake. There has not been a single sign of any Carp showing. This is very unusual and I needed to start packing up soon, so it looks like a blank coming my way for probably my last trip on the Airfield lake until next season.
