I am after the pike again today (this time on the lake) and if I am lucky I may well spot some carp. It’s been sometime since I have been here and I need to get some insight before I come again.
The swim choice was going to be easy, I needed to be behind the wind, I am planning on getting a bait out, on a drift float. This is something I have been trying to do for years. However, when the wind is in the right direction for the big open water swims, there is normally a carp angler the swim I want to go for. Lucky me, today it’s the perfect opportunity as I am the only one on the lake.
The Salmon Oil is doing its job today. Let’s hope the pike are about to pick up the scent. I have gone for herring & mackerel dead baits as normal.
Well, despite seeing the odd bream roll and smaller bait fish, I didn’t get a sniff of a pike.
With all that rain (yes, no snow down South), I thought the river would be very murky and on the drop, it would be a great opportunity for a pike or two. It was a lovely winter’s morning.
I headed for one of my favourite areas, as it gives me the option of a lot of spots and is not too far to walk. I only have a limited amount of time and with no joy in the first swim I was on the move.
The second spot is in the Weir pool, which I have yet to catch a pike from. Today could be my opportunity. I certainly need to find a swim with some sunshine, it’s pretty nippy out here.
With no joy, I was on the move again. The weather has been so mild until very recently the river has been very low and with no real floods, there is still a lot of vegetation about. This is clogging up my normal spots, which is a shame. So far, not even a sign of a pike.
I moved again and may be this time, there is a bit of sunshine about.
It was nice to get back on the bank after recent events but of a shame there was no pike today. It was good to be out in the fresh air again.
After a very enjoyable few hours the other day and still feeling not 100%, I headed off down the lake. I’m not too sure what I will do or how long I will fish for. I took my normal route around the lake and stopped at a few swims. I really only fancied the one swim on the bank which everyone opposite was casting across to. Don’t get me wrong they were nowhere near where I would be putting my baits. I just didn’t fancy putting more pressure on that side of the lake and the other possibility would be facing another angler across the lake (some distance away). I just like my own area, undisturbed with a pleasant view (rather than waving at a fellow angler across the lake!). I looked in another areas but then thought, I will be back in the week when it will be peaceful and less pressured. As I drove down the causeway between the smaller lake which contains fish up to just under 30 lbs, it was completely empty and always is. I thought why not fish there and have a lake to myself? I may even catch a few, why would you not.
I picked the swim that gave me the best view and access to cast anywhere. I filled up a couple of bags with Betafin Pellets, broken Catalyst boilies and a mix of Minamino & Betafin liquids. I flicked them out to a couple of likely spots, as I was planning on baiting up after dark, these fish really show themselves then.
I had a few bleeps through the afternoon on the left had rod and it finally rattled off to a small, but very pretty common.
With that rod recast, I settled down to formulate a plan for my spots tonight but by 7 pm there had not been a single sign of a single fish, so I stuck some bait out over the area I was fishing and that would have to do.
There was a stunning sunset tonight over the lake. It was very nice as it had been mostly a very grey day, until then.
Well, my trip got turned upside down around 1 am. I had a call from my dad, my mum was in hospital. The gear packed away sharpish and I was off to Wales for the next few day’s.
I have finally made it out, after two weeks worth of man flu. I think I can only manage a few hours but it’s so nice to be back on the bank after the carp.
Swim choice was easy, it had to be in the warmest area of the lake. I decided that the carp would be up for a bit of sunshine as well.
With the every friendly Robin after food, it was a joy to be back on the bank. My friend joined me as well with his pike rods, it was a great few hours on the bank.
I am trying to do one trip a week on the Meadow lake after these allusive pike, well the big girls anyway.
I have gone for the same swim as last week, purely because of the two pike takes I had. I spotted the bream when I was fishing over night on Saturday after the carp.
I have done away with the drop off bobbins as I had two dropped pick ups after the line was pulled out if the clip. So, I have moved on to a very technical set up of rolled up cardboard!
If you wondered why I am using a pod, it’s because of the hard gravely bank. It’s just quicker and quieter to use the pod.
Isn’t wildlife fantastic this time of the year? With only the odd twitch from the pike rods and not a single pick up today, it was soon time to head home.
