A float, some hemp & a bit of corn.

June rolled into July with rising temperatures but fishing time was limited by the little obstacles life throws in the way.  I managed another evening session fishing corn and hemp again but had a resounding blank.  Two weeks flew by without a chance to wet a line but I was happy to answer a call out to photograph a 30+ Carp for a friend.  By this time I was sure the Tench would have spawned, ending my hopes of a real heavyweight for another season.

A window of opportunity opened for an evening after work and I loaded up the Tench gear simply because it was the easiest option.  By 1900 I was settled into a familiar swim, float fishing corn over hemp to the pads a rod length out.  I used a second rod and stuck to the PVA bag flung out on the plateau.  God knows why I have persisted fishing this area as I haven’t had so much as a take fishing it?  Possibly because I’ve enjoyed fishing the float so much or possibly because I’m hopeless?

It was a bright and breezy evening, bloody good fishing conditions in my book and the float sailed away early on bringing a wriggling Rudd to hand.  Everything looked good but I just wasn’t feeling it, couldn’t concentrate and debated going home but stayed out of stubbornness.  A couple more bites brought a couple more nice sized Rudd, beautiful little fish but they did nothing to change my mood.  I noticed small patches of oil rise to the surface by the pads, was something crunching on my hemp?  The float sailed away again and my strike saw the tip bend round into something more substantial but after a few seconds the hook pulled and my float rig flew into the tree above me.  Oh bugger this!

I was tempted to jack it all in but the phone rang, a couple of friends were trying to find me for a chat and by the time they arrived I’d got the float back out there.  For a few minutes I could do absolutely nothing right; I kept missing bites then my casts were all over the place.  We all laughed at my ineptitude and I gave up trying to catch anything.  Then just as my friends were about to leave I struck a bite and set the hook into something substantial. 

To begin with it plodded round in circles in the margins but then it woke up and the runs became longer and more determined.  By now it was obvious I wasn’t attached to a Tench.  The pellet waggler rod was hooped right over and it was good fun but this rod will never get this sized fish in quickly.  I nearly had the fish in the net but it crept out again and plodded some more.  Eventually I managed to get the job done and hoisted a lovely little Mirror pest onto the mat.  My friends clicked a couple of quick photos (you can just about make out a nice little Carp) before I slipped it back.

That’s two Carp in three visits and it occurred to me that I may have stumbled on a successful method that few other people will use.  Maybe I should try float fishing for Carp on a few other waters?  I can think of a couple that would be well suited but I’ll definitely have to step the rod up.  Before that I’ll be doing something completely different.