Quick surface fishing session

[chrisjpainter]

As luck would have it, work took me past one of my favourite lakes for surface fishing. It's a small lake, that has an even smaller island in it. The island leaves a cut between itself and the mainland that's only about 20ft wide, with thick bramble bushes both above and below the surface. It's a tough section to fish, but it's also completely shaded by trees, so when it's baking hot, the carp make a beeline for the cooler waters in the cut. It's a case of hit the bites and then hang on and hope you can get their heads turned before they're in the brambles and you're done fore. On the way home I thought I'd sneak a couple of hours with some hoe made dog biscuits to see what I could drag up. As it happens, I was rather glad I did!

 

The first fish took almost immediately and careered into the brambles. Fortunately it was only about 5lbs, so I got its head turned quickly enough before it buried itself too deeply. A nice enough mirror, but I'm more of a common man myself. I moved swims to try a bash at some carp that were taking biscuits round a some lilies. After a fair few near takes, I spotted a lovely common right in the centre of the lilies. a quick flick of the lure rod and it landed within a couple of feet and was munched. One ruined lily pad later and a fair few hairy moments with sunken trees and a mid double was in the net. Fish three came soon after - mercifully in open(ish) water and was only about the 8lb mark, so was reasonably well behaved. With the rain threatening, I thought I'd have a crack at one more swim and then the first swim, as it was on the way back to the car.

Another rapid take and this one nearly pulled the rod in as I wasn't even watching the bait! Again this one stayed out in the clear water of the cut, and another nice mid-double was landed. Last stop, the first swim. Once again some big rubber lips gulped the bait, but my luck had run out: straight into the brambles and stuck fast. The much beleaguered hook bent out and that was that. By then, the thunder and lightning (very, very frightening) was getting unsettlingly closer, so I thought it was time to skedaddle. Still, four fish in a couple of hours was a great way to spend an evening.The photos aren't the best, as I only had my phone with me and no one to take the snaps. The proportions have gone a bit odd with the photos, but fish 2 and 3 were roughly the same length and width as the 15lb fish I had out yesterday that was weighed.

 

All in all a great little session with just hook and bait - no weights, floats, swivels etc. simple and uncomplicated - and great sport!

[Danger-Mouse]

Nice session, can't beat a bit of surface fishing. Lovely looking fish too.

[davewh100]

yeah they all look in lovely condition

[Davyo]

Great sport,a place I got to Carr's at Carlton let you fish with bread & dog biscuit.I soak dog biscuits in hot water to get them soft and put a teaspoon of boveril in the boiling water.Gives it a bit of an oily attractant (cheap glug).

Thanks for the write up,cracking session and you had to be quick to stop them heading for the snags.

[rob-d]

nice fish! and a nice write up. i do love the look of that mirror it looks like its got a decent frame and could grow nicely beautiful scale pattern too.

sometimes its best to keep it simple.

[Geo]

Looks good , have had a few like that with a deerhair fly trimmed to look like a dog biscuit , good fun on a fly rod.