Not My Original Plan

With the rivers out of sorts due to Ciara and Dennis about to reek havoc still waters looked to be the only choice. The clay pit had been my intention as I set off, but I stopped to look at the gravel pit on the way and found it had an extra foot of water in it compared to my last visit. Still needs another foot, though, to get to full winter level.  After a bit of  dithering I decided to stay. This turned out to be a good choice as an angler arriving later told me he'd had a look at the clay pit and it was a horrid brown colour as water was still draining off the fields. Ciara had brought down a lot of dead branches and the wind seemed to have blown them into one corner. With the aid of the landing net I was able to clear them which allowed me fish there.

A small roach was dropped in to my left in three foot or so of water, a spot that has produced a few nice doubles in the past. A headless sardine was punched out to the bottom of the bar. Every now and then the sun would pop through the clouds for a while, enough to take the edge off the chill breeze. The odd larger fish rolled on the surface and small fish would dimple the surface in small shoals. About lunch time the sardine float did that is isn't moving thing before moving off and disappearing. Striking met with a solid resistance. After a brief fight a chubby 8lb pike was in the net. At 83cm it looked more like a 6-7lb fish. It was one of those fish that didn't seem to want to leave the comfort of the landing net when I tried to return it and took a bit of coaxing. Another sardine went out to the same spot. Despite the occasional twitching and recasting the next bite didn't come until gone five. This one didn't put up much of a struggle and was netted by another pike angler that had turned up in the afternoon. Our guesses were a fish of 5-6lb and we were surprised when it weighed 8lb 4oz, especially as it was 3cm shorter.

Quite a pleasant day all in all and as I was the only one to catch it made it better. Where to go Friday is the next big decision. The clay pit will take a while to clear and the estate lake has not been fishing well so I may well be back here. With Dennis due over the weekend, while I'm working, I would imagine the rivers will be as bad as ever next week.

As you can see from the video I don't seem to have the camera pointing in quite the right direction and for some reason I keep hitting it and knocking it. I'll get the hang eventually.