After Ciarán

Ciarán had been on gone by Friday. Apart from the persistent rain on Thursday, filling the rivers, we didn't really get much of it.  I decided on a return to the gravel pit. I was surprised nobody else was there given the state of the rivers. Attempting to turn left as I entered the parking area had the car understeering dramatically. I should have known after all that rain the ground would be very soft and slippy. I carefully reversed back out on the road and parked on a harder surface further down. Being lazy and arriving late I opted for the first swim I came to. All of them produce pike so it really doesn't matter that much.

A small smelt was dropped into the small bay to my left and a small headless mackerel cast to the bottom of the shelf. After twenty minutes the float in the bay shot left to right at great speed for a couple of yards. No sign of damage to the bait. I suspect these sort of very fast runs are the result of carp snagging the line the panicking when they feel the resistance of the float and/or shot. Around eleven thirty, with out the aid of a cuppa or pot noodle, the same float bobbed about then moved away very slowly. Tightening down induced a bit of panic in the fish as it then shot away causing the check on the 'pin to clatter a bit. A brief but hectic battle then ensued before the fish was chinned. Somehow I managed to cut my left thumb with one of the hook points as I unhooked it. At first i thought it was the same fish I caught last time I was here, but I was slightly longer and heavier at 10lb 6oz and 93cm.

The sun then popped out from behind the trees and clouds making it a rather hard to see the floats. I had to move them to different spots in order to see them. I would have tried these spots anyway as all of them have a bit of a feature. A cast out to the shelf saw the mackerel escape so I replaced it with a large smelt. Several more anglers started to arrive after lunch. All but one parking on the soft ground. I didn't see any catch while I was there. Despite moving the baits around I didn't have another run.

 

As there is no dusk now. I decided to back up slightly earlier than intended. Also I wanted to be away before the others packed up as I suspect one or more was going to need help to get back out on the road. i really dislike extricating vehicles from slippy mud. Despite only catching the one fish it was my first double of the season so I was quite pleased.