Bream Bashing with the lads

My little pony (Chris Rushton) and the the rest of us who couldn't get tickets for the Angling trust Canal Pairs Championship; had decided to ease the pain by a session at Shearwater.  The first of three fishing days in a row for me.

 Full bloom Rhododendrons greeted us at the picturesque 37 acre water venue.  Also greeting us was a green Glastonbury of Carp tents and bivvies. Typical bank holiday, and despite the massive venue it was difficult to get  a line of pegs for match men, in between the spod launchers and the lines of rod pods and bite alarms. But we squeezed in. Tackle up time.

Being first there I was ready to go quickly and launched the first of 15 orange sized ground bait laced with caster 2 mill halibut feed pellets and some choppy worm. After the last time I had visited I had been practising with the whopper dropper and got the bait in a tight circle using a lake buoy as a marker.  There was a few unnecessary comments about me getting tight to the buoy.  The double' entendre comments flowed eventually My little pony couldn't resist in telling us all (again) of his prowess with the ladies and how they will do anything for him.

But like Steve said if he would expect a woman to do anything if he was paying £80 and hour!!!!!!  That was it I had to go a find a tree and have a wee.  

The happiness died down as the fish started to flow, and inevitably the competition element shoved aside all thoughts of a day free of pound side bets.  Out come the fish counters.  Leo thought he would have one for him and one for me because allegedly I cheat and go up in odd numbers.  Bloody cheek.  Admittedly Leo started well but he was on the end peg.  Brian "catch fish in a puddle" was hot on his heels.  

It was Martins first real attempt at feeder fishing on a big lake, so he had a few tips from me; and even Brian put down his Ginsters to give a hand.  See below, Martin " net the fish my good man" Brian " certainly sir, would you like me to kiss you're ass as well!"  

A pleasant bream smashing session flowed interspersed with the occasional unstoppable Carp.  I even hooked what I though was a snag, and slowly dragged it in till it surfaced.  A carp clothed in thick fishing line and bombs, cage feeders and method feeders.  A disgusting sight to see a clearly big fish almost skeleton like and a look of desperation in its eyes as if it had been dragging the line etc for ever.

I don't think I will ever get the final despairing look from the fish out of my mind as my 3 lb hook length parted and the rubbish dragged the fish back to the bottom. Truly sickening, as I realised I had added to its burden, what had such a lovely creature done to deserve what would surely be a painful death.

The day was further interrupted by a team of EA licence checkers.  They clearly had a successful outing catching those who had no licence.

I swapped to waggler as the fish were hitting the feeder on the drop.  Although I did catch more skimmers the super fit superb Roach were quicker to the bait.  In between 4 nice Perch I had several small roach but 9 over 10 ounces with the biggest about 1 lb 2 ish.

Martin on my left and Chris on my right were squeezing my swim into a narrow 3 foot wide strip as they cast time and again into my fish catching zone.  Despite my complaints and their dubious explanations about the wind affecting their casts, I still was catching faster.  Chris was gutted that he could get so close in a fish feeding area and not catch.  Besides said I - how does the wind blow right for Martin and left for Chris?  But they explained the cyclonic affect of surface winds made their casting unique.  "Unique" !!! It was positively dangerous at times as the 30 gram feeders crashed around and dispersed their ground bait far and wide.  I called for the PPE and hunkered down.

Suddenly there was a talk that smaller fish didn't count in the fish race and it was bream only.  Back on the cage then and I caught and pulled ahead of Chris.  The Ginsters shuttle bus was bagging one a chuck and Leo was no slouch staying ahead of him.  The day ended as the misty rain and a lack of ground bait made it clear that the Sunday roast was calling.

Leo called it a day at 54 Bream and bits.  Brian won the day with 57 Bream and 6 lb of roach.  Me I had 48 Bream (between 2 and 6 lb) 9 decent Roach and bits and 4 Perch. I do wish keep-nets were allowed.

Another cracking day for the lads and much laughter and banter.  Time to race home put the lake stuff away and load up the canal stuff for an Open at Hungerford tomorrow.  Got to go bread to blitz pinkie and squat to riddle.