Talk about Short Sessions!
So, after 5 months of working around the Carp and Cats lake at Holly Pools – it’s done for this year. New swims complete, path gravelled, plants starting to grow, leaves appearing on the trees. Bearing in mind I really have done little else but work on the fishery for the last 5 months, I decided I’d better get to work in the veg garden and score some points with S(H)e Who Must Be Obeyed. While digging for victory one thought kept going through my head: “You haven’t fished this year, and there are no guests this week…”
After arguing with myself for literally 3 seconds, I decided that as H was in England for a few days and there was nothing on TV, surely wetting a line for the last hour of light “just to test the water”, would be OK. I have my kit laid out pretty well, so it literally takes me 10 minutes to get the gear out of the tackle room and be ready to cast on the bank. I decided someone should test the new Stump Swim, and put 1 rod 20 yards out, with 1 Carp Cuisine “Fruit de Mer” and 6 more in a PVA bag on the hook. After casting out, I sat down on the handy lump of oak at the back of the swim to take in the surroundings: whilst fishing, and not working for once. I literally hadn’t completed my look around when the alarm screamed and the bobbin hit the rod. 10 minutes later and the Stump swim was christened with one of the smaller cats – 20lb on the nose. It didn’t half fight and was in super condition and very fat.
20lb Catfish
Telling this story to my French neighbour Yvon today, I suggested it was a shame he’d not been there to see it. He’s an excellent coarse fisherman, but has never caught a Silure (Wels Cat). Why, I suggested, didn’t he pop down for a cheeky whiskey after dinner – say 7, and we would fish for half-an-hour? continue reading…
