Some weeks you just need to be out fishing, even if it is just for a few hours, no pressure, no tactic agenda or camera pressure, just me and Obi (The fishing Dog), some simple tactics for a few bites, flying solo on a water I have not seen before. Those who know me, it's all about the silvers, plenty of bites and a building swims with simple tactics. So after chatting to Mel the manager, he put me on what can only be prescribed as a sanctuary for a pleasure angler amongst match style waters dominating the complex.
Mel put me on the Woody End pool, surrounded by trees and well established, its defiantly not on the same level of the perfect manicured match waters it was surrounded by, but that is part of its charm and its potential for a great days fishing. The pegs are well spaced, of good size and with plenty of water in front of you and plenty marginal features. On this water you feel you are on a separate complex while sat on your box, the shape and the character of this water reminded me of the pits and farmers ponds I grew up fishing, except there was a great deal more fish.
Simple tactics on the day, maggot ground bait and caster, but maggot was the winner on the day as far as hook bait was concerned. I still managed to feed two pints of each and nearly a kg of ground bait, and I got the impression I could have doubled that with the amount of fish I had built up in front of me. I fished from 09:00 until 14:00 for a bite a chuck kind of day.
The whole complex from the moment you arrive, walk around the waters and look at the quality of the venue, you can tell great care and passion has gone into the venue to start bringing it back to its former glory, with a new manager and new owners, I can really see a bright future for this amazing venue.
I managed a really impressive bag of mixed silvers in a short time, taking them from my three lines as I rotated them during the day, finishing up shallow for some very impressive Golden Rudd. I took a mixture of Crucian Carp, Golden Rudd, Roach, Rudd, Perch, Skimmers and Ide. I never knew what I was going to land next, it was a fast and frantic day indeed. I can honestly say this water is a gem for all anglers, from first timers, lads and dads, retirees and those who love just constant bites.
Big thanks to Mel from Old Hough, Bait-Tech, Dino floats and Woolston Tackle and Guns for the continuing support.
Tactics:
1) Pole line at six meters on the deck, 0.6 Dino Chi Chi, fished with an olivet to get the hook bait down to the bottom asap, size 16 B911 F1 hook, Bait-Tech Pro Natural Extra & F1 mixed 50/50 with one cup of caster and one cup of red maggots. Feeding one large ball, then double red maggot over the top until I started catching bits, then top up with another ball. Knowing there was a great deal of feeding fish over the ground bait, I dotted my float down fishing over depth by 4 inches hitting the lift bites.
2) Pole line at four meters on the deck, 0.4 Dino Roach Royal. bulk shotting with a single dropper to a size 16 B911 F1. Fished over a bed of red maggots, double red maggot on the hook. Feeding 2/3 full cups of red maggot, topping up the swim when I started to catch bits.
3) Pole line up in the water, fishing 18 inches to 2 foot deep, 0.2 Dino Trux, feeding a constant pinch of caster at 6 meters. Size 16 B911 F1 hook.
Photos.
