July Catch Report

[Golden Paws]

I split my fishing between day only fishing and then the more hard core 48 hour sessions on bigger waters. The bigger waters haven't really happened this year but it seems that most people were struggling so not too despondent, especially with the 2 heatwaves we have had this year.

Yesterday I went to my local days only park lake. It's a 2 rod limit and I started at 10:30 and you have be off by 21:30. I caught 22 fish including a 17, 18, 19 and 21-5. It was so stupid, I struggled to find time to eat my sandwiches! At 21:00 I sent the boat out for the last time. I had just dropped the second one and the first was away which was the 21 so I opened the bail arm on the second and left it on the pod. When I picked it up about 10 minutes later, I knew that a fish would be on!  One time I was clipping on the bobbin and the line was ripped from my fingers. The previous trip I had 14 but the biggest was only a 16 and the 2 trips before that I had 8 and 9 including a 20.

You could be forgiven for thinking it's massively overstocked but I don't think that's the case. I've been fishing it for about 15 years and 2 or 3 fish is a good result and my previous highest tally was 9. I've blanked more times than I care to remember and it can be a bit moody at times.

The water is pretty murky and so it's difficult to gauge what is happening but it can't last forever and so it's a case of making hay while the sun shines.

 

[commonly]

Im still recovering from one of the worst nights fishing ever, last weekend. 

Getting my companions and the gear to the lake was a separate fiasco, but won't bore you with that.

Rods out all quiet until I started falling asleep around 11.

Beep. Beep first bin lid🙄

I was then plagued by them until about 4.30am. Despite changing spots, going out as singles.

I got a few hours kip.

With the odd carp cruising about, I switched to zigs at 2 /12ft, about 2/3 depth.

First blip after an hr, as my son reeled in, seemingly with nothing on. As the lead became visible, a fish rolled off in the margins. All I saw was a bronzy/gold flash.

Back out, 10 mins later a few beers, my son struck. Again seemed like he lost it, but kept the line tight and felt something on. 

As the fish broke the surface, I quickly pulled the net in to avoid the bream slime.

Ive only ever had perch or carp before on zigs, so this seemed a bit weird. 

Recast and same again 🙄.

I changed them all over to 3 1/2 ft, nothing after that as it went overcast.

One to forget 😀