The catfish hunt continues

20/08/10

These cats are still making me climb the walls and I am not going to be happy until I get one. Even more determined am I now that when I come home every weekend and get asked if I caught anything, then I have to endure the disappointed faces from my mum and sister followed by a big sigh which is basically calling me a failure.

Experiencing this once again as I crawl through the door on Saturday morning after 3 hours sleep sent me into a rage, non anglers just don’t understand and I’ve explained countless times to them that these catfish are bigger than my dog, they feed less than lions and there’s only a few in the big lake. You have to be in league with the devil to be lucky enough to catch one.

But as I am a “Welsh Wizard” I am sure I’ll get one but it’s just a waiting game (I could I suppose fish an easier water but what’s the fun in that, I sure do enjoy a rant!)

So Friday evening I roll into the flash car park to be greeted by 3 cars, gutted, I hate sharing. I’m to use to being alone on rivers, but at least the area I’ve been fishing the passed couple of weeks was free. Next step was to get there before anyone else turned up, and just as I closed the boot to make my way to the swim a car turned up. I don’t think I would have got to the swim faster if a bull was chasing me.

Here kitty, kitty, kitty

Decided on a different approach to target the moggies this week, I can’t lose any confidence in bait because I haven’t caught one before so I can chop n change between baits. This week was a fish based attack. Taking with me Mackerel, sardines and the finest fillet of salmon to get those whiskers twitching

My favourite Nige Williams saying for a bait like this is “we’re not fishing for gudgeon down the canal”

The evening felt perfect for a catfish, it was hot, muggy and the wind on the flash was blowing an absolute hoole, things were looking in my favour for the night, any fish heading down the bay following the natural food would have to go through the bottle neck and past me and the cats would hopefully follow them.

The evening went by pleasantly and I got to watch cows in my favourite way, behind an electric fence (lol) darkness soon settled around me and I was ready for my Catfish!!

Cows and rainbows, makes them look so peaceful and tranquil, I know better

Despite regular castings and fresh bait top ups the catfish stayed elusive and I’m also finding it harder and harder to sleep on the bank! Think I need to invest in a new bed chair because I just can’t get comfy. For a decent nights sleep I think it will be money well spent, got my eye on one of the Nash indulgence bed chairs ;) I mean let’s face it at the moment I’m spending more time in my bed chair than I am playing fish.


£280 hmmm


20/08/10

So called confidence booster

Well if you’ve been following this blog you will know I haven’t caught a fish since my eel trip on the canal, I know, I know I cant believe it myself, 4 trips and not so much as a nibble so on Sunday I thought enough is enough its time I went out and caught something!!

Morning jobs done! Sunday dinner done! Centerpin, float gear and lobs done! And I was on my travels to a local club water in search of some margin carp. The weather on Sunday was surprisingly warm, the sun was beating down and of course what does this attract, fair weather anglers. How could I be so stupid, warm weather, small pool full of carp and, oh of course, yes 7 cars in the car park!! As I said in my last post I hate sharing

Back in my car and on my way to the jewel in the crown, Dead mans pool ;)

This water has a very good reputation for producing some vary large fish in many different species and fishing lobs on a water like this could get you a 30lb carp, 11lb Tench even very big chub. Luckily upon arriving there were only 3 cars in the car park, ok still anglers but I was expecting people to be on here. I was also expecting to blank because the pool is a very funny place to fish. One day they might be crawling up the line the next you can’t do a thing right.

This would be the second time I’ve fished the venue this season not because I don’t like the place but with it primarily being a Tench water I find it hard to drag myself away from my Tench syndicate during spring.

I set up in a likely looking spot just off the marginal slope by some over hanging trees fishing the lift float method. I kick started the swim with a few handfuls of mixed pellets, followed by my worm hook bait with the end of tail chopped off to release some of the juices

The swim on dead mans

It wasn’t long before I started getting indications on the float as it started dipping and swaying before finally being dragged under, I struck and felt no resistance at all until I had to pull my float out of the tree grrrrrrrrrr, first bite in ages and I didn’t connect

Oh well, there’s always another chance, rebaited worm and back out the float went. I haven’t done a lot of float fishing over the years because I feel like I’m missing out on something if I’m not using two rods, but until you go back to your angling roots of sitting back and watching a float you realise just how much you miss out on what’s going on under the water with all the float activity.

Dip, Dip, Dip and sail away, another fish!! I strike!!! Aaagghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, what am I doing wrong!! No fish!!!! All I could think of was the same problem I was having with eels on the canal that the fish were just grabbing the worms by the tail and I wasn’t giving them though time to get it all in there mouth missing the take

Right! Worm chopped in half and I fished just the tail end on the hook, this will get one for sure!! Sunday soon started to fade away and I wanted to get off early so I could get some things sorted at home, I’d planned on leaving at 8pm and that time had quickly come around. I was starting to think I’d completely blew my chances of catching another fish when just like I said it would at 7.55pm the float vanished from the surface and I was met with a solid resistance

Fish on!! Haha, I’ve fished this swim a couple of times before and with it being a sharp shelve from the margin I’m able to drop the rod under the water and stop the fish getting into the branches of the tree. That’s also what I love about using the pin, with it being free spool its down to me to control how much line I give the fish by using my thumb so I cant blame anyone but me if it gets in the snag. I’d only had the fish on a couple of seconds when it all went slack and winding in revealed a break from a kink in the line

Throw the rod in or myself in

Its usually Stu Maddocks that loses all the fish but it looks like I’ve taken over. That was set to be my first fish in weeks and I lost him. Gutted

Although this cloud could have a silver lining because what most of you don’t know is, with 4 of my personal best fish (chub,carp,barbel,Tench) I also blanked for weeks until I finally had a fish which was a personal best!!

I’m after Catfish again Friday, will I get one ;)

Tight lines till next week

Starting to feel like a second home the flash