Diary of an average angler

Up until lunch time I thought this was going to be another disastrous day. Not a bite until about 11.00 and then tricky ‘unable to hit’ bites. Managed a few small roach, none of which needed the net. I had been using sweetcorn and bread, the former being the more successful.

One of the regulars, Mick, arrived after lunch and was into a carp within minutes. He was fishing to the middle of the lake with meat paste and halibut pellets in PVA nets. He mentioned he had caught a barbel last time he was there. This got me thinking as I had caught barbel last year in the tree swim. I opened a tin of luncheon meat, a favourite summer bait, but one I had ignored during the colder weather. I soon had a positive bite and felt but didn't hook a larger fish.

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I was till getting missed bites, which I think were roach taking what was a fairly small piece of luncheon meat. Then, at 14.50, I struck into something that tore line off the reel. A short, but powerful run, followed by more short powerful runs. It didn’t feel like a carp, and sure enough when I ultimately got it to the net it was a fine 4¼ lb barbel. I think it may have been ready to spawn as it discharged what I think was milt on my unhooking mat.

This was the cue to stick with luncheon meat. The bite rate diminished significantly but I knew that if I got one it would be likely to be a better fish. And, sure enough, at 16.20, another fish tore off line, this time more powerfully, and the fight lasted longer. Netted, it proved to be my best barbel to date, a fish of 5lb 3oz.

So, after a really bad start I was now over the moon. I plugged on with luncheon meat and the afternoon settled into one of those calm ‘fishy’ atmospheres, which raised my hopes even more. At 17.00, another positive bite met with firm resistance. This time the fish felt heavier but did not tear off so fast, and I was soon sure that it was a carp. After a dogged fight, during which the limitations of my match rod became very clear, I netted a leather carp of just over 9lbs.

Full of anticipation I was not surprised when 40 minutes later I was into another big fish. This one really battled but was actually a bit smaller than the previous one, a mirror carp weighing 8lb 10oz.

So, a fine end to the day. I was tempted to cast again but the evening was closing in and if I had hooked anything bigger it would have been touch and go whether I would have been able to get it in before darkness descended. It was, however, very reluctant to pack up in what were ideal conditions.

The bigger fish are obviously stirring so next time I think I will move up to my Avon rod.