Richworth diary #3

I finally managed to get in amongst them at Papercourt, on a few quick overnight sessions. I had got right on the fish on one evening when I got down after an exam. They were showing all over the place, so as usual I used the throwing stick to get a kilo of  KG1 out to the general area, followed up by two chod rigs with my home made KG1 cork ball pop-ups. Sitting back with great anticipation I awaited results. The fish continued to show over the spot, it had to happen. But like so many times before I didn’t receive a take until 5.30 the next morning. After a spirited fight I netted a 19lb mirror. I did a few quick self takes and slipped her back. I didn’t receive any more action and packed up at about nine o’clock.

As I have done ever since I started carp fishing I began the first few weeks of the season on the river mole with Simon. My A-levels finished on the 20th of June, this meant that on the 16th I could do a quick night in between revision and then on the night of the 20th I could go fishing. I had baited a spot on the main river and one on a small tributary. The day of the 15th came and I once again went down in the morning to check the spot. The bait hadn’t gone, I was devastated. Each time I had checked the spot the bait had been taken, until now. I was using the light coloured multiplex bait on the silt bottom so it was easily seen. As it was in the margins I got in to get a closer look, the light coloured bits covered the bottom; I reached down and picked one up, with it in my hand my face lit up. It wasn’t a boilie at all but a pebble. The fish had cleaned up so much that night they had revealed the pebbles deeper in the silt. With renewed confidence I walked home and hit the books. That evening I set up and watched the clock until it hit twelve. I lowered my one rod in, with a heavy inline led which would drop off when a fish was hooked to make playing it in the thick pads easier, I slackened off placed the line in the roller. I crept back to the bedchair for a night under the stars with absolute confidence that within no time at all I would be playing my first river carp of the season. I woke with the increasing light and the birds. Thinking my chance had gone I climbed the nearest tree for one last look over my spot. I sat there for ten minutes trying to think of reasons why I didn’t get a take, when out of the corner of my eye I spotted the pads parting. The fish swam around my spot and came to rest under my tree before slowly approaching my spot and disappearing behind some reeds. With my heart pounding, I wondered wether the fish would go down and if it did would it get hooked? Suddenly beeeeeeeep! I was away! I practically fell out of the tree and shot to my rod and dived in to try and halt the fishes bid for freedom. After a short hard scrap I bundled the common into the net. Although only an upper double it was well worth it and reminded me what an occasion June the 16th can be. The river is only tiny and I have preciously caught the river record at 24lb8oz so this common was one to add to my list of 4 out of roughly 6 carp in the stretch. With that done I packed up and headed for home and the books, in eager anticipation of the 20th and my first night on the mole.

We had baited for a couple of weeks with Ultraplex however Simon decided to use hemp with it whereas I went for just boilies. The night came and Simon managed 2 small ones whereas I blanked, however this did not deter me as I knew the fish were there and were on the bait. On the second night Simon had another one whilst I blanked. Right that was it for the next session I was boiling up some hemp. It worked and I managed a jet propelled 14lber whilst Simon had 3. I had originally suspected that Simon’s plan would bring lots of bream but clearly not and it seemed that as long as you stayed away from pellets you were fine.

With success on the river but it seeming to only produce smaller fish my thoughts turned to Papercourt and the summer ahead. I had to take significant time out in the summer as I was shooting a film and in a show in London so I needed to make the most of the time available. However all didn’t go to plan, I received news that Papercourt had had an algae bloom. I went to have a look for myself and the water clarity had been reduced significantly and although I’m sure it still would have produced fish I didn’t feel the buzz that I normally got when I was there. I enjoyed observing the fish in the water however now I wouldn’t be able to. The snap decision was made to get a different ticket. I chose a local complex with 3 lakes on it. One of which I had fished previously in the winter which was always good for a bite or two. However I chose to fish the hardest of the 3 and the one with the better fish in. It is not the sort of place I enjoy spending a lot of time on and although a lot do, I felt I couldn’t hack spending day after day there, I just have never clicked with it. So the idea was that I would turn up when the gates opened in the mornings, have a scout round and if there were any quick fish catching opportunities I would take them and if not I would return home and go back to bed, not standard fishing practice but I felt that if I spent any more time than that there I would go mad. I had a call on July 9th saying that my ticket would be ready to pick up. I had the gear in the car from a session on a private lake so decided that I may as well pick up the ticket and go for a walk round the lake on the off chance I might find some feeding fish. It was throwing it down and so to my delight nobody was fishing. A strong south-westerly was blowing straight down to the far corner. I shot down to the end of the lake and was greeted by the sight of the Ghosty right on the end of the wind. “That will do” I thought and legged it back to the car to grab the rods and some bait. I put a couple of handfuls of halibut pellets on two spots in the margins and left them to sort out my rods. I saw that about 4 fish had started feeding over each spot, I attempted to semi spook them by dropping 2 or 3 halibut pellets over them but they wouldn’t budge. So making sure I was placing my lead behind any fish, so that they did not see, I lowered the pellet hook bait into position. I then sorted the other rod and placed that again behind the 4 or 5 feeding fish, slackened right off and retreated to take a look at the other spot. I didn’t get half way there when that rod was away. I picked it up and it immediately took line, I looked back to get my net when I realised I had been so rushed to get the rods in I hadn’t set it up, what’s more I had not got my spreader block. This was going to be interesting. After a spirited fight I managed to tire it and get myself in a position where I could spread the arms of the net with the fingers of one hand and land the fish. As I scooped the fish my other rod let out a single beep. I looked round to see a swirl. I waded back to the bank watching, waiting for a bird to pop up. It didn’t happen then the rod shot forward and the alarm squealed. Placing the fish in the net in the water and standing on the arms I picked up the rod. This fish felt like a different animal and I knew I would be there for a while. With one fish already in a fairly unusable net, whilst playing the fish I rang my mate Danny who lives close by to come and give me a hand, he agreed, however as it was about 5 and so traffic would make how long he would be unpredictable. I took it carefully with the fish making several powerful runs. Behind me two men got out of a buggy with fishing gear in it. Great I thought they would have a net. I asked them for one and they agreed. However on returning from the buggy they passed me a very undersized net, saying a worried thank you I asked them to look after my first fish whilst I waded in for this other one. The reply I received had a very suspicious Easton European accent and when they started leaning over patting my fish on the side saying “aren’t you a big one” and “you are lovely” I thought “god what have I got myself into” luckily the fight carried on and they didn’t run away with my fish. Danny turned up soon after and told the two men that they were not needed. He secured the first fish and came to join me in landing this beasty. Eventually, after a few more heart stopping runs, we did and I couldn’t be more grateful to him for the help he gave. The first one was weighed at 23lb14oz and the second at a very pleasing 35lb exactly and a new pb. I couldn’t have wished for any more on my first session.

I managed two morning sessions the following week resulting in two double figure mirrors and one afternoon the following week giving me a small common. My next session was to be 2 weeks later as I had been filming. I arrived and looked round to find a group of 6 carp patrolling from the out of bounds area into the main body of the lake under a willow tree where they would stop and feed for about 5 minutes before returning to out of bounds. They had done this about 3 times so the next time they left the willow I knew it was safe to put a rig in this time as there were no carp in the area so I could swing my bait under the tree without spooking anything. The fish returned and proceeded to feed, I was ultra confident of a take, however after an hour of fish returning and moving off again I had not received a take and started to wonder what was wrong. I was sure I had been done over when out of the blue I received a blistering take, and was in yet again. The fish plodded powerfully left and right in the main channel until eventually succumbing to the folds of my net, with spreader block included I might add. At 24lb12oz I was very happy and although not one of the “big’uns” I was pleased with the way things were going. I was fishing the place on my terms and had managed 6 fish in 5 short sessions.

The next week I was to go and help out with the British Young Carpers Angling Championships at linear. I did also manage to get some fishing done as well that week but will talk about that in my next piece. At the end of September I will be going to university so again I will have to fish around my work. This, as always, is frustrating however I feel the challenge is there for me. I am going to Exeter and so will be fishing new waters, which I have heard very little about. At the moment I am doing my research and have found a few possible venues and I’m sure more will crop up. It will be very different, but change is good and with any luck I can bag some lumps both before I go and when I’m there.

Be lucky.

Harry Charrington