02/12/2022
A RED LETTER TALE.
Right, where do I start? Yesterday I recounted how I felt that I’d messed up by chasing the fish from swim to swim and that I’d decided to sit tight in Leaning Tree. Well did that ever pay off........or what?
My first night only produced the mid thirty but I was determined to stick to my plan so, at about 5pm on went the chesties and out I paddled. I’ve made up a cane marker which is weighted at the bottom and has a marker float flight at the top. It is not pushed into the clay as that would just become a snag and could cost me a fish. It is semi buoyant so that it can be pulled over, as the line passes across it, and will stand back up when the line pulls free. It’s also light enough that it could be dragged around if a fish does wrap round it. Anyway, I had placed this marker about a rod length behind my baited patch which is to the left of my swim at about 30 degrees. My middle rod was directly in front of the marker with the other two about a rod length to each side. Positioning them this way means that I get the baited patch diagonally across the Arm so a better chance of the carp finding it as they move up and down the Arm.
Having put out the ground bait I went back down to the house for dinner with Jan.
At about 7.30pm I waded out the rods and lowered the hook baits, complete with mesh bags of minimix onto the desired spots, threw three handfuls of spod mix over each hook bait and retired to the bivvy.
Now here comes a slightly weird bit. I must have fallen asleep just before darkness fell but I suddenly woke up for no apparent reason. It was now pitch black dark and I have absolutely no idea of the time so I look at my watch to see that it’s only 9.53pm. It’s one of those moments where you can’t believe it’s still that early and you’re sure it must be at least 3am. Anyway, having woken up I now needed to answer the call of nature. Ablute complete I climbed back into the bivvy and sat on the bed having a drink when a single bleep of the alarm made me look at the rods. The light flashed on the right hand rod but nothing moved, then two more bleeps and the bobbin lifted slightly. I slipped my shoes and head torch back on and knelt by the rods and had the pleasure to watch, in an apparent mode of slow motion, as the bobbin finished its assent, leant gently against the R3 and then came that wonderful confirmation “ping” as the line pulled out of the rod clip. I’m really quick in the situations and decided that it was probably a bite. I lifted the rod and the response was quite simply solid. It was obviously a carp so I just needed to wait for it to make its next move. Slowly it began to chug off further to my left and I reduced the clutch a single click. Off she went in her own time and I could only think that she was heading for the lodge to get a drink. After a while she stopped and turned, I’m not sure that I turned her but she was slowly coming back towards me. At the point where I’m beginning to think that she must be tiring she just keeps plodding past and heading towards Billy no Mates. By now she has gone so far to my right that, I can’t tell in the dark but, my line is either over or through at least two patches of lilies. This is getting serious and then she goes solid. Deep joy. There’s no way I’m pulling out of this one so I back up to my bivvy door and slip on my chesties which, I’m pleased to say, were rolled down ready for action.
Waders on I slide a landing net out into the water and climb in. At this point I realize that, by backing up to my bivvy, I have pullled the line into the low branches of a small oak tree. Fantastic, I now have a fish in the lilies with my line travelling via monsieur oak. Luckily, and through no skill on my part, as I step out into the lake the line pings free from the branch and I’m now in direct contact with .......... a distant lilie patch.
I wade round the first patch of lilies and head towards the next set when I feel her moving again. That’s a relief, at least she’s still on. After a few more paces in the water I feel another couple of pings and I can now see that my line is moving away from the lilies, result. She now plods back towards, and past me before diving into the patch of lilies that I’ve just waded round. This time she feels really snagged so I walk into the pads until I can feel the line. I slide my hand down the line with the rod held vertical above me and I find a Lillie stem which the line goes under. I snap the stem and suddenly a vision which I will never, ever forget appears before me. An enormous carp rises up through the plants and rolls within three feet of me, as if to frighten the crap out of me, which it did. “My god, it’s bloody enormous” came out of my lips but with nobody to hear.
My luck held and she swam back out into open water and the next few minutes was spent with her meandering back and forth in front of me before, begrudgingly allowing me to engulf her in my waiting net.
I parted the mesh and there in front of me was the ginormous frame of “Half Lin”. Get in!!!!
I secured the net and at ten past eleven I called Jan and Sharon to let them know that I’d had a result. I was prepared to do the video trick, as I do with most of my fish, but they insisted that everyone wanted to see her. On the scales she registered 71lbs 13oz my first, and possibly only, ever seventy and I really felt that I’d earned it.
With the photos and videos done I walked down to the house and had a coffee with Jan, walked the dogs and then returned to the bivvy to flick through the pictures. Some really fantastic memories there and a night to remember.
As a foot note, I also banked a common of 43lbs 7oz so a new PB mirror and a new PB brace at 115lbs 4oz.
This night will live with me for some time.
Stay safe everyone.
Keith Moors
www.moorlandfisheries.co.uk
