After a busy week I really could have
done with a weekend off, yet my newly appointed position with Nash
Fish Frenzy and Peg One brings with it fishing shows and with The Big
One being held at Farnborough Airfield over the weekend saw me
attending this. Saturday was busy and I thought it would be best to
get to know a few of the consultants which included Nick Watkins,
Dave Green, Lewis Baldwin, Stuart Jupp, Alan Storey and of course my
good friend Paul Garner, all of which welcomed me aboard with a very
warm welcome. Leaving the show I must say that I felt a bit guilty as
all day Alan was making bait balls with the new ball-maker so I asked
if on the Sunday I could get my hands dirty and demonstrate this new
exciting gismo. The Ball Maker makes perfectly formed balls of sticky
pellets and groundbait in a matter of seconds and the interest around
the stand was incredible. The Ball maker comes in two sizes, 20mm and
40mm, cost £7.99 and £9.99 and will be available in shops within
the next few weeks. I have always said the simplest things are best,
yet often overlooked and without a doubt this item of kit will simply
revolutionise many anglers fishing.
Id purposely left the start of the week
free as after not being in the office for nearly a week knew that I
would have loads of things to catch up with. The weather was still
painfully cold, yet with a slight increase as the week progresses
this seemed a wise decision, yet a quick look at the barometer
Tuesday night showed a dismal 1032mb and thoughts of an easy day on
Wednesday were forgotten.
Wednesday dawned in a similar pattern,
white cloud, an easterly wind and cold, yet if there is one species
that does feed in these conditions, then its roach. For the day I had
teamed up with one of my regular customers who dearly wanted to beat
an old personal best roach of 1lb 8oz. I had recently visited a new
commercial in the hope of a big perch and accidentally caught some
quality roach to well over the pound and with the owners telling me
that the lake held numbers of two’s thought this would be the
perfect venue. Alan decided to fish the float of the rod tip using a
small pole float and maggot as bait whilst I took the more specialist
approach of helicopter rigs cast into open water. An hour in and
things weren’t looking good as neither of us has seen a fish, yet
get a bite, however finally one of my alarms sounded, only to see me
fumble the pick up and not make contact. I was gutted as the bite had
a good fish written all over it, yet more bites followed to both
tactics and come the end of play Alan had taken four quality roach on
the float, including a new personal best of 1lb 12oz with me taking
three, the best weighing 2lb 8drams. Although far from easy, this is
the sort of venue I like and with a future visit planned and the days
warming up I’m hoping of even better results.
Having put so much effort in to
trickling some bait on a little and often basis on a local water over
the last few months with little to show, most would have given up,
however obviously I’m a gutter for punishment as I grabbed the
night gear in the hope of a red-letter session. Unfortunately come
10pm I was on my way home as Id received just one bite, yet this came
from a 2lb 5oz rudd so I did have a big grin on my face. If a few
more bites were forth coming I would have stayed on but with the
atmospherics still ridiculously high I can only imagine I landed my
feeder on the rudds nose!
The week was rounded of with a trip to
Old Bury Hill in the hope of a big zander, yet I should have known
better as experience has told me that certain weather factors don’t
favour this species. Arriving at 4pm and teaming up with my good
friend Mark we sat it out till 9pm for just one small zander.
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