Mallets!
I have to admit that once the sun comes
out and the nights are warmer I have to steer clear of commercial or
popular club waters as I just cannot put up with tent pegs being
hammered into hardcore swims. I remember a few years ago when set up
for the night at a local club water. My shelter for the night was a
simple oval with the groundsheet fixed to the Velcro’s attachments.
No tent pegs were needed, in fact I rarely if ever use pegs to pin
down my oval as a couple of good storm poles is nearly always all
that are needed, screw ones that go in even the hardest of swim
constructions easily with the use of a small twisting bar. I was
looking forward to a relaxing night, with a few fish, however a group
of anglers turned up ready for a 48hr session. With absolutely no
respect to the other anglers around they proceeded to erect their
shelters that took for ever and the constant malleting almost drew me
to breaking point. I really should have moved to the opposite side of
the lake as any fish within a few hundred yards would have headed
that way, probably with metal hats on. That night no one caught a
fish, which wasn’t surprising and almost certainly down to the
building site construction work carried out that evening.
I can’t put all the blame on anglers
as some just don’t realise what they are doing, more looking
forward to a few days out in the open air than experiencing a
red-letter day. Some blame has to be pointed towards the construction
of the swims as these seem to be built with a few feet of hardcore
beneath them, great in a way as these will last a lifetime, yet if a
small square could be built into either side of these swims, large
enough to insert banksticks easily much of the malleting could be
avoided and if a specific area to the rear/side of the swim could be
constructed of more penetrable material then shelters for long stay
anglers could be erected without interfering with other anglers
targeting the margins. If you have to use a mallet, then please use a
rubber top one.
For now though and until the winter
sets in and the hoards of carp campers retreat from my local venues
it’s the Thames for me.
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