Getting older has some good and some bad bits, one bad bit is not getting enough sleep then, trying to get up in the morning early, by early I mean before 7am. Today was one of those days, I saw the clock at 6.55am but turned over knowing full well the consequence would be a later start. Today I wanted to try for some of the silver fish at Hallcroft, on a lake I have seen some better roach come out in the summer to pleasure anglers. So after a big breakfast, tea and flask made, a nice stone bread sandwich with cheese and pickle done, I set off.
Croft is a small lake on the complex maybe an acre but full of fish, all sorts as I was to discover. I managed to get a swim out of the cold wind, but with sun and calm water in front of me. I set up a 2 gram Sensas float for fishing on the bottom with bulk shot and two number 8s droppers, positive. I got the set up and floats from this winter roach video below.
I started with a small amount of groundbait, laced with hemp and corn, not wanting to attract carp with too much food. There were only two other anglers on the lake, one in a spot I fancied myself today against some rushes. I started to catch perch, nice net fillers of around 6 oz and a little bigger. After maybe 20 such fish I changed rig to a .5 gram float fished through the water, shotted with no8s right through the rig, I still caught perch, some bigger almost a pound in weight, but no roach sadly. While this was fun on the 6 Aqua elastic and .09 bottom where the roach?
The day wore on, and despite what-ever I tried the perch dominated with the very odd skimmer and roach. I had maybe forty perch from 3oz to a pound all on maggots. When I changed baits, the bites dried up for long periods? Around time it was getting dusk, I hooked what I thought might be a big perch. It was the first big fish I’d hooked on the light elastic and fine hook-link. I simply let the fish go back and forth, little runs, then sulking under the rod tip. Finally I netted a nice common carp of about 7/8 pound, I was really chuffed to be honest. Disappointed to only catch perch (as much as i love perch) and no roach I was expecting, and the landing of a good fish on fine tackle. All told I was content, but will try another lake just to see.
Oddly the guy by the rushes fished in the margins all day, clearly after the carp. I did not see hime take one fish, each to their own, but surly fishing for all sorts at this time of the year does not preclude catching carp does it? I did see the other young lad hook a nice fish but lost it, its does happen unfortunately? I always feel for people that sit it out then lose a nice fish, but I’m sure his time will come.
