Jack Brown plays........

A Wizard Fish

We generally have a few old characters coming in to the shop, and we are always entertained by their regular fishy stories. One fellow in particular is renowned for his mispronunciation of words, for instance... he has a Dwaia rod with a Shimani reel, and the rod has a dodgy furrel.

 Well he's told us today that he hooked a Sturgeon (Sterlet ?) at a commercial fishery at the weekend and when he gave it some pressure it leapt from the water like a "Merlin".....I wonder if the lake was anywhere near Camelot !!!

So Many Waters, So Little Time.

It's been a while, I know, there are periods when you should be waterside, conditions are correct and you just know where they'll be and what will catch them. The 'stuff' of life gets in the way sometimes. We get bogged down with the flotsam and jetsam of day to day demands and the work just has to be put in.
I'm lucky in many respect to have access to as much fishing as one Intrepid Piscator could dream of, alas,I am what a quirky American might call "time deprived". I really haven't been on the banks nearly as much as I would wish, so what have I to say for myself ?
 Firstly, my quest for the Common will continue and I've booked some time away from the shop to have a couple of sessions soon. I have also been given kind permission to fish some more at the 'Dog Bone' lake. Also, In early October I will be priveleged to once more cast a line into the mysterious depths of that fabled pool..Redmire.
 Carp seem to have devoured my angling life this year, I will be field testing a new bait for 'Browns Angling' in the cooler months and my winter fishing will be on a CEMEX run lake in pursuit of another stunning fish.
 I have rejoined my river syndicate and will try my hand at extracting a pb Perch sometime....time, oh time.
 I did manage a cheeky midweek overnighter, only my second night this year on the particular lake.
As I rolled up to what I'd foolishly hoped would be an empty Car Park, my first feeling was one of disappointment.....two other anglers on the lake.
 I had a quick scout around, not stopping for chat, eyes peeled for signs.
 Fortunately both anglers were comfortable with the wind behind them in their oversized bivvies probably watching DVD's or sleeping, to notice me....or the fish that were topping in an area on the other side of the lake. "That'll do for old Gurn, I thought" and I dropped a bucket in the swim as a 'claim'.
 Whilst walking away I heard a lage Carp crash and turning around saw a flat spot out in the lake, "That's one rod sorted", I thought, and walked a bit faster to get the gear.

First things first then, set up the rods and cast one to the spot and another to a plateau at aroung 60 yards, I was fishing and no-one even knew I was there.
 I sat and watched the lake for around forty minutes and the area in front of me definitely had a few Carp present. I may have even seen the biggest Carp in the lake come out right in front of the swim, a fish I had caught last year.
 The bailiff showed up seeming a little perplexed at the ramshackle state of my swim.
 I explained that the rods just had to go out immediately and everything else had just been dumped in the swim pending setting up .
 I pointed to the area I'd baited on the left rod and exclaimed that if I didn't catch a fish off of it I'd hang my rods up and go into angling retirement. He laughed and just a he did so, a Carp rolled on the very spot. He wished me luck as he left me to continue to set up base.

Once sorted, I entered the time honoured ritual and 'Steve' the kettle was stuck on the Primus as I sat back and drunk in the sounds and sights that are my escape from the 'stuff'.
 Night  fell and I was suprised I'd not received a pick-up yet, in fact I had to wait until 11pm for that left hand Stevie Neville to burst into a song and shatter the silent aire of the lake.
 Up and at it then, I felt that satifying 'thump thump' that only a fish hooked at range gives as I struck into it.
 It is one of my favourite things, to be stood alone doing battle with a Carp, and you're the only one that knows.
 With little drama a fine Mirror of over 20lb graced the net..

One quick snap and he was soon on his way.

 As I sat awake, watching over the lake I counted no less than twenty Carp topping, a couple of hours later the same rod was away and and once again I struck into resistance, this fish felt more dogged and determined to stay deep, unfortunately after about a minute the line fell slack, I'd been cut off, "Mussels, damned Mussels"...what can you do about them.

 That was to be my last action of the night, at least I didn't have to retire !!

As the morning progressed and I hauled my kit back to the Car Park, one of the fellas from the other side of the lake came over.." I can't believe how quiet it was last night " he said.