Session #23 Pattenden, First Double Figure Fish

I headed to Pattenden even though there was pretty high winds. I thought there should be enough cover to fish and I was right. The only thing was there was nit much action on the surface. I tried to get the fish to an area but only one turned up just after I arrived. I managed to cast near the carp but it didn't properly take the fly and then swam away again.

After a while I left the carp for some Perch. I put on a tinselled gold headed nymph. I started casting. I sat on the bank and carried on casting out. I then cast along the margins and first cast there I hit into something big. It surfaced and was a big common carp appeared. It took about 8 minutes to land, which was fun. I had to unzipped my unhooking mat, get my sling ready and land the fish all at the same time. I managed the land the carp and the hook came out in the net shush was great. I got a few pictures and then weighed it. It was definitely the biggest I had caught. It weighed in at 13lb with the sling which is 1/2lb, so it was 12lb 8oz!!! So this was my first double figure fish ever, how cool was I feeling ;).

After weighing it was returned very quickly and carefully.

Common Carp with a slight gammy fin

The rest of the evening was spent trying to catch Perch, but I didn't get another nick all night.

I headed off head held high.

Session #21 - Pattenden Lane CADAC Lake

I headed over to Pattenden Lake with Tony with the aim to use dog biscuits to catch top feeding carp. The method being to get them in a competitive state and then chuck in the fly and then BAM, one on the line.

Well we started well, but then started to individually target the fish. We found a spot on the lake to where the carp and tench were sunning themselves and threw in a few biscuits.

Tony then disappeared around to another edge of the lake and with in 5 minutes was into a decent fish. Once landed he had a lovely looking Tench of about 1.75-2lbs in weight (not weighed so we are guessing here).

Tony with Tench

This was promptly put back after a few snaps and we moved around the lake pursuing the Carp. Tony moved around the next corner and with in about 10 minutes had a rod bender on. It was heading to the bottom of the lake with a lot of effort. After about 3-4 minutes of holding his ground he turned the Common Carp to the surface and we landed the carp that just fitted into the trout net.

Tony with Carp

We will have to take the proper size net next time as anything bigger... This one was weighed and came in just shy of 9lb and was in lovely condition. Tony looked like the Cheshire cat with the grin he had and well deserved.

Things calmed down and the fish started to move out to the middle of the lake and so I headed to the starting position with a bit more casting room. Tony headed off around the lake chatting to the other fisher folk. After a while he changed flies to a tiny size 18 hook and caught the smallest roach in the world me thinks. There is no picture, it was just too small.

I threw a few biscuits and the carp started feeding and they got startled every time they touch my best dog biscuit fly I had tied. There was some very big carp having a test on the fly including what must have been an easy double mirror carp.

After a while I changed to a red and green berry imitation I had tied and started to get some interest on that too.

I cast about 12ft from the bank and a tench came round and manoeuvre directly under the fly. It nudged it and jumped away. And just as I thought that was it, it came back and gave it a few more taps. Then on the fourth investigation, it took the fly and, after about 2 seconds, I struck and he was on! With the help of Tony I landed it and it another Tench of about 1.75-2lb, although it was definitely bigger than Tony's... This was new species #1 of the night.

Tench

Tony's skills with the camera and my handling made a poor picture, but I have proof, WHOOP

The light dimmed down and after no action or interest for a while I switched to a green damsel fly with a tinsel top and had a crack at Perch. On my third cast I hit in to the whopper you see below. This was new species #2 of the night.

Perch

Not long after we packed up and headed home feeling quite happy with ourselves. Not bad for a first day out at new water, and a club one at that.