anglergrinder

29/04/09 - Fleets Dam, Barnsley

I visited the Fleets Dam on Wednesday for a days fishing. I decided upon the venue simply because its just down the road and i remember going as a "young un". So what betetr plac to start fishing again after several years absence from the banks? Heres my story.

I turned up at around 10.30am and was immediately met by the bailiff to take my cash. With the day ticket in hand i asked about any hot pegs. He advised pegs 63-65. After a short walk down the bank i chose peg 63.

I started the day looking for some silvers on the waggler, with the intention of also bagging a couple of skimmers, before later in the day going further afield on the feeder for some bream/carp.

After rigging up and feeding my swim with some Sensas Magic mixed with some predator plus and maggots i put my single maggot on no20 hook on the bed. 30 seconds later i got my first bite and was met with a reasonable perch.

Over the next 4 hours i managed to land an extra 17 roach, 3 perch and 2 skimmers. Within this catch was 3 very reasonable roach near to the 1lb mark.

I switched to my feeder a at about 2pm. I decided experimenting with pellets. I used 4mm in my feeder long with my sensas groundbait again, with a 6mm soft hooker (all dynamite baits). I cast out to around 30 metres, and sat waiting.

No more than 5 minutes had passed before my first bite, and it swung the tip right round. There was no doubt it bas a little bigger than the silver fish i had been catching earlier. It didnt give much of a fight though and turned out to be a reasonable weight skimmer.

Once again i cast out only to be met by a huge birds nest on my first few rings.

After 15 minutes of untangling i went to take up the slack in the line and look for bite. But i didnt have to, something wad already self hooked while i was untangling and my line was now angled at 70 degrees to my left, heading towards some low trees and reeds. What followed was a short but nervous battle (on my part) to land my first ever carp. I was chuffed to say the least.

Given my already personal best bag, i decided to carry on fishing, and managed to land a couple more skimmers experimenting with double red maggot with a pellet feed, and lose another carp just short of the bank (on pellet)

All in all a great days fishing, and i would advise anyone to head to the fleets. I am certainly glad i selected it as my location to start fishing again after a few years away.

I was wary at first as i have never really fished with anything other than maggot, but im glad i tried something new on the hook.

anglergrinder

01/05/09 - Birkwood Farm, Wakefield

I arrived late, around 12pm and found a free peg on the main lake.

I decided to feeder fish for silvers on the feeder. Maggots and groundbait.

After a few groundbait casts i put put my hookbait and was rewarded with a skimmer within minutes. Liners came thick and fast from then on but no solid swings of the tip. Only on a fuirther three occasions did i get genuine bites, one of which i missed, the others landing another pair of skimmers. I then had a few hours trying different things to try and get the fish back in my swim, but nothing worked. I packed up and went home after 4 hours and 3 skimmers.

I was rather dissapointed with the venue, the fishing was slow, there were bite alarms going off all around me (caused by the user playing with his line not a fish), and two dead carp in the reeds next to me.

I will return in the coming weeks but will maybe change my approach and go for the carp on pellet, which is what seems to be catching. Or maybe pop my cherry on the method feeder?

All in all a dissapointing day caused by poor tactics on my behalf, dead fish and a few noisy anglers.