3/06/2007

I reached the water at 6.30am, my usual swim in the lake I know as Ekete which is actually a Lithuanian word that describes the hole that ice fishermen use to get to the water in winter.  Having recently looked at a map I am not now entirely convinced this is really the name of the lake… but no matter!  The swim is virtually entirely of my own construction, I started fishing the spot back in early May before the banks became overgrown and the lily’s had begun to poke their green fleshy boat like leaves above the surface and since then have raked the area when necessary to ensure a swim wide enough for two rods.

I had decided on a tactical change for this session, normally I fish a float rig and a ledger but as many of the ledger bites were too fussy to hit I elected in stead to fish a second, heavier float rig with a size 12 hook at around an inch over depth.  (I would perhaps of preferred a size 14 but am still showing a deal of caution as I don’t actually know what the lake holds, I have already had both Tench and Bream to around a pound and a half and I have seen what I think were the signs of Carp).

The session didn’t get off to the best of starts with the sun rising above the trees on the opposite bank rendering it almost impossible to see either floats but as the sun slowly moved higher and further round I gradually got into my stride and the fish began to come.

Over half of the catch was made up of nice hand sized Roach and Rudd, not specimens but an enjoyable catch.  This was not a day for burning the record books or going home excited about a fabulous day’s sport, it was a solid catch at around 20 fish an hour so that by the time I toddled off for my sausage and mash I had 133 fish across 4 species (Bream, Roach, Rudd and Perch).

What was pleasing was the success of my change in tactic with the heavier float rig.  On this rod I baited for most of the session with something similar to Spam but in addition has a slightly garlic taste and smell and saw a number of nice Bream to exactly 1LB come to the net throughout the session.  I had hoped to see some more Tench but alas this time it was not to be.

In summary a good morning’s entertainment on a pretty hot day in June, nothing more and certainly no less!