Byers Farm 19/03/11

I managed to negotiate a few hours fishing on Saturday and decided to go Byers Farm for a session. I'd wanted to try somewhere new but couldn't make my mind up where to try and was mindful of the fact I had to be home by 3pm.

A friend had fished the bottom lake a few weeks ago and had caught a few decent carp along with a bag full of roach so I set my alarm for 7.30am with the hope that I would be fishing by 8.30am at the latest. Unfortunately I slept through my alarm and its reminders and only got to the lake at 10am! I'd been told meat had worked well for my friend and in the past maggots had worked well for me. In my rush to get to the lake I didn't check my box and just presumed I had a tin of meat and decided I didn't have time for maggots.

I got to the lake at 10am and discovered that I had no meat(!) never mind I thought I had corn, soft 4mm green fishmeal pellets, bread and that bag of halibut pellets that I used at Fairhaven. Went to pay with the £10 I thought I had but in fact it was only £5! So I could only fish one rod, I had hoped to use the pole and have a sleeper rod with a bigger bait on, today wasn't going well!!! But the sun was out and my favourite peg was free.

I started by throwing two large handfuls of the green 4mm feeder pellet in by the dead tree along with a handful of corn. I set up a pre-made "margin float" rig with a size 12 hook, which I thought was a little large but as I was using corn(and I'd hoped meat) and aiming for the carp I thought it would be ok. Last year I had been snapped numerous times when I first fished here so didn't want to set up too light.
I was getting bites and nibbles on corn almost immediatly and within 15mins had my first fish.

A small roach.

The bites/pestering of my bait continued throughout the day and although I fed quite heavily about 10-20 pellets most put ins with the odd bit of corn I was struggling to get into anything big. I tried double corn, paste, worm and even a large piece of my pork pie but only small fry! I was also struggling with the small fish actually taking the bait. So switched the size 12 hook for a 16. This seemed to help make the bites more positive and resulted in a nice skimmer.

The sun had been obstructed by large grey clouds for the majority of the afternoon and with 3pm looming I was thinking that I was going to end the day cold and without a carp when the float went under and after a little resisitance this nice sized crucian came to the net.

I unhooked the crucian put another piece of corn on the hook and threw it out under my feet while I put the disgorger back. I picked up my top 2 section to begin shipping out when my line went tight! I had hooked into this small carp.

It gave a nice little fight and finished the day off well. I finished with about 15 small roach, 2 skimmers the crucian and the small common. Not bad but I had hoped for better. The guy on the peg behind me had started to catch nice sized carp at around 2pm. When I left at 3.15pm he had 5 between 1-5lb all caught on prawn about a meter out next to some reeds. The pond has an island that you can fish from and I think they patrol this island, and appear to have a taste for prawn! Also at this time of the year I have noticed that the bigger fish seem to wake up around 2/3pm they did at German Lane and again today my biggest fish came near the end of my day. Lessons learnt include:

1. Decide where you are going in advance so you can plan your baits and methods needed.
2. Actually check your box for said baits, dont assume they are there!!
3. Take enough money so you can fish with 2 rods or buy meat/prawns off other anglers!!
4. Have a big lie in and go fishing in the afternoon once the bigger fish have also woke up.

Fingers crossed I can get out on Wednesday this week and put right some of Saturdays misakes?
Until then, tight lines.
The Maggot Dangler