For 3 days, we had had the most comfortable of fishing, rolling down to the pegs at 1st light, baiting and casting and watching the quiver, whilst rubbing sleep from our eyes!
However, New swims lured us and with only a week, we were all keen to try to fish for large Tench, that local legend AND foretold by Dave Scouse, well before our holiday, held out the hope of more excitement!
I was reminded of the Post on MDs about the pleasure of anticipation, as on Tuesday evening, having broken down and stowed our gear back in the cars for the 1st time since arriving, we gathered in the cold room.
At about 10.00 pm, the 4 of us were eagerly mixing dry crumb with Sweetcorn, Sensas 3000, (Greg’s particular favourite) Archie Braddock’s additive flavouring and the hemp was boiling away.
Maggots, Casters, Meat and Sweetcorn were all being flavoured and prepared, whilst Roach and Bream deadbait, along with Mackerel, were being checked and separated into 4 equal parts.
The Guinness at 2.90 Euros (£1.81) per pint, compared highly favourably with the Wisbech Arms that night, both in price, but more exceptionally so in quality! As we ran over our preparations.
I also reflected, that with our first real drive (all of 10 miles) since arriving, I would need fuel, but with diesel at 70.9 euros per litre (less than 50p!) I wasn’t too concerned and wished again that with the miles I do in England, meeting Maggot Drowners, that we could all share those waters and prices.
Wednesday dawned bright and clear and our convoy arrived at 1st light at the entrance to the Lake.
Parking up top, you descend a very, very steep slope, to arrive at the waterside, in the back of nowhere, after a 3-mile drive down a single way track that follows the course of the R.Erne
There are 4 platforms, built out into the lake, all rickety and in need of repair and waterproof boots are a must, as walking across the planks causes them to dip below the water!
This is mine!
And Greg and Simon shared this one!
The lake is shallow close in, only 3 to 4 ft, and even when casting feeders out a distance, we could not find more than 5 feet.
A boat complete with oars was moored to 1 of the platforms and we could have freely used it to reach the other 3 or 4 platforms visible across the lake, or even fished from it.
The Lake bottom was black, silty and water cabbages grew in profusion, all around the platforms.
This was why we were here!
The Lake was ideal for Tench and holds Specimens in excess of 10 lbs!
Pike to 30 lbs plus are also yielded by it and we had approached it with high hopes of seeing some Big Fish!
Sadly, we needed much more preparation!
We all fished a close in lift rig on the waggler, over a bed of hemp and samples of worm, caster and meat.
Not 1 bite on this line was forthcoming during the period from Dawn to 12.00, which time is legendary for this Lake to switch off.
On the longer line, we feeder fed Hemp and Caster with Sweetcorn and all caught the occasional Rudd on maggot.
We all failed to get a bite with any other hookbait and the 3 of us (Dean didn’t set one up) who fished for Pike, failed to get a run!
By 2.00 pm, Greg (who had taken the Girls up to his house in the North on Monday evening) decided to pack up and collect them early, so as to be ready for a different water on Thursday and duly left with Dean riding Shotgun.
Simon and I fished until 6.00 pm, but then called it a day, as we also knew tomorrow would be different.
Why did the Tench not move!
Well, in our debriefing, we decided that we were too early in the season for the Fish that are definitely there!
We should have raked some swims and cleared patches of those cabbages, pre-baited and left alone for a day or two, well before fishing it.
A German lad, living in the house at the top of the lane, where his parents moved 2 years ago, told us we were the 1st people he had seen, not spinning for Pike, this year.
Incidentally, he arrived with a bucket containing 6 small and one 2lb Bream!!
He has made it his mission to stock the water with Bream that he catches from the adjacent Erne!
Almost like having your own Lake in the Garden!
The Curse reminded me that it still was able to strike unexpectedly and decided to put me in my place!
As I ferried kit across the rickety plank of my platform, I heard a slight plop!!!
It transpired that my glasses had fallen out of my top pocket and despite several attempts to retrieve them with various landing nets (shades of Wendy) there they remained.
If anyone catches a Tench wearing Brown Spectacles from the Lake, could you please E-Mail me!!
Packing and getting that kit up the hill, just about killed me, but as I left, I resolved that with what I had now learned of the Lake, I would be back in June and then we’ll see!!
. Thursday it RAINED!!!
We arrived on an amazing stretch of the River Erne at 1st light, with a dull grey day (not too cold) and a persistent drizzle that, whilst not heavy, quickly permeated every crack in your clothing, leaving everyone damp!
The Erne, on a long sweeping bend at this point (Martin will recognise this area) has eroded a great Oxbow type Lough.
Close in are reeds and Lilies, a great Tench holding area. Small bushes and sunken trees giving Pike cover and at varying distances out, the fresh invigorating River current, holding Roach, Perch and Bream, all in layered distances.
The River was so low, that the current actually backed up at times and could even change direction!
Again, a well known area, we were the 1st UK Anglers this year to fish it, according to an Englishman who settled in the area some 25 years ago and called in after seeing our cars by the roadside.
I again, chose the far left swim, as it smelled of a Pike patrol to me, whilst the other 3 were happy to fall straight off the road onto the pegs (Well they had my gear to carry as well as their own!!) Pippi had decided to join us and try for her 1st ever fish and Greg set her up a light feeder rod.
Look at those Reeds for Pike Patrol!
And straight ahead
And looking Right
Setting up exactly as yesterday, A Pike rod out left, light waggler close in and the feeder on a medium quiver tip, I opted for the feeder 1st and in 3 successive casts landed 3 prime roach between 8 and 12 ounces!
A perch followed and then another roach and the drizzle didn’t seem as bad as it had when we arrived!
A squeal of delight from my right indicated that Pippi had caught her 1st fish and it seemed fair recompense for the barbel I caught in Germany whilst visiting her last month!
Dean was talking 19 to the dozen in his totally incomprehensible Northern Irish Brogue, so he was catching! And Greg and Simon were a picture of concentration as they regularly caught on the tip!
Yesterday was a memory and we were back in the happy land of success!
I now digress, for a brief tale of the total Irish package!
My flask was empty! so I decided to pop 3 miles into Belturbet for a refill and a welcome break. I took my flask and Simons and parked outside ‘The Widows Bar’
Entering, I was 1 of just 3 customers and ordered from the barmaid, 1 Coffee, 1 Brandy, 1 pint of Guinness and can you refill these two flasks please love?
‘Sure’ she replied, and I received in order, the brandy, then the coffee, (in which I tipped 2/3rds of the very large measure of Brandy) and finally the Guinness.
Meanwhile I was deep in conversation with the other 2 inhabitants of the bar.
One turned out to be a Cavan man, but living in Finchley, the 2nd a Londoner working in Cavan?
They could see I was fishing, and when I replied ‘Tench’ to the question ‘What would you most like to catch’, both referred me immediately to the lake we were unsuccessful at yesterday!!!
When my 2 flasks, each containing 5 cups of coffee finally appeared, they also came with a query!
‘And what would I be charging you for these? ‘ Asked the barmaid!
‘” I don’t know, love” I replied, “It’s up to you, you’re serving”
“ Ah well” she said,” I’ll do them as minerals”
1 Brandy, 1 Coffee, Pint Guinness, 2 Flasks full of hot coffee 10.60 Euros! (£6.55)
Value or what?
Returning to the river, I happily caught on the feeder, without hitting a run and with each fish varying between Roach, Perch and Bream, although my Bream were smaller than the other 4 were hitting.
At about 4.00, Greg wandered down to have a chat and see my intentions for finishing, as he was happily switching between waggler and feeder, dependent on current and catching continuously and hoping to stay late.
I was happy to agree, although my feelings were to give myself more time to tackle down at dusk, as although catching, I was not enjoying their quality
Just then the buzzer on my Pike rod burst into life! The drop back indicator fell off and line hissed out from my bait runner Dynadrag.
The run stopped as I reached the rod! I picked it up, counted to 5 and slowly wound down after manually flicking the bait runner lever closed.
A small tug was enough! I struck and had the sheer joy of feeling the rod meet resistance, tighten and bend into a River Erne Pike.
Well, He was only 4 to 5 lbs as you can see!
But! Importantly, he fought well, gave me a couple of runs, even on 14 lbs line and more importantly was witnessed from start to finish by my son Greg!
More on that later.
So, my swim choice was justified, I caught my River Pike, using a 6 oz Bream that I had caught earlier in the week and a hand prepared, popped up small double treble size 10 barbless zander rig, that I had made especially for my visit to Martin in the Fens!
I was content.
We fished until well after dusk, as these pictures show!
Here’s Greg with a nice brace of Bream
Pippi’s Bag, A great effort for the 1st time out. She doesn’t know much and was instructed to hit every movement of the tip. Greg swears blind that she hit more than he did as, with ‘experience’ he often left the bites to develop (and they often didn’t)
Late on (as usual) Greg caught this Bream, which turned out to be best of the day!
And so, in the dark, we set off home, pleasantly weary, satisfied each with our own highlights and resolved to finish our week on Friday back at Eonish Lodge for comfort, quality Bream and reminiscing.
I’ll try and tell you of those highlights soon.
Cheers
Trev