Up and out early this morning and after a very painful fuel stop I arrived at statham pool for 5am. The sun still hadn't broken over the trees on the Eastern bank and the pool had a thick layer of mist across its surface. Unsurprisingly I had the pool to myself.
After choosing a swim on the southwest of the pool, I went and unloaded the truck, deciding to travel lighter than usual as the narrow, high track around the pool may have been awkward for the barrow.
ESSENTIALS
even though i was travelling lighter than usual i knew i still needed a few things to make the day more comfortable. With a drainage ditch (like a swamp) runnig through the wood to the east the pool, it holds quite a few mozzies. It was also going to be bright and hot.
The carp rod was setup first as I noticed them in the pads to the right of my swim. I soon had them slurping bread but I never actually got to fish for them as I noticed others were also spawning.
PREPARATION
my next priority was to remove some stray lily pads and weeds from the channel in the swim. It was time to unleash Poseidons lawnmower©
It worked a treat. It even gave a few clues as to what lay beneath the surface...
After the swim was raked I baited a spot along the edge of the pads with scopex flavoured micros and a few maggots before leaving it to settle down. My float rod was setup in this time. The setup consisted of a 10ft rod and 3000 size reel with 5lb mainline. A 2bb float on an adapter and hooklengths/ hooks from 12-18 and .15-.16ø depending on bait.
ACTION
It wasn't long after setting depth and adding bait that small roach and perch began to show. One a chuck on maggot and worm.
BUT NOT ALL WAS WELL...
After around 30 minutes of catching an almighty explosion went off in the swim when retrieving a small roach. I assumed it was the spawning carp, until i lowered my polarising glasses. Then I saw it...
Poseidons lawnmower© wasn't the only toothed beast in the swim!
From that moment on every silver became a target from multiple little demons on both sides of the swim. One roach was stolen along with the hooklength and I ended up having to swing them in and throw them between the pads to get them back safely.
A few minutes later the stolen roach surfaced obviously injured and on its last fins! This gave me an idea...
HUNT THE HUNTER
I had a small lure hanging from my rear view mirror in the truck as a garnish. I went and got the trace, removed the lure and attached a size 6 carp hook to the snap link on the trace the now deceased roach was hooked and the trace attached to the carp rod. Time for the predator to become the prey...
He was safely relocated at the other end of the pool and the float fishing was back on. Unfortunately it didn't last long before a new villain would show up. Again the same roach was used to trip him up.
A few good fish followed...
But unfortunately so did the Jack's. I repeated the procedure with another two pike before deciding to call it a day when I spotted a fifth larger one move into the swim. I didn't think it fair to have them keep running the gauntlet.
All said and done it wasn't what I had expected but it certainly wasn't a bad day either. I now know my winter pike venue plus I also managed to get a few nature shots in...