24 Hr Session on Peg 7 - Supercast Mon 19/5 - 20/5

Ever had one of those sessions when, from the moment a baited rig enters the watery world below, things start to go wrong, and the more effort that is put into correcting matters, the more circumstances seem to kick back?

Well, my session on Monday was certainly of that order. Don't get me wrong, it was a glorious sunny day and I did put 14 carp on the bank, so I have much to celebrate! It's just that I hate losing fish, and losing no less than 15 carp really got to the very core of my soul. Actually, in hindsight, given that on Wednesday a work party concentrated it's efforts on the Supercast Peg, the timing was spot-on, because it all helped to focus the work more effectively - and significant improvements to fish safety have no doubt been made, in terms of removing obvious snags, underwater debris, trailing lines and protruding branches etc.

For the sake of clarity, I'll present two catch logs, one for the successes and one for the losses. That way I can analyses the losses and hopefully, come up with some lessons learned. Here are the successes:

07.50 - 9 lb 14 oz Common (Bay opps. 20yds).

08.55 - 12 lb 0 oz Common (Main bay 40 yds).

11.30 - 10 lb 0 oz Mirror (RHS margin).

14.35 - 12 lb 2 oz Mirror (LHS channel).

17.25 - 9 lb 2 oz Common (LHS channel).

20.20 - 10 lb 8 oz Common (LHS channel).

20.55 - 7 lb 4 oz Common (LHS channel).

23.00 - 5 lb 4 oz Mirror (Bay opps. 20 yds).

23.15 - 5 lb 0 oz Common (Bay opps. 20 yds).

23.35 - 6 lb 2 oz Leather (Bay opps. 20 yds).

00.10 - 10 lb 4 oz Leather (Bay opps. 20 yds).

01.40 - 16 lb 2 oz Common (LHS channel).

04.45 - 5 lb 2 oz Common (Bay opps. 20 yds).

05.30 15 lb 12 oz Grey Mirror (Main bay 40 yds).

And here are the losses:

08.20 - Canada Goose flew into line whilst playing carp. Hook pulled.

12.20 - Hook opened out (RHS margin).

12.45 - Sm Mirror trailing branch - line parted (Carp from LHS channel).

15.45 - Carp lost in branches between LHS islands.

18.20 - Ditto.

18.35 - Sm Common trailing stump - line parted (Carp from LHS channel).

18.50 - Hook pull (Carp from opps bay).

19.50 - Hook pull at net (Carp from main bay).

20.15 - Carp caught in trailing line from opps bay).

20.45 - Ditto.

21.30 - Foul hooked carp (from LHS channel).

22.30 - Carp caught in trailing line from opps bay).

01.00 - Hook pull (Carp from opps bay).

02.40 - Decent carp lost round small island on RHS.

06.30 - Hook pull at net (Carp from opps bay).

Looking at those 15 losses, it is apparent that the trailing line (and associated bunch of twigs) suspended in the opposite bay, may actually have accounted for as many as 5 of the losses. Branch/stump debris in the LHS bay and branches protruding between the LHS islands may have accounted for a further 3 or 4; and the RHS mini island was responsible for one more.

Hopefully, the magnificent work undertaken by the work party has removed all of those risks, as well as many others. Of course, there's not a lot one can do to prevent wild foul from flying into one lines (apart from blasting them with a 12-bore shotgun!) and the odd foul-hooked carp or opened hook is to be expected. Hook pulls are still a matter of concern though, but I note that most of them on this occasion, were not related to a 'hook and hold' situations; hence a size 8 hook was in use, rather than the more beefy size 6's I now use for high tension tactics.

So there you have it, a rather memorable session that, despite its frustrations, in its own way, may have helped to make things a little better for us all in future.

Best fishes,

Kelvin