24 Hr Session on Peg 7 - Supercast Mon 2/6 - 3/6
At last, I seem to have made some progress, in my ongoing attempts to reduce fish losses. Having said that though, the magnificent snag doctoring efforts carried out in Peg 7 by the May work party, must take the lions share of the credit. Nevertheless, a change to a heavier gauge, size 6, barbless, curve shank hook pattern for "hook & hold" tactics seems to have helped, as has a late in the day change from size 8 to size 6 wide gapes for other, less strenuous fishing. Just to illustrate the point, I've attached a photo of a size 8 curve shank Razor hook that was completely opened-out a couple of weeks ago, by a particularly muscular carp that I hooked in the margin. It powered off and shook it's head with tremendous force, leaving me shocked and bewildered, as the mangled end tackle flew back and joined me on the bank, seconds later.
Anyway, back to Monday 2nd June, (which incidentally, would have been my Dad's birthday had he lived beyond June 16th last year). Apparently, not a lot had been caught during the previous week, due to a sudden drop in temperature, following a heatwave. I was fortunate to drop into Peg 7, just as low pressure and warmer temperatures took hold. The result was that I caught steadily from the little bay opposite and the main to the right throughout the day (approximately 1 carp per hour). In contrast the channel to the left produced nothing all day (a negative outcome of snag clearance?) and was consequently swapped over to a bit of margin fishing later (including float fished maggots in the evening).
Here's the log of captures:
10.20 am - 9 lb 0 oz Mirror (Main Bay 40yds).
11.50 am - 15 lb 8 oz Mirror (Ditto).
[13.00 pm - Hook Pull from Opps. Bay]
14.05 pm - 12 lb 4 oz Mirror (Opps. Bay).
[14.20 pm Hook pull @ net - Sm. Common from Opps. Bay].
15.15 pm - 12 lb 2 oz Orange Mirror (Main Bay 40 yds).
15.45 pm - 12 lb 0 oz Mirror (RHS margin).
16.20 pm - 11 lb 0 oz Mirror (Opps. Bay).
[17.20 pm - Hook Pull @ net - Sm Mirror from Main Bay].
17.50 pm - 6 lb 12 oz Mirror (Opps. Bay).
18.45 pm - 15 lb 12 oz Mirror (Ditto).
19.30 pm - 10 lb 8 oz Linear (Ditto).
[19.00 pm - Hook pull on float tackle - RHS Margin].
19.55 pm - 5 lb 14 oz Common - Opps. Bay).
[20.15 pm - Hook Pull from Main Bay]
20.30 pm - 10 lb 4 oz Mirror (Opps. Bay).
20.50 pm - 10 lb 6 oz Mirror (Main Bay 40 yds).
21.10 pm - 10 lb 8 oz Mirror (Ditto).
21.35 pm - 11 lb 8 oz Mirror (Opps. Bay).
21.50 pm - 10 lb 6 oz Common (Main Bay 40 yds).
22.10 pm - 13 lb 4 oz Mirror (Ditto).
23.30 pm - 10 lb 2 oz Mirror (Ditto).
00.40 am - 16 lb 8 oz Linear Mirror (Ditto).
01.30 am - 13 lb 0 oz Mirror (Ditto).
02.05 am - 7 lb 2 oz Common (Opps. Bay).
06.15 am - 15 lb 10 oz Mirror (Main Bay 40 yds).
08.45 am - 11 lb 14 oz Mirror (Ditto).
You will notice that by 2.00 am I had run out of energy and took my rods in to get some much needed sleep, putting them out again at 6.00 am, whereupon action continued.
Also, if you look at the fish losses, the first two were whilst still using size 8 wide gapes, the third and fifth were whilst using size 7 long shank curved hooks for particle fishing, (instead of size 6 heavy gauge curved shanks for boilie fishing) and the fourth was whilst float fishing maggots on finer tackle.
That's it then for this week. I'm planning to be back in a fortnight's time, after a week in Wales, and hopefully the elevated catch rates will continue for a while longer.
Best fishes,