Sat. 20th October 2012
It was a bright sunny day and it didn't look perchy at all. An afternoon session it was to be. Kit in car, maggots in bucket and off I went.
An hour spent trying to catch bait highlighted something interesting. I struggled to catch in all but the peg I've been catching bait in previously, where it was a bite a cast from the off. Weird. If it is a good area for bait fish I wonder if it is also a good area for the big predatory perch I hope are in the pond. More on that later.
The usual swim, the usual bait, the usual rig - paternoster. Nothing. The sun was blaring and the sky was blue. Looking across towards the island was a heavily tree-lined area with a large tree branch in the water. It was looking dark gloomy and inviting. So off I went.
I had a bite roughly every half hour, missing three or four, until one connected. The one that connected came off near the net, and looked about a pound. It's not even funny anymore, what is with these missed bites. After that, the swim died, the sun went behind the trees and the bait swim looked good for dusk.
As the sun set and the light values looked superb, I had a take, strike, bumped off, nice perch chased what must have been my hookbait through the surface layers. Damn it! No more action.
Sun. 28th October 2012
I arrived mid-morning, empty carpark as usual. Lovely gloomy day, drizzle in the air, and perch waiting to get caught. I got a bit carried away catching bait, with some clonking roach and a perch on maggots coming to the net. Also lost what I hope was a carp - hate to think it was a decent perch.
Bait bucket full, I cast out proper and awaited events while enjoying a brew. Nothing happened after 45minutes or so, which was unusual given the conditions and past form for the peg. Usually I would have missed or lost several by now! Maybe it was the cold that had moved in on Friday.
I decided to move over to the shadey island swim. After an hour or so, with float right next to overhanging branches, I got what I thought was a take, but I think the fish let go before I struck. I went to fetch my brolly and the rest of the gear to sit it out in this swim.
An hour or so later and the float went berserk before bobbing away. A firm strike and the fish was on. Yes, that's right, the fish was on! In the net went a lovely perch of around a pound or so, I didn't weigh it. Beautiful fish.
No more bites materialised, so I decided to fish into dusk in a spot I'd not tried yet, a lovely corner swim with an overhanging willow, and 6 feet of water. I didn't have to wait long for a bite, but the strike sent my rig in to the over-head tree and it was missing the paternoster link. I tie it with a weak knot in case it snags up, assume the lead was caught on a twig or something.
Out went a fresh bait, and after half an hour the float did it's berserk then sinking trick. The strike met resistance and another fish was on. Yep, that's a 2:1 bite success rate - unheard of for me! The perch was slightly smaller but no less welcome or pretty. No more action.
Here's what I think. The recent cold weather put the smaller perch - of which there are plenty - off chasing fish. Leaving the bigger perch to take my baits. I reckon the majority of missed bites were smaller perch not getting hold of my baits properly.
I'm confused though about why the bait swim is so good for catching bait, but, despite early success, now seems to have quietened down. Also, I'm concerned that I've not connected with anything over 2lb. I wonder if this is the water I'm after. I'm going to persevere with the place, might try prawns and / or deadbaits. Also curious to know if the deeper water is where the better perch sit, waiting for the right time to strike. The pool isn't especially turbid, especially now the weather has cooled, so maybe that's worth a try.
Best fishes!
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