Coarse Trip

I should probably call this "Mikes grand day out".......

We left at midday for our local pond, armed with light gear for roach hunting.

It was very cold, so thermals and layers were packed on. Thankfully it wasn't windy.

We huddled under my bivvy out of the cold, drinking tea, with both pairs of light leger kit out to the left (me) and right (mike).

All rods used a combination of small boillies, with either a small maggot feeder or small breadcrumb feeder to just add the smallest amount of attractant. No feed was thrown in.

To cut a long story short, it rained like hell for 5 mins, then hailed, then snowed for another 5, then stopped and a cold winter sun came out.....briefly....to be overcast again.

I only had a couple of small roach all day, and they were only when I drowned a couple of maggots to induce a bite, but I had a steam train run from the margin, which I hooked into. It was a heavy fish, probably a carp, but my knot on the end rig gave out, and I lost the lot - NOT happy.

Later, I had a great run, which again I hooked into. I reckoned from the more gentle plodding and plucking that it was a tench, of good size too, but then all went slack and I discovered my hook knot had broken - even LESS happy - Grrrrrr!!!!!

The knot had been my fault, but a pre-tied hooklilnk failing on a smaller fish wasn't.

Most infuriating.

Mike had a very different day.....

He must have been on the right spot, as through the day, he had 2 carp, one in amazing winter orange colours, the other a common carp, which is stunning as in 7 years fishing this pond, Ive never seen one come out. Maybe its the only one? :-)

Then he had a stream of bites, resulting in 4 perfect skimmer bream of about a pound each (slimy things bream- I hate them).

THEN the jammy bugger had the target species - a Roach!

Stunning silver armour shining, at 1lb 6ozs.

As if that wasn't enough, one rod flung into the margin in very shallow water, produced a tench. In the coldest weather we've known so far this winter, he catches a bloody tench!

All 4lb 8ozs of beautiful green silk.

So, after all this, what did I learn?
Check my knots Twice.

When we settle down to fish, make Mike swap swims.