Relegation, Wind and Rain
Having been rained off at cricket at mid-day and subsequently relegated from the Lincolnshire Prem the rain continued to hammer down until around 6pm. This gave me chance to get the gear together checked over and set up ready for an evening assault on the Tidal Trent. Having struggled lately in changing conditions and fishing on unfavourable tide times I had the chance to fish later into the night and hopefully trip up a decent fish.
Receiving a fresh batch of slightly altered test bait from Darren at the Hookbait Company the day before, a flavoured groundbait was mix prior to arriving on the bank. Anticipating the water level rising with rain that had fallen earlier in the day and water clarity decreasing I chose to fish large feeders on both rods aiming to get as much scent as possible in the vicinity of the 20mm glugged hook bait.
Marking up both rods with fluro pole elastic to ensure they were fished on the same line I catapulted a few 14mm boilies upstream of the line and balled in the usual mix with added Hookbait Co glug. I recast for the next hour every 10 minutes or so building up a bed of bait. After this initial hour I wanted to start leaving the bait in place for longer catapulting balls of bait over the top. Adding extra scent to the swim I also moulded paste to the inside of the feeder before filling with crushed boilies and plugging with quick break down groundbait mix.
The wind was still causing the rod tips to bank around on the pod and the chain from the swingers swayed violently in the breeze. Regretting not picking up the brolly to get out the wind there was a light drizzle but I sat it out in the ever faithful Northface waterproof.
It was evident that the flavour in the test baits had been enhanced and they certainly held their flavour for much longer than other boilies I have used. Each cast a quick re-glug and they were good to go again breaking down at a very nice rate, just roughing up in appearance and only washing out/lightening up in colour ever so slightly.
At around 9:30 after constantly feeding the swim- little and often for the last 2 hours the upstream rod banged twice and I lifted making up line quickly as the fish came to the bank easily, flicking the head torch on to net the fish the flash of a bronze flanked showed a good size bream of around 5lb had taken a liking to the 20mm bait. Re-bating the rod I had just nicked a PVA bag of micro pellets on the hook in addition to the loaded feeder and poised with rod over my head lining up the silhouette mark on the far bank when the downstream rod bent over double and stripped line, the swinger dropping on its chain as the alarm kicked into a single tone. Lifting the rod the fish felt heavy but then unusually came towards the near bank very quickly, once again I flicked the head torch on when in range to net and seeing the flank of a fish it promptly turned and stripped line as it ran again to the middle of the river. Feeling it's head bang and the power in the second run of the fish I thought I had a carp. Though after gaining control a barbel soon emerged at the surface and slipped over the lip of the net. Climbing back up the slippy wet bank with net in hand the fish was laid on the mat, hook perfectly positioned in the corner of the mouth. Resting the fish in the sling I quickly set up the camera on the tripod and brought the fish back up the bank, kicking in the sling it was clear the fish had recovered well. A quick photograph and weigh and she was soon released fully recovered.
Casting both rods back in on the mark around 15 minutes passed before the slack line was taken up as the swingers dropped and the tide stood still. I have had no success during this phase of the tide. Once again I sat out a period of drizzle more in hope than expectation but as previous experience showed I received no further takes or indications during this period.
With the weather improving over the next week I will aim to be put again giving the baits even more bank time!
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