The Continuing Adventures of the Fluff Club, Epiode 13
The names are
disguised and the places un-named, to protect the innocent.
Until February we had a mainly mild winter, even by the south's standards. Then it got colder and we finally had some frosts, continuing into March. The last week or so has seen a deal of rain too, but today looked promising with pale sunlight battling the light morning fog patches as I drove to the venue. Arriving in the car park beside the lodge I killed the stereo and the engine, and found the Professor kitting-up, he told me that the lnspector was already fishing. At over an hour's drive I didn't think we'd see a full complement of the Fluff Club homies show up, but as I tackled-up Dell-boy turned up with the Lumberjack, shortly afterward followed by Jackdaw. Six of us, not too bad, despite the low mutterings about no-where en route handy for a breakfast, reminding me of the saying 'an army marches on its stomach'.
The chap taking the spondoolicks suggested today's special offers: buy a 2-fish ticket and take 3, or buy a 4-fish ticket and take 5. I wondered if I should haggle for two 2-fish tickets so I could take a total of 6 but thought better of it. Given the cold east wind and the slight colour in the water I thought trying to catch 5 might be a tall order, but I paid up and headed out.
This fishery (visited in episode 7) boasts two lakes (ponds), the larger one being more mature by some years, plus also a lot of bank on the upper river Avon, as well as the C&R pond. Most anglers seem to stick to fishing around the big lake, rarely trying the alternatives. The river fishing can be superb, and despite the level being high today one visitor did head downstream to the lower beat.
I had decided to start with a Damsel on a glass line so headed for the far end where the outlet makes its way back upstream and into the river, a neat feat of engineering. I tried a few places but kept snagging weed, eventually nearing the outlet corner. I had a snatch take in the channel between my bank and the near end of the island but missed: "Drat ... Bother" or words to that effect. Because of the cold wind I thought a lure fished deep might be the key so I switched to my trusty CW with the hint of pink in the marabou. The Inspector and the Lumberjack were both fishing around the corner to my left, that same corner where most of the Fluff Boys bagged up on our last visit. The fly change did the trick and my first Rainbow was in the net after a couple of minutes. That was followed by a second a couple of casts later. The guys called across, asking me what pattern I was fishing, when I struck into my third fish they moved away, complaining I was making it look easy.
The Inspector had been trying for a couple of trout swirling and cavorting out near the island, but had given up as they seemed more intent on sex than feeding. I decided to try that spot and moved round. It was a longish cast, by my duffer standards, but on the third chuck I had a take and my fourth trout was soon safely in the bass bag. They were like peas in a pod, all just around the two pound mark.
I had promised mission control I wouldn't be late back, so decided to change to a floating line as I wanted to try a new Blob I had tied, fished static under an indicator as recommended by that talented lad Ben Beckwith for just this fishery.
First, though, I needed a cup of coffee so I headed for the lodge and the wood burner's warmth. Surprisingly there was cake left over from a corporate event the day before ... Very nice too!
Revived I headed out again, the new set up with the Blob about 30 inches below a stick-on foam indicator. I had the craic with the Inspector, Dell-boy, and Jackdaw, who were fishing together close to the inlet corner which had already seen an angling couple bagging-up earlier. Further along was the Professor, who told me he had been getting tap-takes but not hooking-up. Past him in the area near the two islands the brisk breeze was putting a nice chop on the surface, which I thought might be perfect for the method and fly I wanted to try. Over towards the island there was a swirl, giving away the presence of a trout. Another longish cast, for the likes of me, but at the third go I didn’t have to wait very long before the indicator sank ... but I missed! Out again, and after another short drift the indicator dipped then sank lower, a quick strike and the fish was on, unhappily, not for long. There was a rise close in to the bank to my right, so I covered it with a short cast, and after a moment or three the red foam dot sank slowly and a firm strike met firmer resistance. A short scrap and the trout was mine, the freebie fifth.
Heading towards the car to pack away, the trio of Fluff Boys were still at the inflow corner. The Lumberjack and Jackdaw had both secured their brace, but Dell-boy was yet to catch. I asked him if he had ever tried a Blob and an indicator, he replied in the negative, so I snipped off my Blob then removed his fly and set him up with the same rig I had used. Dell-boy cast to the edge of the ripple and it was only a few minutes before the red dot sank from sight and he was into his first fish, at last!
Happy to have introduced him to a new method and helped him catch I headed to my car then home to fillet the fish.
Hasta la proxima vez.
Until February we had a mainly mild winter, even by the south's standards. Then it got colder and we finally had some frosts, continuing into March. The last week or so has seen a deal of rain too, but today looked promising with pale sunlight battling the light morning fog patches as I drove to the venue. Arriving in the car park beside the lodge I killed the stereo and the engine, and found the Professor kitting-up, he told me that the lnspector was already fishing. At over an hour's drive I didn't think we'd see a full complement of the Fluff Club homies show up, but as I tackled-up Dell-boy turned up with the Lumberjack, shortly afterward followed by Jackdaw. Six of us, not too bad, despite the low mutterings about no-where en route handy for a breakfast, reminding me of the saying 'an army marches on its stomach'.
The chap taking the spondoolicks suggested today's special offers: buy a 2-fish ticket and take 3, or buy a 4-fish ticket and take 5. I wondered if I should haggle for two 2-fish tickets so I could take a total of 6 but thought better of it. Given the cold east wind and the slight colour in the water I thought trying to catch 5 might be a tall order, but I paid up and headed out.
This fishery (visited in episode 7) boasts two lakes (ponds), the larger one being more mature by some years, plus also a lot of bank on the upper river Avon, as well as the C&R pond. Most anglers seem to stick to fishing around the big lake, rarely trying the alternatives. The river fishing can be superb, and despite the level being high today one visitor did head downstream to the lower beat.
I had decided to start with a Damsel on a glass line so headed for the far end where the outlet makes its way back upstream and into the river, a neat feat of engineering. I tried a few places but kept snagging weed, eventually nearing the outlet corner. I had a snatch take in the channel between my bank and the near end of the island but missed: "Drat ... Bother" or words to that effect. Because of the cold wind I thought a lure fished deep might be the key so I switched to my trusty CW with the hint of pink in the marabou. The Inspector and the Lumberjack were both fishing around the corner to my left, that same corner where most of the Fluff Boys bagged up on our last visit. The fly change did the trick and my first Rainbow was in the net after a couple of minutes. That was followed by a second a couple of casts later. The guys called across, asking me what pattern I was fishing, when I struck into my third fish they moved away, complaining I was making it look easy.
The Inspector had been trying for a couple of trout swirling and cavorting out near the island, but had given up as they seemed more intent on sex than feeding. I decided to try that spot and moved round. It was a longish cast, by my duffer standards, but on the third chuck I had a take and my fourth trout was soon safely in the bass bag. They were like peas in a pod, all just around the two pound mark.
I had promised mission control I wouldn't be late back, so decided to change to a floating line as I wanted to try a new Blob I had tied, fished static under an indicator as recommended by that talented lad Ben Beckwith for just this fishery.
First, though, I needed a cup of coffee so I headed for the lodge and the wood burner's warmth. Surprisingly there was cake left over from a corporate event the day before ... Very nice too!
Revived I headed out again, the new set up with the Blob about 30 inches below a stick-on foam indicator. I had the craic with the Inspector, Dell-boy, and Jackdaw, who were fishing together close to the inlet corner which had already seen an angling couple bagging-up earlier. Further along was the Professor, who told me he had been getting tap-takes but not hooking-up. Past him in the area near the two islands the brisk breeze was putting a nice chop on the surface, which I thought might be perfect for the method and fly I wanted to try. Over towards the island there was a swirl, giving away the presence of a trout. Another longish cast, for the likes of me, but at the third go I didn’t have to wait very long before the indicator sank ... but I missed! Out again, and after another short drift the indicator dipped then sank lower, a quick strike and the fish was on, unhappily, not for long. There was a rise close in to the bank to my right, so I covered it with a short cast, and after a moment or three the red foam dot sank slowly and a firm strike met firmer resistance. A short scrap and the trout was mine, the freebie fifth.
Heading towards the car to pack away, the trio of Fluff Boys were still at the inflow corner. The Lumberjack and Jackdaw had both secured their brace, but Dell-boy was yet to catch. I asked him if he had ever tried a Blob and an indicator, he replied in the negative, so I snipped off my Blob then removed his fly and set him up with the same rig I had used. Dell-boy cast to the edge of the ripple and it was only a few minutes before the red dot sank from sight and he was into his first fish, at last!
Happy to have introduced him to a new method and helped him catch I headed to my car then home to fillet the fish.
Hasta la proxima vez.
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments and/or feedback are always welcome