May 2011 – Shaun’s Diary – part 5
Friday Afternoon 6th May 2011
Grenville ‘6’
I had a nightmare this morning with the computer and ended up un-plugging everything and dropping it off at my local computer repair place. The weather has been incredibly hot and after the messing around with the computer I really didn’t feel up to much productive work so did exactly what any other sane carp angler would do – I came carp fishing and once again escaped that other world I have to live in to be able to afford to do everything I do.
I was pleasantly surprised to see few others here when I arrived but soon it filled behind me.
Saturday 7th May 2011 11pm
Well, hardly anything to report. I have seen very little but I am still confident of fish finding me. Certainly no other piece of water looks any better than the bit in front of me and I know if I moved then someone would be very quick to drop in here behind me.
It’s the waiting game time. I’m happy with how everything is sat. All 3 rods are being fished with double Pimple Pops each carrying different colours, in different depths and at ranges staggered from 137 metre to 150 metre.
All 3 rods are being fished with double Pimple Pops
Come on carp!
Sunday 8th May 2011
Up at first light desperate to spot a fish despite really not wanting to get up.
I’m sat here listening to Fisherman’s Blues on Talk Sport radio. It seems to have become a bit of a routine with me on a Saturday and Sunday listening to Keith Arthur or Nigel Botherway when Keith is away whilst drinking coffee and looking for fish.
They started showing further out than I am fishing but slowly getting closer. It’s got to happen, I have fish right on top of my right hand rod now.
What a nightmare!!!
I couldn’t stand it any longer and went to wind the right hand rod in only to be greeted by the middle and left hand bobbins rising as I tightened down. It would appear I have had a fish get away with it during the night. Really can’t understand what has happened as all 3 rods looked to go in perfect on the casts and the bobbins have remained at half mast up until winding in yet the right hand lead has been carried over and tangled the other two rods! Very strange and very frustrating as that rod I thought was still bang on the money when the fish were showing well. HEY HO!
Finally got the 3 tangled lines sorted and re-cast. The third rod had only just been cast when the first proper take came, an absolute screamer of a run on a rod which had a purple and red Pimple Pop combination on it.
It was one of those that never slowed down when I picked up the rod and proceeded to strip absolutely loads of line from the spool before horror of horrors the line started to cut to the right and around the back of the island and then that sickening feel of the line grating across something on the island. Immediately I eased the pressure right off as a tight line would definitely fray and part. It seemed an eternity of giving line and gaining line with hardly any pressure on the fish for fear of breakage but once again by being incredibly patient the carp came back around my side of the island but even then I daren’t pull too hard in case the line was indeed damaged.
There was a very strong wind blowing by this stage from left to right which seemed to deaden the feel through the rod a little more or possibly more to the point my arm had gone numb but eventually I slipped the net under a very welcome mirror of 28lb 4oz.
I had to tease it from back around the island
Mid afternoon and my alarm supporting the rod in the deepest water cried out to signal another fast take and the usual brilliant fight once again took place in the gin clear water of Grenville. I could see it was another good fish and on the mat the scales said 30lb 9oz.
The carp had finally come within range.
Unfortunately this fish burst a blood vessel in its mouth. It is the first time I have seen this happen in all the years I have carp fished. I really couldn’t believe how much blood was pumping out and I was quick to put kitchen roll over the spot the blood was gushing from. This did the trick and by keeping the carp really damp and out the sun I was able to stop the flow of blood as the blood congealed. I didn’t know what to do at first but it would seem I did the right thing by blocking the flow. After a bit of a rest I had a quick picture taken with it and away it swam apparently and hopefully none the worse for its ordeal.
Well, that was it for another trip. I was more than content with another couple of big fish and with things needing doing at home I packed and left.
About the Author: Shaun Harrison
