I'd planned a two night session down Horseshoe for Sunday
4th march until Tuesday 6th march, on looking at the
Met-Check website the weather seemed bang on until
Wednesday, so with a little persuasion with the wife
I was able to do the Tuesday night as well (pukka!!).
As usual I arrived at the lake at about 10ish on the
Sunday to find almost all the anglers packing away
from there weekend sessions. On speaking to Martin
the head bailiff the big-double had done a few fish
during the week, but Ade Furber was in there till
Sunday afternoon, Martin then told me that there had
been a good show of fish in front of Disabled point.
So on listening to this advice, I decided to go into
disabled and have a couple of fags while watching
the water for half an hour. I didn't have to wait
long before I saw the first fish clear the water
then another and another, my mind was made up half
way down my first ciggy.
After unloading all the gear out of the car I
quickly got the bivvy up as it was starting to rain
and the wind was getting up. I knew the spot where I
wanted to be so quickly got all three rods marked
up, next was spodding, as there was a few fish in
the area I decided to give them 3 kilos of bait and
top it up as and when I needed to.
29lb 2oz of Horseshoe Carp
With the spodding
done and the rods out on the spot I could relax and
have a cuppa, time was about 14:00 and Martin walked
round again for a quick cuppa. After a quick chat I
found out that one of the other lads had just landed
a fish from opposite me, so at least I knew they
were in the area. Martin left about 16:00 and I sat
there happy knowing that I was in an area where the
fish were. After having some dinner I looked at the
time which was 16:45 when a good fish topped over
the left hand rod, my heart picked up a couple of
paces, it couldn't of been no more than 2 minutes when
the left hand rod pulled up tight and stayed there.
I quickly ran down to the bank and pulled into a
good fish, after a 10 min battle I finally got it in
the net, on looking in I thought that it could go
30, but on the scales it went 29-02 very happy
nevertheless as this was my biggest fish from the
lake.
The night produced another couple of takes but
unfortunately both weeded me up and the hook pulled
on both. I awoke the next morning at around 06:00,
quickly made myself a cuppa and sat and watched the
lake. At 06:30 I had a drop back and pulled into
another fish, which turned out to be 19-06. I reeled
in at 09:00 to go and speak with David in the lodge,
after a few cups of coffee and a long chat I made my
way back to the swim.
19lb 10oz scaley mirror carp
Upon getting
back I decided to top the swim up with another kilo
of bait, put the rods back out and sat back, I only
had to wait 10 mins after putting the rods back out
to get a take, that fish turned out to be 17-04.
After that fish I put the rod back out onto the spot
and while setting the hanger the right hand rod went
into overdrive and I pulled into my 4th fish of the
session which turned out to be a 20-04.
I couldn't
believe how this session was spanning out, but
things were about to change. At about 14:00 the wind
was starting to really get up and was soon blowing a
bloody gale!!! I received no further action on the
Monday and the quiet spell lasted all the way into
Tuesday afternoon. I remember sitting outside
looking at the water when a fish topped over the
baited area (the first fish I had seen in 24 hours),
then all of a sudden the middle rod ripped off and I
pulled into my 5th fish of the session which turned
out to be a mid double.
As this was going to be my
last night and the fish were showing quite a bit by
now I decided to put out 10 kilos of bait. I had my
6th fish at 15:00 which turned out to be 19-10,
throughout the night the liners didn't stop and when
I finally got my head down my alarm clock was going
off, I couldn't believe I hadn't had a pick up
throughout the night with all the fish activity
going on, Oh well I thought I've had a fantastic
session anyway.
24lb 2oz Horseshoe stunner!
The time was 07:20 and the fish moved in big style
they were showing like bloody dolphins, typical I
had to be gone at 08:15 to get home for 08:30, all
of a sudden my middle rod was away producing a
19-08, I decided to leave that rod out as the time
was 07:40 and I hadn't even packed the bivvy away
when my left hand rod was away this one put up a
better fight and turned out to be a 24-02, time was
now against me so decided to bring the right hand
rod in as there was no way I would of made it home
on time if that bugger had of gone off. I just made
it home for 08:28, just in time to take the boy to
school.
The session had ended and it was now time for me to
chill out, all in all it was a fantastic session and
the fish I caught were all stunners, Horseshoe lake
really is something else!!
