Following another blank quick overnighter in the shallows on the small gravel pit I was keen to get off the mark.
After a long thought I had a moment of genius, well not quite genius more of a "bugger why hadn't I thought of that before?".
The pit in question is about 10 acres in size, 8 acres of it is less than 3 feet deep - there is a small area of about 2 acres where the depths extend to 8 feet averaging 6 feet deep.
Now as my angling was literally quick overnighters, I was planning my session on where they would be in the morning once the sun had risen above the horizon but as most of my session was during the hours of darkness surely it made sense to try and catch them where they would be at night, why hadn't I thought of this before?!
With my new found plan etched in my mind I popped down the lake on the Monday night to bait up, it looked lovely and just as darkness fell I could make out fish making their way up from the shallows to the deeper water - giving their location away by very subtle rolls, only just breaking the surface.
I had a quick feel about with the maker and found a couple of spots, only 15 yards out that were covered in light weed it seemed the rest of the area was covered in heavy weed and that horrible candy floss stuff.
With the maker popped up I deposited a kilo of XXX 15 millers on each spot then took a photo of the marker on my phone lined up with a far bank marker, my plan being the following night I could turn up and deposit 2 chods onto the baited area with no hassle or noise at all - well, that was my plan I just hoped it worked.
After a busy day at work the following day I found myself battling the rush hour traffic to get to the lake, it seemed everybody was against me getting there but eventually I found myself parking the van an hour and half after leaving work - better late than never I suppose!
After pushing the barrow to my prebaited spots it didn't take me long to get the two rods sorted, both were fished on chods with XXX corkballs as hookbaits then both were gently flicked the mere 15 yards out to the spots.
I knew I had to be packing up by 5:15am at the latest to go to work, so didn't bother with the oval opting to do the night under the stars.
I sat on the bedchair and watched the water for a couple of hours, the tempreture began to drop sharply just after 8pm and I could make out the fish moving up from the shallows just as I had the night before.
Confident that I would be awoken in the early hours by the screech of the Neville I opted to finish my bottle of beer then climb into the bag for a early night.
The next thing I knew my phone was shouting at me to wake up, I rolled over to look at the rods - the hangers were exactly where I had left them the night before.
The air temperature was freezing, my sleeping bag was covered in frost as was my face - I wiped away the icy crystals before rolling a smoke, I really didn't want to get out the warmth of my sleeping bag but 15 minutes later I couldn't put it off any longer and began the tedious task of packing up. Before leaving I left a kilo of bait under my mates bedchair not wanting to wake him then sent him a text asking him to put it on my spots when he packed up.
I then headed up the motor way to work, barely able to keep my eyes open and suffering from a banging headache - once I had been sat at my desk an hour and had drank half a dozen coffees I began thinking about my quick work night, I was sure it was just a blip and that the frost hadn't helped my plan work - I decided I could fit in another night on the Thursday, it was bank holiday on the Friday so I wouldn't have to pack up at the ungodly hour of 5am.
Once home from work in a zombie like state, I tied up some fresh chods, sharpened the hooks and loaded the van - there was nothing left to do other than get an early night as if I am honest I felt terrible.
The following day at work couldn't go quick enough but eventually the clock struck 5pm and again I battled the traffic to get to my destination, despite it being bank holiday weekend there were only 2 other members on the pit and after a quick chat I loaded the barrow and headed straight to my prebaited spots.
Within 5 minutes I had underarm flicked 2 chods on the spots, followed by a pouch of XXX 15 millers over the top of each.
Having the luxury of not having to get up at 5am I opted to put up the Oval and have a bit of comfort for the night, it was forecast to be a cold one but nothing like the frost I had seen on my previous session so I remained confident.
After watching the water for an hour again I began to see a few shows coming up from the shallows so I hid under the Oval and put some dinner on all the while keeping me ears transfixed on the pit listening out for any shows.
By 10pm I decided to call it a night and climbed into the bag for some well earnt kip, I was just leaving the land of consciousness when the sound of my right hand Neville screaming brought me straight back to the land of the living, I was on it in a flash and lifted into whatever it was moving at speed out into the middle of the lake.
After a spirited battle I was shocked to see a small common roll over the net cord, I let it rest in the margin whilst I sorted out the weighing gear and set up the tripod for a few quick self takes which went without any hassle and the little 16lb common was soon on its way home.
After checking the hook point and reshaping the hook link I tied on a fresh cork ball and flicked it out back onto the spot using a silhouette of a tree on the far bank as a marker then put another pouch of 15 millers over the top before climbing into the bag and drifting off into a deep slumber.
It was just gone 6am when the bright sunlight woke me from my dreams and after wiping the gunk from my eyes I rolled a smoke and gazed out over the lake, it was as still as a mill pond without a breath of wind although the chill in the air was prominent.
After finishing my smoke I decided that another half an hours kip wouldn't be a bad thing so pulled the bag over my head.
As I was laying there I became aware of a loud whizzing sound, half awake I tried to work out what kind of bird makes a whizzing sound then peered out of the bag only to see my left hand reel in melt down! This woke me up in an instant, I flew out of the bag not stopping to put my boots on - for some reason the line was sat on top of the roller and not actually in it! This was the second time this had happened in a month despite using Nevilles for years!
I lifted into the fish which was heading down to my left, I just got control of the fish then it weeded me up solid - but by keeping the pressure on slowly the weed gave in and I led the fish back to the bank like a dog on a lead but when it got under the tip the weed that was covering the fishes head fell off and the fish went mental going on several powerful runs.
Eventually, after a good battle the fish gave in and I netted my prize - I was made up with the stunning common that was looking back at me, so I secured the net and again sorted out the weighing gear and camera for a few self takes.
Once on the bank the fish behaved like a lady, I weighed it in at 21.02, had a few self takes then returned her to where she came.
I fired up the stove and chain drank coffee for the next few hours, slowly the air temperature began to rise and I could see a few fish beginning to move back over to the shallows for the day - I could have followed them but if I am honest I still didn't feel great and had a few things I wanted to get done at home whilst the house was empty, anyway I was more than happy with what I had been fortunate enough to have landed so began a slow pack up and headed for home a very happy man.
Until next time,
Smithy
NB. If you are looking for information on improving self takes I have written a small article here.