Ninety minutes well spent

Today was always destined to be "busy - busy". Bev had to get over to Herne Bay to see to her mum, I, on the other hand, had some chores to attend to that had been in the "pending" tray for far too long. Always good to have a plan of attack and I set myself a goal that, if achieved, would allow a window of opportunity to get out with the rods. With no distractions and some decent sounds blasting out from the speakers I set about my task with gusto and what'd you know? Job done in double quick time, even managed to get a few extras in, just for good measure. Bev got back home and we spent a while mapping out our coming week leading up to the events of Friday. No point in being too definite, with any plans, as there are bound to be a few unseen issues to overcome before the funeral. Just good to have some form of order involved, however fluid it may have to be.

An archive photo of Homersham (March 2018) showing it to be a nondescript farm reservoir

It was well after 16.00 hrs that I drove over to Marshside for another bash at the scamps of Homersham Lake. On arrival I was able to spend quite a while speaking with Andy Wesley, the club chairman, before grabbing the kit from the van and getting myself up to the waterside. The wind was a gentle NW, and I set up on the back of it firing out a few catapults of dog biscuits, whilst awaiting the carp to show up. Didn't take long! I had to move a couple of swims to my left, but the fish were certainly within my casting range and I kept the freebies going in as I set up the Mk IV Avon kit (ABU Cardinal 66X & ESP 15g controller float) using Co-op wholemeal bread as my hook bait. I got an out of date loaf for 10p from our local shop!

I'm sure this old warrior could tell a few tales? It was a superb tussle on 4.5 lbs b.s. line and a split cane Avon Mk IV.

I lost the first fish, within a minute of casting out, but the carp kept munching on the freebies and it wasn't long before I had my second chance. No messing this time around and, after a magnificent scrap, I pushed the net under a gnarly old common which span the dial round to 13 lbs 7 oz - result, my first double from the fishery!

Two more carp were to fall to this very simplistic presentation, a 9 lbs 2 oz mirror and a 7 lbs 8 oz common, before it was time to head back home, my session over. I might have caught more if I'd persevered into darkness, but it didn't matter I'd achieved more than I could have hoped whilst I was about my chores earlier in the day. Just to give an insight into the traumas of the lone angler I will offer an out take photo! No way is this a unique image, I've got loads of them. These are wild creatures and not best pleased to be dragged from their environment in order to be paraded in front of a camera. Self takes are a bit hit and miss at the best of times - when the fish decide to play up they can make for some amusing photos, although I didn't find it funny at the time.