managed to get out on the bank after a few weeks once we finished our shut down,was nice to have a break after the last of the customers had left,Although I wish I had gone out earlier as the temps dropped to freezing conditions at night but the days were nice until the rain moved in with gale force winds.To add insult the fish were not playing fair either lol,must say mid November fishing was late for me this year but as I was on the north lake it did give me a chance to do some work up there cutting back the trees and brambles,My good friend Bob who has had a property not to far away the last 5 + years and just finally moved out to join the family also joined me and helped with the work which was most appreciated in return of a bit of fishing, plus i did not mind the company.
I had a lot of things planned for this session and worked hard to find the fish,started on normal spots I knew in the lake as we both had 1/2 the lake each,and this did not work and the fish were not giving up the signs either….so out came my marker rod and on the search for some new spots,and I found a lovely new spot at 60 yards in front of swim 3,although I knew of this spot it has grown by x12 in size since i last felt around the area with a marker,it was clean and smooth with nice small gravel pieces.I baited the whole area and fished a two rod spread on the spot for 4 days and did not see a sign of fish at all but that was the norm day and most evenings,even the nights were quiet,HAD THE ALIENS ABDUCTED ALL LIFE !!!.
On the 6th night i moved the 3rd rod closer in front of my swim and into the deeper water as the wind had been hacking into our faces for 24hrs plus ,I was having a daily walk around the lake looking for signs of fish and with this cold weather we have had just had a feeling they had hearded up in the deep end,I chose to leave my baits in the water with these conditions and not keep rebaiting as we were happy that the presentation was correct and the baiting was precise with pellet,particle and krill boilies…And then it happened just b4 dinner the following evening when the close in rod had a slight pick up and single beep,followed by another,this was enough for me knowing how these big North Lake creatures feed and play with baits,I had no slack on my lines as if you give them a inch they will take 6,if you give them 6 inches they will take a foot and you give them 6 then you will be all over the lake,this has been witnessed time and time again….so I picked up into the rod and over went the tip and a full bend int the rod and I was in, NOW this knew it was hooked and off she went on long runs back and forth,keeping deep and hugging the bottom then along my right hand margin and then decided to go and sit in one of 7 divets to my right, all went solid and I thought ive just been “DONE” so keeping tension and a tight clutch but just enough to take line if needed i just rocked my rod back and forth to bounce the lead and bang fish was still on and on the move again.What a fight this fish gave me, all 30 or so minutes and then she finally gave in and put her head up and came into the waiting net,what a relief my first fish of the year ! “MY SANITY HAD BEEN TESTED DURING THIS SESSION” after sorting everything out and weighing the fish a very welcome 40.08lb mirror was welcome.this was to be my last and only fish of the session as the weather closed in again and we had freezing temps of minus 6 deg and the days were around 2 deg and I have not managed to get anymore fishing in since due to having a bad fall and hurting several body parts and also fracturing my sternum so have been on total rest up since b4 xmas,apparently takes a long while too heal…not kidding ! So hoping to get out again b4 the new season opens
Minus 6 and everything frozen solid
Wall Of Fame