June 27 - RMC Dynamite Yeatley Complex - Split Lake 

We had fished the Match Lake twice last year at the Yeatley complex and decided to try one of the other many lakes on offer.  It was quiet at Split Lake and the Carp were lazing around on the surface, sometimes laying in the dense mats of weed like a vacationer in a hammock. 

Yes, this was the spot for us.  Not a bird in sight.  Perfect for enticing those basking Carp with a few choice bits of kibble; lulling them into a false sense of security before loading one up with a hook.  A few bits are tossed out, Steve starts setting up and soon we have a surface line out.   Before long a lovely Carp "slurps" in the baited kibble and Steve gives a yank to try and set the hook.  There is a brief tussle and ... the Carp spits the morsel out... along with the hook.  Darn !

So, Steve goes about setting up the rest of the rods.  While he is rigging the ledger lines, I look around and find this spot, in a nicely wooded area, is great for sunlight and shadows.  My kind of place for photos.  I love the way light filters through tree leaves.

I find an interesting little flower growing amid what look like rhododenrons and I like the shadows....

All's quiet on the Western front. 

But not for long.  The Black-headed Gulls do an aerial recon and discover the kibble.

This, in itself is not so bad except for one thing.  In the world of birds if somebody finds food, someone else is bound to notice.  (In the above photo, all those long white streaks on the surface are Carp lounging around, surface feeding)  From the other side of Split Lake a single parent Swan family appears.  They MUST have a look at what the Gulls have found.

Well, there's an end to our attempt at surface fishing.  The line came out of the water and the rod is propped up against a tree.

To rub salt in the wound they decide to dabble around and scoff up the ground bait we've tossed in as well.  Bloody Swans !!  And their activity has driven the Carp to the other side of the lake !

It was interesting to note that while we were there, the cob Swan never appeared.  Swans mate for life and I wondered if something had happened to the male of this pair.  The female... I must remember to find out what they are called... was very edgy and hissed frequently, at us, at Carp rolling nearby, at the Ducks and Coots.

At this point my camera batteries ran out and I discovered that I had forgotten to recharge the spares I carry.  In a way I guess it was a good thing we didn't catch that "Monster Carp" all anglers are after.. or for that matter any Carp... I wouldn't have been able to document it. 

We left Split Lake Carpless but with the thought in mind to come back another day.  It is a nice venue, nice atmosphere and quiet... no airplanes no motorway nearby... nice.

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