May 19 2006 - Pondwood Fishery
And still it rains. We had such a good time here on Monday that, inspite of the rain, we just had to come back. Back to the same peg, too, where I'd had that cracking day. It was only for half a day so the idea of a little rain didn't deter us as we set out. At this time of year the half day ticket at Pondwood starts at four in the afternoon, not a bad deal. Half a day, half the price of the ticket.
As we approached our peg and I looked to the west I had a few misgivings. It was dark and ominous. I half turned and looked south and east, the sky wasn't any more promising in that direction; I began to doubt the wisdom of "a little rain never hurt anybody". I was still drying out from the last time.
Dark clouds to the west...
... to the south-east, it didn't look any better
Up went the brolly, first thing. No sense in letting the chairs get wet. The water level was higher, and murky from all the rain. We set up our rods, same configurations as last time, same bait, and settled in to wait... and wait... and wait.
After a bit I pulled in my rod and told Steve I was going walk about again while there was a break in the rain. I said to give a holler if he got a bite so I could take a picture.
There wasn't much to see, no birds stirring, no fish to be seen anywhere but I needed to get out from under the brolly ! I found some cattail reeds, splitting open to show their fluff. Cattails are a useful plant, that fluff was used as mattress stuffing and insulation in winter boots. If I remember correctly you can also eat the young cattails in the spring and the roots at a different part of the year. Many folks here refer to them as bull rushes but that is wrong, bull rushes are an entirely different sort of plant.
Cattails in the wind
Cattails bursting out all over..
I walked on a little more before the rain started in again. I really love this place and could spend the whole day just feeding my soul on it. It is picture perfect in every respect !
Even in the rain it is lovely here
When I finally made my way back I asked Steve if he'd had any luck, fully expecting him to tell me that nothing was happening. Instead he told me he had a nice fish a few minutes before. I looked at him closely to see if he was just having me on, but he was serious. He hadn't bothered to holler for me... darn.
I hadn't been back for long when Steve's line went buzzing off. It looked like he had a good fish on the other end. Suddenly it made a dash for the reeds opposite and Steve found himself fighting not only the fish but the reeds.
Trying to work the fish out of the reeds
This time it was score one for the fish, it had escaped and left the line tangled in the reeds. After a bit of tugging Steve got it out with, amazingly, his rig still in tact. Most times with a snag like that the line breaks and you have to re-rig.
Today, it seemed, sweet corn was not a popular item on the menu... I was still coming up dry. Not even a nibble from the smaller silver fish. Occasionally I would see the odd swirl of water near my float that indicates a fish is there, but they just weren't interested. Steve suggested I let him put some cockle on my hook, he'd heard they were a good bet and gotten some to try. I agreed, figuring anything was worth a try at this late date... sigh.
I don't know what Steve was using on the ledger line but in short order he had another fair beastie on the mat... a chunky mirror. He was also surface fishing with dog biscuits but the wind made that a bit difficult; the biscuits and his line kept drifting away. There was some interest in the biscuits but he never managed to hook anything.
Steve holds up No. 2 for the camera
She's a beauty, a nice mirror
And all the while I sat and watched, and waited. Sweet corn... no... cockles... no... it just wasn't my day. Steve on the other hand had one more run before we left, a very pretty common carp.
Look what I've got !
Say hello, Fish
I've said "hello" .. Now put me back !!!
And that was the end of the day. Steve three, me zilch. Doesn't matter, though, there's always next time. That big fish is out there waiting for me. Won't take much to break my personal best record as it is only 13 lbs... so I keep hoping... and will keep fishing.