More fun on Fields End Fishery

 Another day with my old Sea Angler boss, Mel Russ, this time on Fields End, near Chatteris, where the cost is only £5.25 for Old Codgers. The forecast was for a NNW wind, so we went across to the opposite bank, which gave us a sort of back wind, as rain was forecast. In fact the wind was over our right shoulders, almost straight down the reservoir, and more of a WSW wind,

That gave me the opportunity to put up my umbrella, something I don't do unless rain gets heavy. But I like to use these pleasure sessions to experiment. So at home I tried to fix the two-holder  sliding umbrella attachment about a foot from the ground, on a rear leg. The leg went through one arm, then through the box frame, but try as I might I couldn't push the leg through the top arm - the thick rubber insert seemed not to open out sufficiently.

I hate inserts
I hate these inserts. I'd rather pay more money and get stuff that fits on my 25mm legs properly. Anyway, I had to compromise and fix the umbrella holder higher up the leg. For some reason that wasn't a problem. With an extending bank stick screwed into the storm guide on the umbrella, once it was up,  to hold it steady, it did actually keep all the rain off me. I have a Flat Back umbrella, whose ribs are too thick to thread through the storm guide, so I wire them on, They've been on for years, and work perfectly.

One of Mel's mates had turned up, so the three of us started fishing about 10 o'clock. My plan had been to start on a feeder and possibly change to a big pellet waggler. But after the hassle of setting up I just picked out the waggler rod. I fixed on a huge Premier waggler - probably about 20 gm - with a big bulbous top, set it at four feet, and threw it out about 30 yards after catapulting out some 6mm hard pellets.

A good start 
First cast the float dived under and I felt a slight bump as I picked up the rod - to find that the rig was intact, except that the band and pellet were missing. A fish must have just got hold of the pellet, leaving the hook outside its mouth. Never had that before. 

Next cast the line shot out and a fish hooked itself. It fought like blazes, and turned out to be a 2 lb chub. Definitely not an ide, although I know there are a lot in the water. Next cast another fish and after winding it halfway in I put the rid between my knees and catapulted out more pellets. As I did that I felt a massive jag on the rod and sure enough a fish had broken me. 

Lots of lovely chub
The short story is that I hooked about ten more in the next hour and two more broke me as I played them in. The chub were really vicious - almost as if a big pike had suddenly taken the fish and shot off. They jagged around the whole time I played them. Then, when I had landed seven, the rest mainly around 3 lb,  I walked up to see the others. Mel had hooked five carp on a feeder and landed four; his mate Brian hadn't yet had a fish.

A few minutes later I was back at my peg...only to find that the fish had gone! I carried on for 45 minutes and never had another bite. The wind seemed to have now got a bit more bite to it, and I guessed the chub didn't like it on their backs. So out went the banjo feeder with micros and a banded pellet and first cast a 2 lb carp wrenched the tip round. Cracked it!

Nope - sweetcorn, then sweetcorn with maggot on the hook both failed to catch. A change to luncheon meat brought another 2 lb carp, and now the wind had died down quite a lot and it was warmer. Time for the pole.

The waggler scores again
So I packed away the feeder rod and before I got the pole out I picked up the waggler rod again, just in case...

First cast and a chub hooked itself. Four more came really quickly, all over 3 lb, best around 4 lb. Great stuff. Then two roach around 4 oz, and I turned round to look at the sky. A slight misty rain now blew across, and it looked unsettled. Mel and Brian had just decided to pack up - Brian had had a big barbel and two good carp, and Mel had added one carp.

I decided, also, to pack up, although I would have preferred to try a pole for an hour or two, but the weather wasn't looking particularly good. Brian kindly came back from his car to help pull my trolley; he pulled and I pushed and could hardly keep up with him! The energy of youth...

The b****y sun comes out!
No sooner had I turned the ignition in the van than the sun came out, and for the next two hours the weather was perfect - a warm, light wind! Sod's Law was in vogue. I was in half a mind to go back, but couldn't face the trek along the bank alone.

With about 40 lb I was happy, and have been tying up plenty of bands, all on 5.5 lb JB Clarke Match Team nylon.. The orange-coloured Gardner latex bands seem to be a bit stronger than my light-coloured ones, but I've tied several of each, plus some dark-brown Drennan. I doubt that the nylon length makes much difference, so I've made them all four inches., which is the shortest length in my Preston hook boxes.

Next trip will probably be next week, the destination to be decided by the weather forecast.