I took my mate(daughter's bf) fishing on Gawsworth yesterday. Decided to fish the original 'Wallpool' pond. He's never been fishing before so thought there would be a good place to start as it's fairly easy fishing. That said conditions were sunny and warm and the fish weren't "having it" and bites were finicky knocks on the quivertip and tiny plucks on the float tip.
I set out to try and get him a few fish fishing on a small waggler float to banded pellet on the hook. Not easy teaching a raw novice how to fish and I soon realised I'd be busy explaining and demonstrating how to tackle up, cast, plumb the depth, bait a swim, when and how to strike, play and net a fish and how to unhook a fish the correct way and safely return it to fight another day. Casting a feeder is not easy, especially accurately and he somehow tangled line round the tip smashing my 1oz carbon tip when casting my new Daiwa tip rod. £20 to replace, ouch!
But accidents do happen and I lost my favourite polorised sunglasses that dropped in the water!
Between us we had a few skimmer bream a roach and a crucian carp in the first few hours. Not a bad start and he was made up.
Took the car a short drive to have a look at the other waters that I've never seen before, and must say they now look like mature waters on from the 20 or so years since they were excavated. Some really nice looking lillypad swims and other swims with features like overhang willow bushes. Credit to the fishery owner who has created a few different waters offering something for every level of angling competence. Also he has enforced several rules and due to a keepnet ban(I agree with) the fish are in excellent condition.
Arrived back on our pegs to fish the last 4 hours into the evening and a local angler I'd spoken to was packing up. He gave me a bit of local knowledge to float fish the margins with luncheon meat and gave me a few expander pellets.
I fed down the edge of the rushes little and often telling Leo that I thought we'd catch some decent fish into the evening as the sun faded. Put a small piece of meat on a 14 and a gentle underarm cast into the margin and between 4-6 small cubes of meat fed little and often was the way to go. I started getting a few enquiries and teasing nibbles on the float tip not worth striking at. As fed more the bites became frequent but lightening fast. A few anticipated side strikes a fraction after the float dipped were not connecting. So frustrating but it I felt it only a matter of time before I outwitted a wily fish.
Leo was sat watching next peg from 10m away and saw me bump a good fish on the strike. Because the bites were finicky and fast my timing of strike was out. The constant little and often feed was starting to pay of as big fish swirled in 2 foot of water to intercept loose feed but wouldn't take mine, so bloody frustrating!
Next cast I told him I was hitting the next bite and the float dipped under nicely for me to hit into a fish. Rod tip arched round and a few telltale thuds on the tip suggested it was a good chub. A minute or so later I slipped the net under a perfect scaled 'rubba dub dub' close on 4lb. Slipped him back in the water, re-baited and a few cubes tossed in before I gently flicked to float a yard past to wind into where I'd just fed. A missed nite or two later I hooked another good chub that gave an even better fight! Took a bit longer to get in the net and due to a distinct mark on it's dorsal fin I was pretty sure I'd just caught the same chub twice!
Leo had seen how to correctly strike and play a good fish and net it it without spooking it to lunge for freedom one last time, and this is such a common way to lose a good fish at the net!
I told him it was his turn next and baited the swim with hemp and pellets before I cooked us both a bacon cheeseburger on my camping stove.
After we'd eaten and had a brew It was his turn to fish.
He soon grasped what I'd taught him with ease in deftly casting as to not spook the fish. Feeding little and often he started getting a few finicky and frustrating bites before the rod tip arched round and the clutch screemed off line. His face was a picture as he was panicking into trying to wind the fish in ASAP, a common mistake by an inexperienced angler, especially when a good fish is taking line off the reel! This fish was no chub though as the rod was arched right over as it surged towards deeper water in a more powerful manner. I told him to keep the rod up and not to let the rod tip go slack as a barbless hook can soon be(and often is) shaken free. Fair play to him though in that he soon got into the pump and wind rhythm of controlling a big fish. After a few minutes later he was delighted that I slipped the net under his first proper fish, a ghost common carp I guestimated at 8lb. I weighed it and the scales settled on 8lb, not a bad guess!
A couple of pics of him holding the fish and safely released unharmed. I was so happy for him, made my day and he baited up to cast out again. 5 minutes later the rod arched round to a bigger fish and it snapped 5lb line like cotton, even though the clutch was set. He wanted to have another cast as he had the fishing bug but the sun was setting and was time to pack up. No doubt he'll be asking to go fishing again.
