Don't
you just love it...
by Paul 'Richy' Richardson
…when a plan comes together.
I can remember watching the "A Team" and hearing "Hannibal" utter
those exact words! Great stuff.
We arrived at DreamLakes
for 7 days of what would be a great holiday with some superb
fish to boot. That's what we all hope for
anyway, if we are honest. I
always do! I want to be able to have a great time away from the norm, and hopefully
catch a "whacker"or two. I lay out my plans and then try to adapt
to the fishing situation I find myself in. Such was the case when we arrived
at
the DreamLake Complex on the 5th June, in the year of our Lord 2004.
The weather was a bit "manky" to
be honest and the punters that had been out before us had
experienced a wet week. Puddles of water all over the saturated
ground I thought were a dead giveaway. The weather can
be funny, even in June as we are just into the summer. "TOUGH".
The draw was done and the "common
sense" rules told to all. I had managed to get into
my all time "fave" swim namely, "Sunset" on
the east side of the lake. No hurry to set up as I like
to have a look at the water and see if I can work out what
the fish are up to. I thought I would get my rods set up
and on the pod and that would do. Adi and Dave, two of
the band of Bailiffs at the lakes helped me get my Armadillo
up in case we were to be on the receiving end of more inclement
weather. I put all my gear inside it and went around to
the Lodge in between Lakes 1 and 2 for my much-needed Bacon
roll. I had a look in the logbook for Lake 1 to read that
the angler who had fished in the swim the week prior to
my arrival had taken 17 fish. "Not bad" I thought
and I also wondered if the fish were still hanging around
the area.
I looked out over the swim
and within 15 mins I had seen 4 fish show at around 80
yards, just my side of the central gravel bar. I cast my
marker float to the top of the bar and popped it up.
I guessed that the fish were
showing aprox 5 to 8 yards off the bar. I pulled my marker
back until I felt the silt gully and popped it up. I had
7' depth exactly where the fish had showed. I cast out
my Spod rod past it and wound the Spod rocket back until
it was 2 yards behind the marker and then I clipped it
up. I went to the back of my swim to the path and wheeled
out the Spod until it hit the clip.
I made a mark in the grass
and "planted" a stick. I then got each of my
rods and did the same, clipping up when I reached the stick.
I go through this same routine every time I fish to make
sure that I am fishing accurately.
I then marked the lines with
tape and elastic to make sure that I can go back to the
same spot each cast. Next on the agenda was to Spod out
5k of C. C. Moore's "Fusion" pellet over the
area I was to fish. I also put out approx 150 DLS, (DreamLake
Special) boilies spread over the area. I was now knackered
so I sat down in my fishing chair and relaxed, having a
cup of Earl Grey tea, (how posh is that) and a cigar.
Another fish showed right
over where I would be casting my left hand rod, (for future
reference, LHR, MR and RHR stand for Left Hand Rod, Middle
Rod and Right Hand Rod).
I know it's not rocket science
but just in case, it is now down in black and white). The
3 rods were cast out to my area that I had baited up and
on with the alarms, so I was fishing for 12-30. Time to
sort out my home with the bedchair, sleeping bag and all
my "bits n bobs" put where I wanted them. SORTED!
I always take with me a weather station, compass and a dictaphone when fishing
to enable me to keep an accurate record of the session and hopefully the fish
caught etc. I was just in the process of completing my opening remarks and recording
the conditions as at 13-05, when my MR alarm shrieked a single toner, no warning
beep, just screamin'.
A great fight ensued and
after a superb tussle under the rod tips going through
weed beds up and down the margin I netted a lovely looking,
large Common. "A great start" I thought as I
got my neighbour "About to get married Chris" to
lift the fish out of the water and onto the unhooking mat.
As I was unhooking the fish
I can recall Chris saying to his mate Kevin that it was "massive".
Up on the scales and it weighed in at 39-15. The bailiffs
Adi and Dave had just pulled up in the van and helped whilst
I got onto the deck, ready for some photo's.
They both took some photo's
on my camera's for me and helped me up into my wheelchair
so I could watch the fish swim off. What a great sight.
Conga-rats all around and I'm off to a flyer. Nice one.
I thought I would sort the
rod out and get it back on the spot so I could have a lie
down. Most people are tired on the Saturday including me,
as I have had a 347 miles drive to Dover before my trip
really starts! I got myself laid down and I was looking
out of the bivvy door when at 13-55 my LHR rattled off
on another single toner. I scrambled into my chair and
scooted down to hit into a solid fish, which swirled near
the surface on the top of the bar.
This fish just fought like
a fish possessed and a full 15 minutes later, after it
had ripped up some weed and plunged around in front of
my swim, Chris netted at the first attempt another good
looking Common. Onto the mat with the beastie and unhooked
easily. I looked at the fish and said it might be a "scraper
30". The fish weighed in at 31-04 and I was well chuffed.
I made a quick visit onto the floor again for a couple
of photo's of the fish which was then allowed to swim back
in it's own time to it's watery home. I was soaked but "well
happy" as the 2 fish caught in my first hour of fishing
totalled 71-03. "Not bad" thought I.
Time for a glass of wine
me thinks. (Out with the rod again first though). I updated
my dictaphone not knowing that this was just the start
of some frantic action, which was about to come my way.
I always hope for a superb "haulin" type
session and work hard at my fishing to try and achieve
exactly that kind of result. The result does not always
happen though. If it did, I think fishing would get boring!
By the time I wound in for
the evening meal I had banked another fish, a Mirror weighing
in at 23-15.
At this point I had had a
little time to reflect on the performance of my newly purchased "Rod
Hutchinson Inspiration" rods. I had bought 3 of the
12ft 6in, 3.25lb TC models and I was finding them an absolute
fantastic tool to use, fantastic to cast with and a great
feel when playing fish. What a superb bit of kit. I said
to Adi that the rods were doing the "biz" and
he said he would like to have a look at them as he had
set up in East Bar (the swim to my left) as he was the
bailiff for DL1 for that week. I asked Dave to push me
around to my swim as I was laden up with Milk, Biscuits,
Water, "Proper Tea bags", (as Adi calls them)
and a Banana. I looked like a Supermarket trolley, wheels
and all!
I put the stuff in the shade
of the now sunny evening and re-baited my hooks. I cast
all out to the spots again and decided to Spod out another
2k of pellets over my middle rod. I decided it was time
to have a chat with my neighbours in the 2 swims to my
right, namely Ladies Lair and The Pads. These 2 fella's,
(Chris and Kevin) talked like my best mate and angling
buddy "Gazza". They came from Derbyshire where
as Gazza comes from Notts. I had only been around in Chris's
swim for 20 minutes when my alarm sounded. I bombed back
to my swim to see my RHR alarm lit up and screaming in
protest. I struck into the fish and again, a good fight
was had resulting in Chris netting a 24-15 Common for me.
I thought, "Good God,
I'm on a bit of a roll here". I wondered if I could
keep the fish coming. Adi was now around after cleaning
up the lodge, which is always spotless, with the other
bailiffs. It was Ben's week off so he was fishing the big
gravel pit called Maroney's situated just off the back
of DL2. He wasn't catching much but was just relaxing on
his week off. I caught another 2 fish that night with Adi
doing the honours with the net. Both of the fish were 30+
Commons weighing in at 30-04 and 36-02. At this point,
I was done in and Adi decided to go to bed for some much
needed sleep. I stayed up and reflected on that first 10
hours fishing.
I had caught 6 fish, 4 of
which were 30lb+. Superb fishing. I had to go to bed in
the end at 23-45 as I was nodding like one of them dogs
in the back of a car. I was SHAGGED!
I was awoken from a deep
sleep at 05-00 to my LHR alarm giving yet another single
toner. You know what it is like when you wake up to a run
when you have been "sound out". I stumbled into
my chair, through the bivvy doorway which I always leave
open, (unless I have got driving rain coming at me) and
out to hit my rod.
The fish was on top of the bar when I struck and was moving fast to my left.
It was going to be a margin fight at dawn, as I could not get the fish to change
direction to swim back out into the lake. I sank the rod tip and started playing
the fish sideways. It pinged off a couple of branches, went through weed beds
and generally "beat me up". What a rude awaking to the Sunday! The
fish eventually swirled in front of the swim and came to the net. In it went
at the first time of asking and onto the scales went a very pretty Mirror weighing
26-12. A quick look of admiration of my prize and I watched him sulkily swim
off.
Now I was up I started to think about my plan of action for the day. I had a
cuppa and a La-Di-Da Cigar and decided I would Spod a further 6 kilos of pellet
and put in 200 DLS boilies before breakfast to try and keep the action rolling.
This plan was soon "knocked
on the head" as I continued to get action until I
wound in at 09-15 so I could go for a shower and my cooked
breakfast. I had caught a further 5 fish since my "alarm
call take" at 05-00. I was "Having it off" as
they say in Carp-speak!
Adi asked me how many fish
I had taken up until this point and I replied, without
thinking, "about a dozen".
A few strange looks were
directed at the guy sporting the Bandana, Tattoos and Earrings!
I just wanted my breakfast as I was "Hank Marvin"!
That day I fed the fish some
more and in return I caught another 6 fish, including 2
fish weighing 40-04 and 42-04, both Commons. LOVELY. I
had been fishing for 34 hours and was now on a total of
18 fish. Chris had just broken his P.B. in Ladies Lair
next door with a fish that weighed in at around 25/26lb,
I think… so all was good in the world.
I won't go on and on about
what I caught and give a blow-by-blow account. It's tiresome
and gets boring for the reader. I will however go on to
say that the fish are there to be had. Apply yourself and,
with a little luck this kind of fishing can come your way.
The Bailiffs will help you
in any way that they can if it is at all reasonable/possible.
I love going for a holiday to DreamLake 1. There are features
galore and, best of all, the fish in the lake are fighting
machines. If you love your Carp Fishing, you must love
a bit of this! I do. I am returning to the Lake with 9
mates, (including Gazza this time) in the last week in
July and again in August to DL3.
I am looking forward to it as much as I looked forward to going to the lake for
the very first time. I know that I can relax, in peaceful surroundings and totally
chill out and enjoy myself whilst hopefully catching some great fish.
I have the peace of mind
also knowing that all I have to do is turn up at meal times
to be fed and watered, (and fed you are, full English Breakfast
and a large Evening meal with a sweet to follow). The showers/washbasins/toilets
are available for use 24/7 and that in itself is a nice
facility to have at your disposal. What you catch and when
you fish is up to you, it's your holiday don't forget.
I chose not to fish the final day, (Friday) as I fancied
a social with the lads at the Lodge and I had already had
a fantastic time.
To sum up this is what I
caught in 5 days fishing:-
32 fish in total, comprising of 1 Catfish weighing 66-08, 17 Commons to 42-12,
14 Mirrors to 47-00.
1 x 60lb+ fish
4 x 40lb+ fish
9 x 30lb+ fish
18 x 20lb+ fish
32 fish in total in 5 days
full fishing.
I would like to thank all
of the bailiffs, especially Adi, Matty, Dave and Chris
who were working that week. Thanks also to Rael for loading
my gear onto the coach at Dover… cheers mate. Not
forgetting Rob whose company and laughter was a source
of much merriment. Julian, good to see you again mate to
gain some knowledge from the 'Master of DreamLake 2'. Take
'em apart mate wherever you are fishing!
Best Wishes & Big
Fishes to Chris and Kevin. Your company and help with fish
etc, was very much appreciated. I will raise a glass of "Red" to you
both.
Cheers...
Paul 'Richy' Richardson
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