What a year 2007's been for me!
DreamLakes 1 & 2
by Trevor Pavitt

We arrived at DreamLakes to fish Lake 1 on Saturday. Letting Sal use one of my rods, she had 2 fish on the bank and I thought we were off to a great start.

Then on Sunday it started to rain, which we didn't count on, and it rained and rained, then it rained some more. Not catching a fish and having to shelter in the bivvy, sitting on an airbed on the floor or under a tree so not to feel closed in. It just kept raining apart from the odd half hour till Thursday. It was starting to send us stir crazy - many thanks to Gary (our Bailiff for the week) as he lent us his brolly so we could sit out side and stay dry while watching the lake.

The temperature of the water on Saturday was warm as I empted my spod. But with the rain and as the days crept by it was dropping quickly and by Tuesday felt really cold. Thursday came, the rain went and I had my first fish, a 37lb common, followed by a new PB for me a 43lb mirror. True to fishing, the rain, sitting there frustrated, blanking and trying everything I could think of, all suddenly disappeared into a distant memory.

Friday night all packed up apart from the rods and bivvy and with the alarm set for the journey home, I was woken up at 1.30am to have another new PB – a 46lb 12oz common to grace my net (and a 20+ an hour or so later).

I returned 3 weeks later but this time to fish DL2.

Saturday night I had my first fish on but it became snagged up. I thought it was in the far margins, but I found it to be 10 to 15yds off the bank as daylight came 3hrs later. Still unable to bring it in, and with the fish still on, I walked my rod along around the margin and out up to my armpits. I lost the fish but retrieved my rig and the snag.

A quick trip to the shower to warm up and I was eagerly awaiting my next run. The fish were showing but at the other end of the lake and by Tuesday I was thinking of moving. The wind turned, blowing into my corner. What to do? I stayed put, but by Thursday I was frustrated and still not had a fish on the bank. I'm again thinking of moving, the wind changed again picking up and blowing into my corner again. Friday's here already, where's the week gone? Should I have moved? I don't know….. I've been told yes, but then I would have missed out on making that elated phone call home at 3am Saturday morning! I'm told that I sounded like a hamster on speed - new PB for me, a 55lb common, hell I didn't care I let every one know! As before, the past week became a far distant memory - that's fishing for you!

Had I been fishing at home I would have probably packed up and gone home keeping an
eye on the lake and waiting for it switch on, which you can't do when you book a weeks fishing abroad. But then I'd never have had 3 PB's, never would have had my 55lb'er, would I?

One year out of six for bad weather aint bad going! What a year the weathers been here and over there.

be lucky

...................Trev

Trevor Pavitt
DreamLakes One & Two
2007