A days pleasure fishing today with work colleague and friend Paul Berry. Just to make a change from matches. I didn't fancy Tile Lake Sedges with the psv crew so after a bit of deliberation we chose to have a bash over at the very nice Shiplate complex.
I arrived soon after Paul at around 8:30 and loaded the trolley before saying hello to a few of the guys who were on a match on Hawthorns plus the super owners, they do run the venue well.
With the wind rather brisk and due to get stronger we chose to fish the far bank of the main lake. Pegs 11 and 12 would be our homes for the 6hrs fishing.
I chose peg 12 with open water in front of me. Paul had the end of the island in front of him.
I chose peg 12 with open water in front of me. Paul had the end of the island in front of him.
No rush to set up so I mixed a couple of kilos of black f1.....it was the only groundbait I had with me.
I also soaked about 1.5 pints of micros and opened a tin of corn. I also had some dead maggots.
I assembled a groundbait feeder with 0.12 hooklength and a size 16 b611x. But I only had a single roach and a skimmer on that so enough of that.
I set up a couple pole rigs.
The first was a light set up with 0.14>0.10>16 b911f1 and a 0.3g float.
This would be for around 11m off in the 11 o'clock direction.
The second was a similar sized float for the same distance off to my left in the 8 o'clock direction sort of a metre away from a marginal tree. This rig also suited an area about 1/5m off the end of a tree to my right, sort of in the 2 o'clock direction.
This rig was heavier and with carp in mind, I have found they do hang on here and grow to 20lb+. It was on 0.20>0.16>b911x size 16 and solid 14 elastic.
I also soaked about 1.5 pints of micros and opened a tin of corn. I also had some dead maggots.
I assembled a groundbait feeder with 0.12 hooklength and a size 16 b611x. But I only had a single roach and a skimmer on that so enough of that.
I set up a couple pole rigs.
The first was a light set up with 0.14>0.10>16 b911f1 and a 0.3g float.
This would be for around 11m off in the 11 o'clock direction.
The second was a similar sized float for the same distance off to my left in the 8 o'clock direction sort of a metre away from a marginal tree. This rig also suited an area about 1/5m off the end of a tree to my right, sort of in the 2 o'clock direction.
This rig was heavier and with carp in mind, I have found they do hang on here and grow to 20lb+. It was on 0.20>0.16>b911x size 16 and solid 14 elastic.
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Shiplate Main Lake peg 12
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| Shiplate Main Lake p12 lhs |
A cup of tea and just after 10am I started fishing.
I cupped in 7 balls of groundbait out in the open water area. A cup of corn and wet micros went down to the left and some corn and dead maggots went just off the tree to my right.
After a period of inactivity on the feeder I went out over the groundbait and had a few roach to 10oz before it went quiet. A small nugget of groundbait was fed and I immediately had a skimmer of 6oz or so. This was followed up with a few more plus I bumped off a few including a decent skimmer of a couple pounds. I changed the hook to a b611x and went back out and had a nice run of skimmers between 4oz and 1lb over the following 90 minutes.
I cupped in 7 balls of groundbait out in the open water area. A cup of corn and wet micros went down to the left and some corn and dead maggots went just off the tree to my right.
After a period of inactivity on the feeder I went out over the groundbait and had a few roach to 10oz before it went quiet. A small nugget of groundbait was fed and I immediately had a skimmer of 6oz or so. This was followed up with a few more plus I bumped off a few including a decent skimmer of a couple pounds. I changed the hook to a b611x and went back out and had a nice run of skimmers between 4oz and 1lb over the following 90 minutes.
It was perhaps just after 12pm when I looked at the area to the left. Toss potting 4 or 5 pieces of corn and a pinch of micros each drop saw me put a few more skimmers in the net on corn.
The area went quiet so I suspected that a carp was present as a few bubbles arrived. Moments later I was attached to a lumpy fish that tore off up the lake, it actually went around a tree that was in the water. Buy my tackle held firm and slowly I gained the upper hand and 10 minutes later a common of perhaps 16lb nestled in the landing net. Bargain.....
The area went quiet so I suspected that a carp was present as a few bubbles arrived. Moments later I was attached to a lumpy fish that tore off up the lake, it actually went around a tree that was in the water. Buy my tackle held firm and slowly I gained the upper hand and 10 minutes later a common of perhaps 16lb nestled in the landing net. Bargain.....
Anyways I kept plugging away over the 3 lines hoping to get a few more carp. They never arrived. But I was content catching the skimmers and it remained that way for the last 3hrs.
The skimmers would come in fits and starts with the margin-type line being the most productive for better sized fish. Though the largest skimmer I netted was probably 1.5lb so loads of potential in the growth of the ones I was catching. I was also interupted by a tench of 1.5lb which fought well on soft number 8 laccy.
As the light began to fade I was struggling to see the float and at 4pm we called it a day.
Paul had only had 1 carp on the feeder. A 3lb+ bream from his margin and a good few skimmers off the end of the island all on the feeder.
I packed up my gear and got Paul to come look at what I caught......as usual I had underestimated my catch and was suprised to see around 50 to 55lb of silvers in the net. Very nice fishing.
I had a really enjoyable day on one of my favourite lakes.
I had a really enjoyable day on one of my favourite lakes.
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| Not the best picture, but a decent catch of mostly skimmers |
Next weekend, is a match at Landsend with the Psv guys, unless I change my mind.
Until next time, take care.
Lee
Lee
p.s I am now taking the deposits for my Summer Series
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