Hartleylands Farm Fishery. Finches Pond. February 21st, 2004.

Having been told by Maria that she would be working late today, I decided that I’d sneak off and have a few hours at Hartleylands Farm today.
Looking out of the window at 7am, the car was covered in frost, so it was another 30 minutes under a nice warm duvet followed by a leisurely breakfast before loading the car.
I arrived at Hartleylands just after 10am, and with just 3 other cars in the car park, and with a layer of cat-ice on Samson pond, I drove up to have a look at the reservoir. Getting out of the car I realised just how strong and cold the wind was and decided to go for a bit of comfort and fish Finches pond which sits in a hollow about 20 feet below the reservoir and would be nicely sheltered.
Looking down Finches…

I fancied fishing the pole, and given the steep nature of the banks at the car park end, elected to have a stroll down to the far end where the flatter banks make it easier to fish at 13mtrs to the far bank cover.
Setting up on the end peg I noticed that yet again the fishery staff had been hard at work renewing all the platforms on the pegs, Nice solid 1mtr square wooden platforms that are covered in chicken wire so that they are non-slip.

End peg…
I just set up the one top kit threaded with white Hydro, with a rig comprising of a Drennan Carp 6 float with 4lb line straight through with a bulk and two no10 droppers ending with a 18 Kamasan Animal. Bait was to be sweetcorn fished over micro halibut pellets, with a few expanda pellets prepared as an alternative hookbait.

I wasn’t expecting any fireworks, but after 20mins the float slid away and I connected with a nice Common that after a brief scrap, slid over the net to brighten up the day. A nice plump fish in mint condition that went just over 5lbs…………

1st of the day…

Slow and steady would be the best description of the day, 13 bites produced 12 Carp and 1 Submarine that just wandered off down the lake without stopping. I don’t think it even knew that it was hooked!!!!
The rest were a mix of Commons and Mirrors, all plump fish between 3 & 5lbs, and in beautiful condition.

…… So all in all, a nice little session with about 40lbs of fish on a day that didn’t promise an awful lot at first. Yet again Hartleylands had come up with the goods.