Hartleylands Farm Fishery. Finches Pond. May 30th, 2004.

Well today was one of those “Just got to go fishing” days. No real forward planning, no Saturday trip to the tackle shop, I didn’t even set the alarm, just woke up and looked out of the window, loaded up the car and set off.

Destination for the day was Hartleylands Farm, There were bound to be matches booked on the main lakes, but you always seem to be able to find a swim on one of the smaller ponds on the complex, unlike neighbouring Elphicks which is normally full with the gates shut by 7·30am at the weekends.

I got there at just after 8am to find all the main lakes booked as I thought, but was pleasantly surprised to find a newly installed Burger Van so that was breakfast taken care of and I have to say that it hit the mark.

 With that out of the way I had a wander and found peg 22 on Finches was free, which would do for me. A comfortable 13mtrs to the far side and with the odd patch of fizzing bubbles, I was soon set up and ready to go. Bait wise I only had some corn and some 4 & 6mm expander pellets, so that would have to do.

Peg 22

Ideally I would have liked some meat, as I find that it works well here once the weather starts to warm up, but I didn’t have any with me. Anyway a couple of large pots of 4mm pellets with some corn were deposited along the front of the Irises on the far bank and a 6mm was impaled on the hook and offered up.

After about 30 minutes of the float dipping and dancing around as the silvers nibbled away at the pellets it stopped. Back out with a fresh pellet and a couple of minutes later it buried and the 1st Carp of the day was on its way to the net

1st of the day

A fin perfect fully scaled mirror of about 4lbs. Sport was never fast and furious, but by sticking at it sport was at least regular. One of the delights of Hartleylands is the condition of the fish, No ripped mouths and every one fin perfect and such is the stock mix that you’re never sure what the next fish will be. Common, Mirror, Ghost, Koi? they are all there to be caught.

As the afternoon became more overcast with rain threatening, the obligatory “One Last Cast” produced this lovely Linear Ghost carp of around 3lbs.

A nice end to the session which produced a total of 15 carp for a weight of around 50lbs. Definitely worth the 90 mile round trip.