Elphick’s Fishery. Sandwich Lake. November 7th, 2002.

Well back to Elphick’s today for another go!  As I said in my previous report, today I would be accompanied by Fred
(one of only two founder members of our club, which is celebrating 40 seasons this year). However a couple of phone calls from him and we were joined by Peter W, Ron & Roy. Sandwich Lake was selected again (Remember….No Carp).
Well what a difference two days makes !!!! After yesterdays torrential rain down here in the SE, The level had risen 3 inches putting the platforms on the other side under water. A clear sky and a biting cold NW wind greeted us as we made our way to our pegs. As we tackled up the wind seemed to increase. It was obviously going to be awkward to say the least.

Here’s the lineup (front-back) Me (taking the pic) Fred, Pete W. Ron & Roy……



I had peg 10 again, but action was far from fast & furious. Corn & pellet both went untouched as the others started to connect with some nice Roach around the 6-8 oz mark.
After an hour a switch to maggot produced a series of lightning fast unhitable bites. However adding 3 inches to the depth of the rig to nail the bait down had the desired effect and I was soon rewarded with a nice skimmer of about a pound. Next put in and a bit more elastic comes out………… this was more like it, a nice Golden Tench weighing about 1½ pounds.

By now Ron & Roy had succumbed to the cold and forsaken their poles for the relative comfort of the feeder fished from behind their brollies. Fred & Pete W had come in close to try and sneak a few fish from the margins while I stuck it out at 11mtrs to pick up a dozen hard earned Roach and Rudd, the best of which might have just topped the pound!

Roy had managed 1 Bream on the feeder, but poor Ron was still struggling to prevent the dreaded blank.
Fred was having trouble spotting bites in the choppy conditions and Pete W was still nicking the odd one from almost under his feet fishing caster. Me? I got another bar of gold about 2lbs this time.
 

Towards the end bites dried up for everyone as the temperature continued to fall. We were all getting ready to call it a day as the cold started to creep into old joints when down went my float and all of a sudden there was an awful lot of elastic heading for the other side of the lake. Softly softly catchee monkey (or in this case fish) and 9mins later (timed by Ron) the prize was in the net, A pristine Mirror Carp of exactly 10lbs………

Did it count????? There aren’t supposed to be any Carp in this lake. Of Course it did.

Well that was all folks, a much harder day than Tuesday, but still some fish to be had, except for poor Ron…… Yes folks he had suffered the dreaded BLANK.