First fish from a new venue is always a special one even if it is a rouge tench. I carried on fishing the swim with it producing more and more tench! I ended up having six tench from the swim before ringing my mate who was down a few days previous. He told me about a few likely areas and with the knowledge of Crucians hating disturbance it was time for a move!
I looked around a few swims and dropped in one which had some pads close into the margin. I plumbed about and settled on a nice zone just off of the rod tip. It felt a lot better in this area and I was more confident knowing there could be a crucian or two about. A few hours went by and it was now 2pm and not a crucian in sight I was beginning to get fustrated and started to lose hope a bit so I re plumbed the swim and fished a shallow shelf. Almost instantly I was into a crucian! Crazy! After fishing for hours and having no bites and just re plumbing the depth and fishing a foot closer in I was in! These fish really are finicky! After a nice enjoyable fight on my acolyte rod and centre pin reel the crucian was in the net! I think my Mrs was happier than me as she knew she wouldn't have to hear me moan the whole way home!
Amie took some beautiful photos and I slipped the crucian back. Not soon after another was in the net then another! Two in the net at once! This was a first for me! I was buzzing! A dream come true! And once again my lovely Amie took some
More special photos! Having a partner with you is a bonus as she knew how I like my photos and together we work good as a team!
If I didn't catch anymore I'd still be returning home with a grin on my face! Three Crucians! Three! I carried on my technique of fishing the light pole float under the rod tip and the bites slowly dried up. I continued to bait and fish waiting anxiously for that finicky bite! And sure enough the float disappeared and I was into crucian number four! And another stunner was in the net! I quickly cast out knowing there could be a few more about and sure enough the float was away and I was into another! I couldn't believe my luck! From fishing a lake full of roach and tench and carp I'm fishing this special place were my Lucks come in! Maybe my patientce and finely tuned baiting and Acuracy paid off and it was just good angling for once and not just luck!
I was over the moon again holding two lovelt Crucians in my hands whilst Amie snapped away capturing the memory's! I returned the beautiful specimens and carried on my angling! Sadly I faul Hooked what would of been a new pb but just slipped it back. Knowing what was in there now just made me want to get back there even more!
Amie on the other hand didn't like her photo being taken! But what a gem for coming fishing with me.
After a chippy tea we were off home and I was happy as Larry! Already thinking about my next trip down there! Which wasn't to far away! After getting a txt from my mate richie we both decided to head down to the venue and have a social. I dropped into the swim I fished before and richie dropped into the swim he'd caught from before. It was roasting that day and bites were few and far between! We both had caught tench but no Crucians so far.
After a few more tench the bites dried up and time was running out as we both had to be back home. Luckily I ended up catching two lovely Crucians! Which made the session for me! Both me and richie had a lovely little social with some lovely fish caught!
With my partner being heavily pregnant and work being manic my fishing slowed right down which was a burn as I was really enjoying myself! But me being me I managed to some how get out and get back down to the venue for some more crucian action! Fishing again was really slow I had one crucian from the off and lots and lots of tench.
I ended up moving around and fishing four different swims that trip and just ended up catching tench after tench! I'm a stubborn bugger and stayed right to the bitter end but only tench to show that session for my efforts.
I went home that session feeling a little wounded but still keen as ever to get back down there so once again I was off in search of gold! I decided this time to stick to the first swim I had the luck and fish close in the margin by the pads again! Once again I found myself waiting anxiously for that little pole float to dip under! After a couple of hours I hit into my first crucian and then another! Things were back on track again! Both fish were returned without any photos as I was on my own and after loosing my temper with the self take remote and nearly launching my camera in the pond I just carried on angling. Once again the bites dried up and I was sat waiting patiently playing cat and mouse with the Crucians. Just when all hope was nearly lossed the float dipped and I was in! Another good fish and out went the float! And again another good fish! A quick ring to my mate to come and do some shots for me and they were returned.
The session was a fruitful one and I was happy with the four Crucians id landed! With my camera full of memory's I was once again happy and eagerly awaited for the all the clear to get out again!
Luckily I didn't have to wait to long! My good mate Marcus wanted to catch a 2lb+ crucian so he was up for a trip! I was super excited this trip as I hadn't seen Marcus for a while or fished with him so it was thumbs up all round! Both of us arrived with big smiles on faces! We walked around the areas I'd been having luck and let Marcus decide where he wanted to fish before I made my decision. This time round I had my feeder rod with me so when the bites dried up on the float rod I could flick a small inline method about and find the fish. It was a good job I did that day as the swim I started off in produced nothing to the float so I chucked the feeder out into open water and wasn't long before the rod tip swung round and I was into a crucian!
It made me think if I wasn't so stubborn and tried other methods maybe i would of caught some more Crucians? What's done is done though! I ended up moving to the swim to the right of Marcus. Again the swim had pads in the margin but the set of pads was a lot bigger which to me looked like a good holding spot for the Crucians!
So after plumbing about and settling on a nice shallow zone I was happy with in went the bait followed by my light pole float! It didn't take long before I had one in the net! I like this swim!
With two Crucians under my belt I was happy! And it wasn't long before Marcus had a lovely crucian and a new pb for him to! It's epic seeing your mates catch special fish! The atmosphere was buzzing and we both carried on catching Crucians!
We both wanted to stay as long as possible as bites were coming quick and fast!
You really can't beat sitting back watching a float! Constantly on edge waiting patiently for the float to disappear! It's the most exciting fishing in my eyes! Especially when your angling for such a beautiful species! Marcus went on to catch a few more as did I! I decided to up my feed a bit to see what would happen as the tench hadn't paid me a visit so I thought maybe a bit more bait would encourage the bigger Crucians to turn up? And that they did! I hooked into a another crucian this one I knew was a special fish! My heart was beating so hard and I was so nervous I didn't want to loose this fish! After a short battle which felt like hours the special crucian was in the net!
This crucian had a bigger frame than the others and looked much older so I knew it was special!
And of course I caught one of his mates to share the photo with him!
It was a special session with personal bests broken for me and Marcus. Size is ilevant where this species is concerned in my eyes there all special fish!
Never have I enjoyed my angling so much! It's so much fun using a centre pin and a light float rod! Every pull from the crucian is intense! And if you do hook a rouge tench you hit and hold on for your life!
It wasn't long before Marcus was on the phone wanting to head back! A couple of days later we were back on the motorway on route for gold! I went straight into the swim I had the biggun from and fished the usual spot with the usual tactics! Today wasn't my day.. I ended up losing four Crucians! Blunt hook... Why oh why didn't I check the hook! Marcus suggested to put on a size 14 instead of my usual 16 as if bumped a few fish in previous sessions. I don't like change but a change was needed! Once again the tench were no where to be seen! So I decided to take the risk and put out more bait than usual with the previous sessions luck! The weather was more over cast and drizzly so conditions were prime for it! If a biggun was to slip up today would be the day! My confidence was shattered after the earlier losses but was regained when I landed re fish crucian of the trip!
All faith was restored and I was away again! Bites slowed down again and the day was drawing to a close. Marcus hadn't had any action as of yet from the Crucians and the rain began to get heavier! Wasn't long before the float was away! This time the fish was taking line from my centre pin! Could it be a tench? I played this fish very carefully as I thought it could be a big crucian! My suspicions were correct and a big crucian was the the culprit! It was huge! My heart began to beat and my mouth began to dry! I slid the net out so carefully and edge the crucian towards it.. The crucian had other ideas as did my hook.. As quick as my confidence was on a high it was shattered again! A blink of an eye and the crucian was swimming back to his refuge! I was gutted! It was a fish of a life time! I took a breather and baited the swim and chilled out for a bit. Gutted I was! After licking my wounds I put the float back out. Bites were non existent. Rather than bait again I waited. Again the float dipped and I was into another hard fighting fish! Pulling line off the centre pin and pulling towards the pads I didn't wanna give this fish to much stick! I got the fish out the pads and saw a glimpse of it! It was another big crucian! It was make or break! The fight was intense! Knowing what had happened previously I upped my game and stayed focused and eventually the Crucian was in the back of the net!
Another old big framed Crucian! I was buzzing! It nearly filled the net! Smile from ear to ear!
I knew Marcus would do me proud on the camera and that he did!
I was over the moon! It has been a wonderful years angling so far with the added bonus of my beautiful daughter being born. I was happy to leave my angling there for now. Until I return to the venue next year for a shot at the bigger Crucians on the pond next door!
I couldn't leave my angling there though! I had to take my daughter river for a spot of fishing! So I visited the old estate lake where I grew up angling and where I'll be taking her to wet her first line! Of course I took a rod to!
Sadly river didn't get to see her first crucian but I'm sure she will soon. Thanks again for taking your time to read my blog and I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Be lucky out there... F
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