Shearwater 16/12/12

I received a phone call from team captain Barry during the match the day before telling me that the winter league round on the river had been cancelled, seeming that I already had a pint of caster, worm and my dead pinkie and maggot was defrosting, instead of going to Witherington Farm for a knock up, I decided to go to Shearwater lake to practice bream fishing.

I drove to venue early and found a swim halfway down the lake that I knew would be around 6-8feet deep.

I know this as I have markered around the venue extensively in the past, I still had to set up my platform though due to all the extra water in the venue but I had decided to only pack 3 rods and they were set up as follows:

1)  Champions Choice 12ft Stillwater feeder, Ultimatch 035 loaded with 0.20 Cenex feeder line, a running feeder rig with a 12” hooklength of 0.09-0.12mm line to a 22-16 hook. This rig was my standard Bream rig and got clipped at 40 turns.

2)  Force Commercial 11ft Carp feeder, Ultimatch 035 reel loaded with 8lb sensor, a running 30g Kobra method feeder and a 4” hooklength of 0.16mm Cenex with a size 18 Colmic 501 or 16 QM1 and quickstop. This rod was to see if the method would be better over a bed of bait and was also clipped at 40 turns.

3)  13ft Browning King Feeder All Season (no longer made), Black Magic 050 FD reel loaded with 0.20 Cenex Feeder Line,  this was terminated to a link swivel and this was connected to a small kobra long range method with a 14 QM1 on 0.16mm Cenex and a bait band.

Bream Munga

I mixed my groundbait, finished prepping my rods and then proceeded to Spomb out 10 small balls of ground bait using my standard feeder rod. I then belted out the long range method to allow the groundbait time to settle, it took a while but I eventually found that changing from a boilie to 3 dead maggots would see the tip on the long range rod pull round regularly. After 4 Bream I decided to start on my closer line and was rewarded with a run of fish, before having to go long again and so the day unfolded with me catching a total of 40 bream from 12oz to over 4lb. I had a brilliant day and learnt loads in the process such what to look for in a liner and proper bite and it proved a couple of rig ideas for me. I was also finally able to test the still water rod to the max and found that not only did it cast well but it also handles very light lines very well. The guys who went to withy all struggled and Stu won the knock up with less than 10lb.

Next time I hope that they come with me.