Waldens Farm Return

I had been hoping to get out on one of the two big fish waters on my new club book today but I hadn't counted on them being shut until June so a new venue was soon picked and this time it was Walden’s farm near Salisbury.  I did a quick drive through at Reid’s to get some new bits and bobs and I turned up at the lakes at around nine o’clock in the morning.  Imagine my surprise at being the only person on the complex, so a quick walk round and I found an area that I fancied for some skimmers on the pole and possibly a few carp on the rod.

I fished pellet on the pole at 13 m in open water to the left of the swim for a few skimmers and roach, I also started two lines in front of the trees to my left and right later in the day for a few better skimmers. I had fished a waggler among the reeds feeding and fishing meat for a couple of skimmers, but it was tricky to hit the bites as the skimmers were averaging 4oz and they were a bit small for hair rigged 6mm meat.

I went for a walk around the lakes for a bit of a rethink and found some lovely spots for bagging a few tench and carp from later this year.

Back at my peg I set up the method feeder and started off casting it to the gap in the reeds, a few guys had arrived late morning and were fishing around the island to my left and they seemed to be struggling and as they were packing up in the early afternoon I was picking up the odd decent skimmer on the tip from the reeds and as they departed I re clipped the rod up to the platform on the far bank.

I packed up all my kit as I was on the spot and I tried to take a shot of my skimmers in the keepnet (that you are allowed to use for silvers).

They refused to sit still but there was upper double figures of skimmers and roach in the net not many fish for it though as they were a good average stamp.  As I was packing up the last bits of my kit finally the tip went round and with a bit of nip and tuck I soon had a 3lb carp nestled in the net and honour was satisfied.

It was then time to go home, satisfied.

What would I do different

1.       Next time I would feed two skimmer swims at the same distance as they were backing off from time to time and this would have probably seen me have more fish.

2.       Two rods and alarms would be a lovely way to fish the lakes as you can disappear in the wildlife all around, until beeeeeeeep that is!

3.       Different lake next time and I don’t intend to fish the same lake twice on the bounce.