Sunday 18 October 2009

Bait? Really!

Very unlike me having shunned bait for over twelve months now... BUT it is worth ringing the changes now and again!

I decided that pushing the trolley around the local supermarket that a tray of European Sprats had to be purchased... at 71p (probably about 50cents to those Stateside) they were worth a punt! I froze half the pack - individually wrapped in cling-film and placed the rest (about 9) in a plastic bag.

Having read much on Mike Ladle's site about circle hooks and that I had a pack of size 2 Owner Mutu lights I thought I'd give it a go! An 18 inch trace made of fairly stiff 15kg wire with a single circle hook attached and then shrink tubed with a swivel at the other end was attached to Powerpro braid on my Harrison 4Surespin rod...

I love travelling light - a few baits, rod, net and mat and away we go!

I'd had an attack on a fly on Friday in a bit of a slack water and failed on the hook set... this pikey area has had a bit of a mixed bag of attacks and few landings... so a change of tactics! This was a stolen hour or two at the end of the day which I find least successful in the numbers game but always sure to winkle one out. A chance meeting with a regular confirmed "NO fish out this afternoon!". Into the slack water... my that looks really shiny... as the bait wobbled toward me. Second cast and half way through the retrieve - bang - Fish on! I was caught half off guard as I'm not used to seeing a bait disappear as the fish fights on the line... only a jack BUT neatly lip hooked... easy to release and off to a few other marks.

Not a good time of day for this stretch of water - funny that! Never mind those in the freezer will do for an early stint later this week!

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