Find the time

26/3/24 – Kirton Hall Lake

So it’s pretty much been a year since I last got to the bank. I had a week booked off work and was hoping for at least one day session, just to see if I could remember how to fish, and satisfy myself that I can still actually consider myself a fisherman. I toyed with getting a year’s rod licence but then decided that was slightly frivolous and just went for the 8 day one. I’d have preferred a 3rod license but they don’t offer any of the shorter term options for 3. I guess they just think 3-rod carpers are more-than-seasonal campaigners, with more money than sense. I’m not saying anything (till the next post). That being said, the only two lakes that allow, and in my mind necessitate 3 rods, are Melton Specimen lake and Suffolk Water Park big lake, neither of which I’d be entertaining this time around, preferring to actually catch something, to make up for my time away from the water.

So I arrived at Kirton on the Tuesday, and there was only one other person there. Air pressure was in the 980’s. I was confident I’d catch. I’d loaded everything in the van including the barrow, just in case I needed to trek round to the far side of the lake, but instead, being such a creature of habit, I chose peg 6, which I’ve probably fished more than any other peg.

Peg 6 at the narrower, shallow end of the lake

Fly tipping is becoming a real problem

One thing I did forget was my glasses, now much needed for close reading and fine detail work. I hadn’t checked my gear since packing away after the last trip a year ago, but was relieved to discover that no end tackle needed tying and after swiftly clipping on a lead and baiting up, I was ready for battle.

The site for each rod, right against the far margin

One of the first things I did immediately after dispatching both rigs, was to use, and snap, my catapult elastic. Proof that I’ve definitely been away too long. Anyway, I’ve attended this Wild West show before and within a few minutes it was returned to a serviceable state.

Good as new (sold as seen)

Anyway, it worked, so I was happy, and while I do add a mesh bag of half a dozen boilies to each rig, I always like to keep plopping a few extras in on top, intermittently.

It took twenty minutes for an alarm to start singing and without issue, the first carp rolled over the net cord.

8lb common

The next two fish both slipped the hook halfway across leaving me wondering if that was my lot for the day. Not so though and at 11.30 the second fish made the net.

9lb mirror

Half an hour later, we were off again with another hard fighting common.

10.5lb common

Twenty minutes later, what was to be the biggest fish of the day. A beautiful golden lump.

13lb common

An hour later at 2pm we were off again.

9lb common

3pm

8.5lb mirror

4.15 and the final bite of the day, just as the sky was threatening to open.

10lb common

So, all in all the perfect return, with 7 fish landed but 3 giving me the slip. So great just to be out amongst it again, and in two days time i’d get the chance to do it all again!

Write-up to follow