I arrived in glorious sunshine and headed for a spot in which I've had success before and where I saw fish just the other day. It is an easy call, an area where fish bask during the day and where any fish following the wind or seeking out the change in water temperature in the morning or evening will have to cruise through, in sort, the ideal ambush point. It's a tight swim so I fished just the two rods and dropped one short for cruisers whilst the other went right across for the baskers - what could possibly go wrong?
Come early evening and the temperature dropped with an audible clang! The cloudless sky was a riot of stars with the new moon, Venus and Jupiter making a row of beacons, brighter than all around them. I spent ages just staring up until I felt giddy and began to shiver with the cold. I was in my sleeping bag very early and lost in a world of night noises most of which the dog insisted on investigating.
Just as I drifted into the darkness I was rudely shocked by a strident bleep from the alarm. I'm not yet 'in tune' with my Delkims so every noise they make has me leaping into action, familiarity will one day allow some interpretation but not last night and I sat bolt upright whilst the dog flew out of the open door and went to action stations, standing next to the rods in anticipation.
I gave him the order to stand down and relaxed once more only for a repeat performance; I swear that fish know when you are at your most vulnerable either dropping off, drinking coffee or having a pee!
They got bored with teasing me and apart from a small carp beating the surface with its tail, the night belonged to owls whilst the dawn was taken over by the ducks and a couple of noisy Canada Geese.
The night was really cold and I was glad to get up the bank and sit in the sun where it became extremely hot - hot and cold, this place in a nut shell. I gave it until mid afternoon and decided that it was still early in the year and I have the whole summer (and those lovely warm nights) to go camping, so I packed up and left, fishless yes, but satisfied and relaxed.
Although I use Neville alarms, I have to admit that the Delkim makes the finest sound. That warble they give off in full song will soon become familiar Dave. I will give you some food for thought on those single bleeps though.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine was fishing last week, and just as darkness fell he had a single bleep from one of his alarms. He got out of his bivvy to investigate but the only thing he could see was a duck. He pondered for a whole bleepless half hour before deciding that his bait had probably been picked up by the duck and was now laying in a heap. Reluctantly he decided to wind his rig in to re-cast only to be met with resistance from what turned out to be a 32lb Common...The cagey bugger had probably realised it was hooked but instead of bolting had calmly been trying to work out how to get itself 'off the hook'!!
Well that's my life ruined. There I was thinking it was a roach or bream when I've actually lost a couple of thirties!
ReplyDeleteI need a lie down.
Hot and cold, on again off again...Spring and her flight and fancies. Yet you, sir, have the most wonderful outlook on life of anyone I've encountered. Oh, and has the hedgehog returned home yet?
ReplyDeleteNot quite Erin, we're looking at how the weather fares over the next few days, we often get snow in April and don't want to upset the little darling. We have invested in a hedgehog house - one story accommodation with two rooms and all the dry leaves you could wish for, also, the lovely people that have sheltered her for the winter may well give us a male to keep her company in her new abode. Blog to follow ; )
ReplyDelete"blog to follow"...excellent news! :)
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