Fishing AND Camping

This month I did something I'd not done for many years. Spending the night under canvas. I loaded up the car and went to Springwood Fisheries where I've fished many times before.

I arrived on a sunny Saturday morning, set up my tent, then headed to the top lake. After rigging up my Lee split cane rod and Mitchell 304 with a small float, I had a great afternoon catching Ide and small Carp on sweetcorn and red maggots. My partner came in the evening - but for some reason wanted to go home to a comfy bed! - and we enjoyed fish and chips. When my partner had gone home I chatted with other anglers long into the evening.

After a good nights sleep I prepared the obligatory cooked breakfast, then headed back to the same peg on the top lake and fished into the afternoon, landing Carp, Ide and some Roach.

It was a great weekend, not quite Swallows and Amazons and I'm already planning my next night under canvas.

A nice Ghost Carp caught during the weekend. Not very big but it put up a good fight and was great fun on the Mitchell 304 and cane rod.

Also this month, I had a short session at one of my favourite 'Earl' waters, Mill Dam. As it was last minute with a limited amount of time, I didn't buy any maggots. I thought I'd try bread and sweetcorn for bait.

I fished my black hollow fibreglass rod and Duraflow De Lux centre pin reel. After two hours without a bite I had a few knocks and missed some bites through lack of concentration. I saw fish topping allover the place, then it all went quiet again. Another hour passed and the fish started topping again. I changed bait from bread back to sweetcorn with ten minutes until it was time to pack up, then the float disappeared. After striking and winding in I could tell I'd hooked a descent Bream - or a dustbin lid! - and with some effort I landed a lovely Abramis Brama.

Time was ticking, and I though where there's one Bream there's usually another. I cast out again for 'one last cast' and gave myself five minutes before it really WAS time to pack up. After throwing out my last handful of sweetcorn I waited about a minute before the float went under again. I struck and reeled in again and landed another good size Bream, maybe a little bit bigger than the first.