Tracking Down A 50lb UK Common - Part 1

We arrived for today’s session at the Cottage Lane end of the lake and had a walk around there. Is that area appealing at this time of year?
“It’s always worth checking. There’s a back bay there, and pads are starting to come up in what is a shallow part of the lake, so fish will turn up there in spring. A number of the swims at that end receive the westerly and south-westerly winds. There are also a few vantage points down there, and from those I can look across the lake and see which other sims are occupied. You can cut your walking down if you see which swims are already taken.”

We saw some bubbling in the area, and also your target fish, the Pristine Common, has done a few captures down there. Why, then, did you decide not to fish at that end?
“As they were really small, the bubbles looked like they were from tench, and I know there are a few there. They appear to be leaving where they spent the winter, in the slightly deeper water at the mouth of that area. We didn’t see a lot otherwise, and also, the water’s gin clear. There’s no colour in it down there.

“I walk this lake at least every other day and I’ve seen fish away from there, out in the deeper water. The deeper area, which I’m interested in, has done five captures of the Pristine, I believe, so more than what the area around the back has done. It’s a pressured lake and the swims in the deeper water were all taken, so I had to look elsewhere. We also have a fresh, easterly wind, and it’s quite a warm one. It’s the first of the year and I know the fish will move on it. I couldn’t see much evidence of fish on the back of it. That’s why I came round here, where we’re not that far from where the fish have been showing in the deeper water.

“There was a chap packing up in this particular swim (The Murders) and he’d had a couple of fish. That was encouraging, so I moved in behind him. There seemed to be only one or two other swims available, so I thought I’d give this one a go, and even before I got the rods out, we saw fish.”

We walked the west bank and The Long Chuck, one of the most popular swims on the lake, I believe, was available. We didn’t know that fish had been caught from this swim you’ve dropped into now (The Murders) at the time, so what dissuaded you from going in there?
“The Long Chuck is known as such for a reason. At around 160yd, it used to be one of the longest casts on the lake. There’s now a line of buoys at around 100yd to stop anglers casting right up the back. Fish would just head left and become snagged, and the fishery manager was forever being called by anglers wanting use of the boat.

“The area’s now roped off, but there’s a little gravel hump in the middle and everyone in that swim fishes three rods to that feature. It’s usually a case of one out, one in, and it’s rare to see it free. It’s also along the causeway between this lake and Englefield. It’s like sitting at a bus stop, with people walking back and forth past you all the time. This time of year, it can do a hit of fish. They’ll come out from the safe area beyond the rope, but were I to fish it, I feel as though I wouldn’t be doing anything different to anyone else who goes in there.

“In that swim, whether you’re using Ronnie Rigs, Chod Rigs, Hinges or whatever, you’re just chucking kit out and hoping. You don’t know what you’ll be fishing over. There could be a pile of uneaten bait left from the weekend. Fishing there is a bit of a lottery. Whilst anglers will get a hit of fish occasionally, five or six might’ve fished in between who’ll not have had a bite. You can sit there, just watching fish jumping the other side of the rope, and that’s what puts me off fishing it.”

You mention that you’d not be able to do anything differently in there, compared to other anglers who fish the swim, but what, if anything, separates those who manage a hit of fish? Is it down to fine margins and getting everything absolutely perfect, or is it just timing?
“I think it’s down to timing, and weather conditions. It’s hard to explain, but that safe area is right up in the corner. A banana-shaped island pretty much splits the lake in half. The fish like the flat water there, in the lee of the wind.

“Last week, fish were showing there. The water was flat and an angler set up feeling quite confident. The following day, however, a south-westerly came in. That wind, coming off of Englefield behind, blew across and smashed into those margins, and with it being fairly shallow, the fish moved around 70yd to the other side of the island, into the calmer, deeper water. The angler who’d set up in that swim feeling confident, couldn’t have been further away from the fish, once that wind arrived. He would’ve needed to move a long way around the lake to keep in touch with fish that hadn’t actually moved that far, and he couldn’t anyway because the swims around the other side were taken. Also, the fish hadn’t moved over his bait as they headed around the island, because they went the other way. If, though, it had been a northerly wind, they may well have crossed his bait and he might’ve had a hit of fish.

“I firmly believe that they know there’s always food there, and that they will feed off the back of it, but when they decide to come out of that safe area, they’ll move around the lake. They then become more catchable, away from that area.”

You’ve dropped into a swim known as The Murders, then, having followed behind Burt, an angler who had a couple of fish last night. Can you just tell us a bit about the swim, and talk about where you’re looking to place your baits?
“Around the other side of the island which splits the lake, there’s a dot island. There’s another island between that and the bank we’re sitting on. Around the dot island is a lot of shallow water. That separates what’s known as the Slab area, and the Mound or car park end of the lake. I believe Burt had been here since last Thursday. He didn’t have anything until last night, but it’s warmed up quite a bit since last week. That tells me that the fish knew that warmer weather was on the way, and Burt, being an old hand on here, managed to bank a couple before he left.

“Other than this swim, I felt I had only one other choice, on the end of the wind. The fish, though, haven’t really got right on the end of it yet, and they probably won’t do for a while. It seemed silly to walk past the swim, especially as Burt, who’s an experienced angler on here, had had a couple. Whilst I don’t rely on what other anglers say, Burt tells it how it is, and straight away, we’ve seen fish.

“There’s a bar between the dot island and the other island closer in and to the left, so I’ll probably place a bait along that. The fish, when moving from behind the island, clearly travel across that bar. There’s also a bar between the dot island and the main island, so I’ll try and get a bait on the end of that one. The closer you go to the main island, the siltier it gets, and with it becoming warmer, I’ve a feeling the fish will like the sun on their backs, and they’ll travel along those bars. I’ll also place a bait close to the island, in one of the recesses, as there’s every chance the fish will be cutting along the edge of those snags.

“In all the years I’ve fished this lake, though, I’ve never fished this swim, so it might all be a bit trial and error. I might have to sit here for 24hrs or more as I try to work out what their movements are, but hopefully they’ll tell me.”

What’s the procedure now? Will you get your leading rod out, or because you know the wraps Burt was fishing to, will you just go straight out?
“I’ll probably get my spod rod out, stick a lead on it and wrap up to where Burt told me he’d fished, just to see what it’s like. Anglers will have different pictures in their head of what’s down there, so in some ways, it’s best not to do your head in trying to find another angler’s spot. Whilst I’ll investigate what he’s told me, I’ll try and find a spot that I’m happy with. Clearly, though, there are fish here, so I won’t be thrashing it to a foam. If I cast out and get a drop, that’ll be that and I’ll be happy. I’ll then go through the same procedure with the other two rods.

“I’ll put a bit of bait around each rod, but not too much. It’s shallow and there’s quite a lot of birdlife on here. If I put a big bed of bait down, I’ll just get annihilated by the birds, and that might put the fish off.”

When it comes to getting the rods out, will you follow the process you outlined last month, getting all three ready, with your spod rod clipped up to all three spots before you then work your way out, unclipping as you go?
“That’s pretty much how I do it, every time I fish. I find it’s an efficient way of doing things and it prevents you from getting in a right flap. I’m practically minded, and the easier you can make things for yourself, the better, I think.”

You have Hinges on the rods at the moment, but you said you might change them to Chod Rigs…
“I prefer Hinges to Chod Rigs, for some reason. I’ll keep an open mind, though, because I’ll be fishing pop-ups of some description. I’ll have just a couple of casts with the lead and see what I think. If it’s not clear enough, I’ll go with a Chod Rig on top of the weed, or the silt.

“Burt had Chod Rigs on, and he said he’d found silkweed out there. A Hinge Rig with a pop-up might present anyway, and I don’t know whether Burt favours a Hinge or not. I’ll make my own mind up once I’ve had a couple of casts.”

As you’ve mentioned, we’re enjoying the first real spring weather of the year. It looks set for this next week, so will you continue to bait lightly?
“I’ll stick with low levels of bait, yes. With the number of gulls sitting out there, it’s going to be hard work with the throwing stick. I could wait for dark, and I hope to try ‘Solubles’ out at some point as well. I’ll weigh things up. When trying to get just a few Spombs out in shallow water, you have to get them all bang on. The last thing I want is Spombs landing all over the place. If I end up using the Spomb, I’ll probably be better off fishing Hinges, but with Chod Rigs, given the distance, it’ll be the throwing stick.”

Read part two here!