15/08/2024 - A Surprise Catch

Following on from Tuesdays tench fishing session at “Crabtree Pool” Today Wednesday I chose to fish another water, this time for rudd, a true summer fish, yes you can catch them in winter as I have often done, but I feel summer time is best. As a youngster during the latter years of WW2, my friends Billy Race, Peter Carrol, Brian Burstow and myself had access to some good rudd fishing, through our local bobby PC Blackman, who really was a great police officer, after the end of the war, he would not only take us fishing, but through his contacts arrange for us to go beating on the shoot days, the game keeper would allow us set our snares for rabbits, also shoot pigeons. A rabbit was worth one 1s and 6d in old money, some days I would find a couple of rabbits in the snares on my way to school, these were sold to the teachers. The Reverend Edward Alston caught a record rudd from Norfolk’s Ringmere water back in 1933, he also held the tench record at the same time. Yes, the rudd record has been beaten or equalled by carp anglers, I just ignore these weights. Much preferring the traditional way of rudd fishing either light legering, float fishing or free lining a bait. I have been very lucky to catch quite a few 3lb plus rudd, in one case fishing with Tony Farquharson I caught a brace of 3lb rudd in two casts, from a Cotswold gravel pit I rented. Yes the species has been one of my favourite species if one can have a favourite. The weather forecast for today was sunny intervals and a moderate breeze with drizzle between 1100 hours and 1200 hrs, I was just before 1000hrs when we arrived at our chosen water, after talking with David about his prize rare breed of ducks and chickens, we made our way to the water.

It was wind swept, there was just a glimpse of some blue sky, no water birds could be seen, not a single aircraft could be heard overhead. The water looked a muddy colour, and lifeless, not a good omen. I threw some bread on the surface it was immediately attacked by lots of small fish, as mentioned the water looked a muddy colour, though I could see several inches into the water. That was good. I chose to fish the west bank with the wind in my face, my friend on the eastern bank, as it was quite more sheltered. My plan was to float fish alongside a large area of bulrushes, my baits would be either, bread flake, crust, corn or lobworm. My tackle set up was Sealey Rover matched with a centre pin reel this time with 4lb bs line, I chose another of Micky Erends sliding float, a red tipped porcupine quill taking 3BB shot, tying on a size 10 hook, I plumb the depth finding around four feet of water on the outer edge of the bulrushes. Using a bait dropper I put in two lots of corn. Then adjusted my float so I was fishing the bait some six inches off the bottom.

I had bites from the start

Soon I was catching small roach and rudd, often on the drop, also missing a few, occasionally I got a goer size rudd, hopefully I might get some pound plus fish, perhaps my target fish of 2lbs, In the past I’d seen these size fish lurking just a few inches below crusts intended for carp. It was these rudd that were my target, two weeks ago I lost one as it was coming towards the net. Despite the weather, it was enjoyable catching these goer size fish, occasionally a better fish around the pound mark. After an hour or so the sky clouded over the wind increased, the rain started, soon it increased to heavy rain, visibility become poor, I could just make out Mart making his way along the far bank, no doubt he was going back to his car. Half an hour later, I hooked a good rudd, possibly my target fish, I caught several glimpses of the fish, at one time it swirled on the surface, Yes, I said to myself “Thats a big one” a minute or two later it slipped the hook, It was one of those that got away. I wasn’t very happy, but couldn’t work out how I’d lost it. With the rain increasing in intensity, I added two droppers of corn, also a dozen chopped lobs, then decided on a break.

Lately instead of sandwiches I have chosen to take with me a Nixe Tuna Salad Mediterranean style, its less than 250 calories, cost just less than £2-00 from Liddle’s, it contains plenty of tuna, pasta, tomatoes etc etc and a sauce. As I sat under a large beech tree, I thought how lucky I am to go fishing when ever I wish, but at 87 having paid my dues over many years, I have earnt my rest, from work life. Suddenly the ducks showed up, also a moorhen, then a Great crested grebe with its juvenile in tow, I also noticed the juvenile was now following its parent in diving for food. A big surprise Back in my swim after my lunch with a fresh brew, I started once more, trying to catch my prize, this time switching to fishing a cocktail bait of lob tail with a grain of corn, a few goer rudd and roach later I switched to fish bread flake higher in the water, the size of fish increase slightly, also I wasn’t missing bites. After an hour or so later the bites stopped. I decided to fish two grains of corn on the bottom. I soon started getting the odd twelve ounce rudd with an occasional fish pushing the pound mark. I enjoyed a half an hour spell catching nice rudd.

Then it happened within seconds of casting out, the float disappeared fast, lifting the rod, I didn’t need to strike, the reel screamed into life line was ripped off at a fast rate of knots, the rod had taken on a curve I’d never seen before, I tried to increase the pressure, but it didn’t both this unseen adversary I was hooked up to. Glancing down at the reel I noticed there wasn’t a lot of line left. Somewhere out in the deeps was something that didn’t want to give up. I then just cramped my hand around the reel then walked two paces backwards, suddenly the fish changed direction, I had to wind like I’d never done before when freshwater fishing, at the same time walking backwards to try and keep in control, eventually I felt I was in contact with the fish, but far from control. I lowered the rod tip right down in the water as if it was part of the line, so I had more power in the butt joint to help play this creature, I now started to feel, I was l hooked up to a carp, not by its mouth, but perhaps the dorsal fin, meaning it could go where it wished. If so the hook might pull out.

Some twenty plus minutes later The rain still sheeting down, the wind suddenly dropped, the water surface had just a few very small ripples. Slowly I started getting some line back on the reel, some would be taken back, but I felt I was winning, I thought “Whatever you are I am going to win this contest” Slowly but surely I was gaining more line than I would lose some, thirty plus yards away I noticed a swirl on the water but in the rain I couldn’t make out what caused it. I now started to pump the fish towards me by clamping down hard on the reel, then slowly walk backwards, then quickly going forward reeling line in as fast as I could, it worked eventually I got the fish within twenty yards, where it swirled on the surface, it was a common, I now felt certain it wasn’t fowl hooked, but hooked cleanly in the mouth. I had another heart stopping time before I got the fish close enough to get a good look at it, then it suddenly went berserk, swirling diving taking off line so it was some time before I got it close to the net, eventually with the net sunk deep in the water I slowly pulled the fish as it was on its side until it was over the net, I lowered the rod onto the rest, hoping it the carp would be quiet for another minute, then using both hands lifted the net, I reckon it was some minutes before it quietened down, for me to lift it out on the bank. I had no idea what it would weigh, I reckon perhaps fifteen pounds, my scales weighed to 12lbs it just thumped them round the clock. I chose to say it was a double figure common, on 4lb line, a size ten hook and Sealey Rover rod, it shows what can be done with light tackle, but let’s be honest it was with a good dose of luck. Today the rod is still as if it had come from the tackle shop all those years ago.

Small rudd are good looking fish

My surprise catch

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