Learning Curve

Friday 30^th April, bank holiday weekend so rain was imminent! I left work at the usual 12:30pm, hit the tackle shop and supermarket and on for the M3. Just before the A34 turn off I hit tail backs, after a while of not really getting anywhere I started to move only getting hampered by more queues for the rest of the journey. I finally pulled into the car par at 3pm to find 7 other cars present. It was obvious that with the bank holiday it would be busy. I did have a few spots in mind but didn’t hold much hope of getting one.

Over the bridge I saw that Common Corner and Lazymans were unoccupied, pushing on Birches and The Point had anglers in so I carried on round hoping Golf Tee’s or NF’s were empty. Luck had it Golf Tee’s was empty so I dropped my bivvy in there and stood watching the water for a few minutes. I looked across to the Beach and NF’s which were both occupied, just then a Carp crashed out just in front of my island, that’ll do nicely!

First Match Common

Friday 23^rd of April was my third visit to the Match Lake, a 2 night session and this time I fancied the larger end of the lake. During my other visits I had noticed a fair few fish cruising down that end, doubling up with the surface fishing possibilities during the lean period in the middle of the day. The swim I chose was the Gate swim in the far corner of the lake, a small secluded swim commanding a nice section of snaggy margin to its left. I barrowed my gear to the swim and ten went for a wander round to Gravely’s and NF. In front of these swims were a few fish swimming just under the surface, their big dark shapes giving them away. I trotted back to my swim, set up a floater rod and returned for a bash at the cruising fish. I cast a few times but nothing was interested and the wind was all wrong blowing a big bow in the line making contact difficult.

Second trip and two more carp

Friday 16^th April, my second visit to The Match Lake and this trip was to be a longer one than last weekend, with Monday and Tuesday booked off work I’d planned to fish 4 nights. I finished work at 12:30 pm and after stopping for supplies I got to the lake at around 2:00. When I pulled into the car park I saw 6 cars, not a great sight as there were certain swims I wanted to get into. As I crossed the little bridge I saw that Common Corner and Lazymans were both occupied. I walked on past the Jungle and to my surprise found The Birches empty, Result!!

Match Lake Intro

I stepped out onto the hotel patio at dusk, my favourite time of the day, when Bats flit in the purple sky and the Owls, woken from their daytime slumber become active, noisy, the socialites of twilight.

Then daytime arrives and although all I can hear are Finches and Sparrows; the Owls and Bats are still out there somewhere, but no matter how many times I walk those woods, no matter how much I strain my neck looking up amongst the deepest darkest branches I have yet to see them. The transformation between night time and daytime is complete, like two different worlds.

It’s the same whilst fishing; anglers get to experience this almost Jeckle and Hyde land where they are visited regularly by day yet haunted at night by the unseen. After nights their ears are trained to pick out each one, scurrying, rustling and hunting. There are also the sounds of the pool, great fish leaping and crashing, usually at the other end of the pool to where I am fishing, but sometimes close by, and it is at this time that I become alert, optimistic, ready to be acquainted with some creature from another world. For it is this other underwater world we become addicted to, yearning to unlock it’s secrets, longing to make contact with its residents, deep, dark and mysterious, a puzzle we try so hard to solve.
 

Sat in the grounds of the country lodge the sun shone upon my neck as I contemplate, pen in hand, of where I really want to be. The challenge of a new season and a new water beckons. I closed my eyes, felt the warmth on my neck and pictured myself sitting by that pool, secluded, quiet, waiting in anticipation of connecting with my first fish from that most intimate of pools. The stories from long ago are fresh in my mind having read the tales of adventures past. My mind’s thoughts move onto such things as pitch shall I choose, will I find fish among snaggy bays and under overhanging trees, can I implement my favourite method and catch them from the surface. These things I considered everyday leading up to my maiden voyage to a place previously explored yet so new to me. Will I be as successful as the legends that have passed before me and emerged victorious, conquerors of a place once thought impossible, true masters of the gentle art of angling. Sadly some of the monsters of the deep have retired, gone to swim happily in another place but the survivors, growing in both size and cunning are the legends of the future, and hopefully the prizes of the next chapter in my quest.
 

As I sit here and write of a place I have yet to see through my own eyes the news comes through of a friends triumph. So they are real, they are catchable! Confidence and enthusiasm heightens and I build a picture of a paradise yet to be discovered, where every fishless hour will be like catching a twenty on some other, less beautiful pool such is the passion I already feel.
 

On the way home from Nottingham, whilst watching Buzzards and Red Kites the phone rang, I looked at the screen and saw it was my Mum, I asked her to call if a letter came through the door with CEMEX stamped on it. She confirmed that it was indeed my ticket and I quite positively gleamed. All the way home my mind was on one thing alone, Yateley!! What swim, what bait I should take, all these thoughts were making me dizzy. When I got home I gathered the kit from the shed, loaded the car and left for the motorway via the shop for supplies. A quick stop at Yateley angling centre for a few bits and it was on to the lake.
 

I pulled into the car park to find quite a few cars already there. I crossed the little bridge across the river and there it was, The Match Lake!! The first part I came to was a bay with a fair few anglers camped around it. A bit further on and I came to the out of bounds area they call the jungle, and I could see why. The swim to its right, The Birches, was one I’d like to have got into but it was occupied, I suppose that’s the problem with arriving on Saturday afternoon. I did a quick circuit of the lake and the area I liked the look of was opposite a long island, an area called the Canopy Swims.
 

I barrowed the gear round to the swim and got the marker rod out but after getting hooked up on countless underwater obstacles I decided on a swim a few along called First canopy. In front of me was a large sunken tree in the water off the island with clear spots either side, two Sausage Oil baits were cast into these spots and the other rod down along the right hand margin.

 

 

A couple of views of my swim

 

I set the house up and lay on the bed taking in the atmosphere of this wonderful place wondering what fate has in store for me.

Home

 There were a few Geese and Ducks in front of me but they left me well alone. I brought with me the water rules which came with my ticket and I had just started to read them when my left hand rod screamed off. I ran out in my socks and struck into what felt like a Turbocharged snag!! After ripping a good fifty yards of line off I started to gain some back ever so gradually. The fight was immense and after 15 or 20 minutes I saw a Catfish tail slap the surface. Just as I thought it was beat and I reached for the net it found a sudden burst of energy and went on another 30 yard sprint. Eventually after quite some tugging and pulling with tired arms I netted the beast. It was very well behaved on the mat and posed beautifully for the self takes. What a fight and at 33lb 8oz it was my first Yateley fish and a new PB Catfish!!!

 

33lb 8oz

 I got the rod back on the spot and after pulting out a few freebies I sat back to watch the sun set, I sat there and with a big smile on my face I said to myself “I think I’m going to like it here!!”

 

At 8:15pm the sun had almost set, the temperature started to drop and the first Bats made an appearance. I could hear Ducks, Geese and a distant Peacock. Dusk was beautiful and I could think of no place I’d rather be. The evening brought the odd liner and I drifted off to sleep, quite contented at around midnight.
 

At 2:15am I woke to the sound of my alarm, the left hand rod was once again away; I sprang up from my bed and struck into another hugely powerful fish. Obviously another catfish but this one tore off even more line and its charges even faster. After around half an hour of holding on for dear life I gradually gained whatever line it let me until I had it quite close in and then slipped the net under what looked like another PB. This one weighed 47lb 12oz and although well mannered on the matt, it did make the self takes somewhat difficult, as you can see from my facial expressions!!
 

47lb12oz

 So, 2 fish for 80lbs, not a bad start, although I was longing for a Carp. I didn’t think my arms could cope with another Moggi, not tonight anyway!! I got the rod back out as best I could in the dark and hit the sack.

 

I woke up at around 7am on Sunday, the bird life was noisy and planes queued up overhead ready for their decent into Heathrow. Apart from a few liners the rods remained quiet. The sky was grey and I was in need of an extra layer. By 9am the sky had cleared and there were bright sunny spells appearing, it looked like it would be a lovely spring day. The cold breeze coming from the east came and went, gaining pace then subsiding, then only to gain pace again. All through the afternoon the rods only sounded when a twig or some weed drifted into my lines.
 

At 5:30pm, whilst listening to the FA Cup Semi Final on the radio I had a slow lift on the bobbin of my left hand rod, I ran out and hovered but it just slowly fell back to its original position. Just as I sat back down I heard my alarm tear off so I turned round only to find that it was in fact my middle rod this time. I struck and could feel that it wasn’t a Cat this time, I steered the fish towards me but it kited to the left and into the bay. I applied pressure and persuaded the fish to head back out into open water in front of me, then I saw its dorsal fin break surface and a dark back, a Carp at last!!! I netted my prize and admired a definite 20lb Mirror. On the scales she went 23lb 5oz, Result! I took a few self take, released her and got the rods back into position.

 

 

23lb 5oz

An hour later, football over and it was sadly time to get packed away. It was time to call an end to
this wonderful session. I bid farewell to the marvellous lake and prayed that she be as kind to me on my return visit.

First visit to the Mecca

I arrived at Ross on Wye at 11 am. I met up with Anton and Oz and we had a bite to eat in Morrisons. We set off for the pool just after 12 and drove past Bernithan Court Farm just before 12:30, half an hour too early so we nipped into Llangrove and had a quick pint of Worthingtons in the Royal Arms. After our pint we left for the pool and arrived, once more, at Bernithan.

The entrance…..



I drove over the cattle grid and along the track; suddenly I could see sparkling water, Redmire Pool, and as we got closer I could see the famous dam!!

Redmire Dam…..


Once the cars were parked we went for a stroll around the pool and pointed the various swims.

A view from the sluice…..


The thing that really shocked me at first was just how small the pool was, I know it’s been said countless times but just how did 3 records come from just a farm pond??

The pool from the dam….


A view from the boathouse……….



My favourite was Keffords, this swim was nicely situated on the western bank and was within close proximity of the shallows, where I was hoping to spend most of my days stalking. I made camp and whilst setting up I had mixed emotions, it felt quite awesome that I had finally made it here and at the same time taking in the fabulous atmosphere I also realised that I was also here to try to outwit one of these most prized fish. The swim was beautiful, even in its winter colours.

Keffords from the Fence Pitch….


I quickly pitched up the bivvy and got out the marker rod to see what’s in front of me. I found that around 1 third of the way across it was nice and clear with straggly weed leading up to it, the plan was to drop my hookbaits just in front of where the weed ends. The rods went out at 10, 12 and 2 o’clock and I scattered a handful of freebies over each rod.

Ready for action…….


The 4th rod was set up and fished just off the rushes to the right of my swim. To my left were the small islands including the climbing island. I was hoping the sun would be out the following day so I could have a little stalk up there and even a little shimmy up the tree. That evening started off with Blackbirds, Robins and Wrens calling in the hedgerow behind me along with Coots splashing around up in the shallows and a Water rail swam under my rods. Then, as night fell, The Jackdaws started their evening frolics and very noisy they were too!! It was surprising just how dark it was on that first night, and indeed every night, pitch black with no moon.

The night turned fairly cold with rain setting in from 10pm until 2am. At 3am I received a lift on the bobbin on my left hand rod which promptly dropped, just as I was dozing back off it lifted again this time staying up, I dived out and struck into what felt like a decent fish. I played that fish in very carefully hoping and praying it wouldn’t fall off. If I landed this it would be my first fish of the year, my first Leney and my first Redmire carp. Once it was under the rod tip it caused me a few hairy moments but soon enough safely in the net. On the mat I couldn’t believe my eyes, the most beautiful long bronze common Carp, just like the ones I’d seen in the books. I called Anton and he came round to help with the pictures, it weighed 18lb 8oz, a corker. After that I got the rods back out got my head down, buzzing!!

My first Carp of the year…..


Monday morning was grey and chilly with a gentle breeze blowing up to the dam. I went for a wander to see how the others had got on and Oz in the Evening pitch had a 3lb Common in the morning. 2 fish out on the first night, not bad going. I walked back to Keffords having a sneaky peak in various spots on the way back and also visited the islands and shallows looking for signs of fish. I saw nothing so got back to my swim and cast the rods back onto their spots. This method had produced for me already so I decided to stick with it for the day. Up in the shallows the Coots were splashing around again, a male Chaffinch visited me briefly and Robins were singing all around the pool. Bacon rolls and tea for breakfast and sleet arrived mid morning with a very cold breeze. The rods were quiet apart from the odd Dabchick swimming into the lines. Time to chill, take it all in and read through a magazine or two. I had fun with a Robin for a while that day; I gave him a few maggots in return for a few nice shots of him perched on my rods.

Robin…….


The Ducks and Coots started to move out from the shallows towards where I was fishing but they posed me no threat as I was fishing in 6 – 7 feet of water and the Swans couldn’t reach either. It tried to snow that afternoon and the swans were being a pest swimming into my lines and clearing out my margin spot. The plan was to get fresh baits on and get ready for the night session. Beef Curry on the menu for Monday night washed down with 2 cups of tea. Just before dark Anton in the Style pitch had a nice 5lb Common. Once again the Jackdaws got noisy just after dark and I could hear the faint drone from the motorway. As it turned out the night was unproductive, for all of us and very cold too.

In the morning I popped into Ross to get supplies and on my return I went up to the shallows to see if I could spot anything. I climbed a tree on the farthest island and saw a few patches of clouded up water. Then I saw a dark shape glide through, that was enough for me, I quickly got 2 rods and soon had 2 criticals with 4 bait stringers on the spot. I sat there for most of that day and read carpworld but nothing came my way, but I didn’t mind, I was fishing opposite the spot Chris Yates caught the Bishop and the sun was shining, what more could I want.

Stalking spot…….


I was back to my swim by 3pm and got the rods out. Then I had a late lunch and a couple of mugs of tea, hailstones came and I started getting a few liners, hopeful that something may slip up through the night. The sky that night was clear with the reflection of the stars on the pools surface it was very pretty indeed. All wildlife was quiet, as were the rods until a little before 10pm I had a lift on the right hand rod. I got outside but as I did the bobbin fell back to the ground, I hit it anyway but there was nothing there. An aborted take but still gave me optimism. That one was on a snowman. This came after hearing the third fish of the evening crash out, if they were jumping, they would be feeding. That was the last of the action until I awoke at 3am. I popped outside the bivvy to see the still clear sky, frost in places and a chilly morning.

Frosty……


I decided something had to be done so I changed 2 more rods onto the snowman, if I was to fool another of these wary Carp it would take a certain amount of effort on my part. I was looking forward to capturing on camera my first Redmire sunrise, the previous mornings had been overcast.

The alarm was set for 7am and I woke up just before that, the morning was again cold but the pool was still and it looked like the sun would rise in the North East. I set up the camera on my table with a bucket on top of it; I had forgotten to bring my tripod!!! I got some fairly nice shots and started to think about the shallows again and another crack at those crafty residents.

Redmire Sunrise……….


I got up there about 9:30 am and cast the rods onto the spots, this time they has the snowmen on each. I shimmied up the tree to see if anything was about but all looked quiet. On the way down I heard the spool of my reel revolving so I jumped down, picked up the rod and struck. The fish was on but there was something wrong, the freespool wouldn’t disengage. The fish was kiting towards the snags opposite I held onto the spool and steer the fish into open water, played about with the reel and got it working and then, after a spirited fight got the fish safely in the net. I could see it was a good fish, another Common and back in my swim I weighed it at 21lb 6oz. Oz and Anton came round to do the pictures and the fish was returned. Somebody up there was smiling on me!!!

Unbelievable………………..


I was made up, 2 winter Redmire Commons; it was all a blur at the time. I calmed myself down and went back for another go. At first all was quiet but then I saw another plume of mud rise from the bottom near my spot. I sat by my rods waiting for it to go off again but the Swan came in for a feed and cleared me out. I had trouble with them on and off all afternoon, they are fairly new to the pool and don’t know the rules!!!

The Swans…………..



At 2pm I returned to my swim, got the rods out and had a bite to eat. I sat back and reflected upon the week so far. That day started off bright and sunny but eventually got cloudy, windy and snowy. The night was motionless, just as couple of liners and a frost.

I woke at 7am on Thursday, quite sad that the week was almost over but optimistic at the time remaining. It was a bitter start to the day, a Blackbird visited me as he had done most mornings and was given a handful of maggots. I went up to the shallows but there were no signs of fish, they seem to drift in once the sun has risen and started to warm the water. Some men further up from the shallows were cutting down trees with chainsaws and a tractor was ploughing the field behind my swim. Later in the afternoon I noticed a few patches of bubbles on the opposite bank, I put 2 baits on the area but nothing came of it. I got back to my swim sometime after 3pm and, yet again, had the rods placed ready for the night ahead, the last night. I decided I’d like to sit out for as long as possible, read my book and have a nice cup of tea. This didn’t last too long as by dusk my toes and fingers were numb, it was a pleasant hour though.

Ready for the evening……..


The far left hand rod I managed to get near to the spot I’d seen the bubblers earlier. I threw a few baits over each rod and put the kettle on. Supper was chicken soup that evening and it was all about laying on the bed listening to all the sounds I’d got familiar with over the week, the Jackdaws, Coots, planes overhead and the distant motorway. Redmire had lived up to my expectations and then some. I felt privileged to have been there and walked the banks, fish a few swims and even to catch a couple of the descendants of legends. 15 years I’ve wanted to fish the pool, even just to visit would have been a dream come true. Fortunately I’ll be returning when she is in her wonderful autumn colours. The night was another cold one, frost on the way no doubt. The frost did come and the night extremely cold, but by morning the frost was less than the previous morning, although there was a small amount of cat ice in the margin near the rushes to my right.

It was a little cloudier on that final morning and as the birds sang it was time for me to start thinking about moving out of what has been home for the week. The rods could stay out for another few hours in the hope that something may take an interest, but as the sun began to rise in the east the sun began to set on this fabulous trip. I reflected upon how amazing it had been, Redmire still has that magic, the same magic I’d read all about so many times and the very same magic I’d just experienced for myself. My maiden voyage had been everything I’d hoped it would be, mystical, emotional and triumphant. I take away with me fond memories, jottings and pictures both in my mind and on my camera. I just wonder what she will look like on my return visit in October and whether she will be as kind to me. But let’s be honest, even a blank week isn’t blank at Redmire, there is so much to see, hear and experience. All the stories come to life and the pictures you’ve had in your mind for so long become reality. With one final salute I said in the words of Chris Yates, “Thank you redmire, and may you always be as beautiful as you are today”.

If heaven is half as wonderful as Redmire, they can come and get me!!!!