Doing my bit for Angling's Future

The Chatts family

The kids have been bugging me about going fishing for ages so this weekend I came good on my promise. The weather forecast was superb so we headed to a local pond stuffed full of Roach, Rudd and a few Carp. The plan centred around a pellet waggler approach. Watching a float gently bobbing up and down before flying under and then a strike being met by a bucking writhing fish fighting for freedom is a memory treasured by thousands of anglers thinking of their first fish. Maisie has caught before but this was Max's first trip, I hope he remembers it forever but he is probably a bit too young.

The fishing wasn't as easy as I had hoped but by keeping up the regular feeding the float eventually dipped on Max's rod and he reeled in a small Roach. At three years old he enjoyed the experience but I think he is too young to fully appreciate it. 

We carried on catching a few more silver fish but not quickly enough to keep the kids engrossed but at least both of them caught. 

There is a campsite close by and quite a few residents walk their dogs around this picturesque pool. On this day one particularly bigger lady ambled past with her two Golden retrievers. They got about five feet past where my wife was sitting when one of the dogs stopped to do it's business. Who walks their dogs without doggie bags in this day and age? Well this Chav did, she asked us for a bag which we did not have so she kicked it into the bushes! My pregnant wife's sense of smell is particularly heightened at the moment so we were forced to move swims away from the stench. 

Further round the pond we spotted some Carp cruising the surface about the lilies so I catapulted out some mixers and set up a suitable floater rig. Within a couple of minutes the fish showed interest and it didn't take long before I struck into one. The fish immediately motored off into the vegetation and there was not a lot I could do about it on light tackle. The vicious bend in the rod regained the kids interest away from annoying the tadpoles as they wanted to know what monster daddy was connected to. I was forced to passed the rod around a couple of trees to change the angle and by applying some steady pressure I managed to coax the Carp out of the lilies and into open water. Maisie fetched the net and Max the catapult, not sure what for!

I played it carefully, eventually winning the battle. 

Maisie was especially excited to see a big fish.

I then took the opportunity to teach the little ones how to look after a fish once caught: letting it rest in the net, unhooking mat, wetting everything etc. We weighed it, took photos and carefully returned it as quickly as possible.

9lb 13oz Common

On that high note we decided to call it a day. They both cannot wait to go again. I think the fresh air was too much for Max, he fell asleep mid ice cream!