Well what a start to the week and my catfish campaign as on the Monday evening l headed towards Cemex Split Lake in conditions that almost kept me at home. The rain was relentless, but knowing that the mild air was going to change knew that tonight maybe the best for cats for another week or so. Luckily only two anglers were on and my preferred swim vacant so with an open mind cast out three different set ups. The first was a 15mm Crab & Crayfish Sonubaits Action boilie along with a PVA bag of Sonubaits hard pellets. This was positioned at the back of a small gravel bar where l had earlier deposited thirty similar bags of pellets. The second rod had a section of sardine hair rigged, as last week one was caught on mackerel. The third set up saw four lobworms popped up. Both the worm and the sardine were cast either side of the baited area where the boilie sat.
The first pick up came to the worm but the take was dropped, probably due to my 30lb braid catching on an underwater obstacle. Then three runs came to the boilie resulting in two eight-pound bream and an old warrior in the shape of a 16lb 8oz common. As the birds started their morning chorus the worm rod was away but once again the bait was dropped however after repositioning the rod it soon went into overdrive once more however this one stayed on and after twenty minutes my largest UK fish was netted, a catfish weighing 53lb 4oz! Whilst playing this fish my sardine rod ripped of but unable to get to the rod l will never know what it was.
All the fish were taken using the new Korum Precision 2-75lb specialist rods, which just goes to show how versatile they are. I would also like to thank Lewis at Gardner for providing myself with a 50inch landing net and Alan Stagg who made a detour on route to work so l could get a witness and some pictures done.
Thursday l wanted to go to Cemex Jones Pit but even after leaving at midday got caught up in the Easter holiday rush so turned around after getting caught in heavy traffic on the M25. The session was aimed at catching roach and with just maggot hookbait had to choose between Kingsmead, Littleton North and Chertsey. Kingsmead looked busy, Littleton’s never been that kind, so having wanted to try Chertsey for a few months now and being told that it held good roach as well as plenty of big bream finally decided that it would be here that l settled. Unfortunately don’t believe everything you hear as the double figured bream turned out to be between 3lb 8oz and 6lb, and as for roach l watched at dusk and dawn and never saw one. I’m sure the roach are there and that a few doubles do exist, however it was a conversation with the bailiff that revealed a few other secrets and secrets they will stay until l head of once again in the warmer months!
