Des Taylor’s weekly diary
Not to be this time, but they’re down there!
WITH the weather the way it’s been, I’ve been trying to make the best of a bad job. I’ve had guide days cancelled, sea trips that were like fishing out from the Cape in South Africa, and the Severn’s been up and down like a yo-yo.
But with the help of a few friends and the desire to get out there it has still been an enjoyable week. Here’s how it went…
MONDAY
Out with Paul Youngman to see if he could catch his first 20lb carp. As I drove to meet him at the pool I had a feeling that the carp would be spawning, as the last couple of nights had been very warm.
Thankfully, when we arrived the reeds were not broken down – a sure sign of carp spawning – and there was very little activity in the margins, so we stayed.
I introduced some of my Evolved carp groundbait into the swim, enhanced by whole and crumbled Nash Scopex/Squid boilies. It was a good hour between putting bait in to casting out.
Some of the swims I would keep baiting up for four hours before we actually put a bait in. The longer you can bait and wait on any water or for any species, the happier and more confident the fish are.
So it proved again, with Paul taking half-a-dozen carp to just over 25lb. He was over the moon.
TUESDAY
Barbel fishing on the Middle Severn, but as soon as I arrived I knew I was two days early and after an hour I realised the water was actually coming up slowly and not going down as I expected.
There is nothing worse than hitting your head against a brick wall for a few sessions to knock your confidence, so as soon as I knew the day was a write-off I headed home after a quick pint in the Squirrel pub at Alveley.
FRIDAY
An early drive to Southsea in Hampshire to join friends Dave, John and Darren for a two-day tope trip. The weather had been good, but it changed overnight and the wind was blowing.
Dave caught a 40lb-plus tope but it was a tough day, with bait bins and tackle boxes flying around the boat. By the end I was very tired and after an Indian at the marina and couple of pints I was fast asleep back at the B&B.
SATURDAY
Darren caught a tope of around 35lb and John caught a 47lb 8oz personal best, but I had only the one of about 15lb and never really felt in the game.
The truth is we didn’t find a pack of tope, and I never look good blanking! Don’t get me wrong, with this group of lads it was always going to be a laugh but on a venue like this one take could have changed the day.
When I got home a chap said to me on the phone that I’d have been better off fishing nearer home off the Welsh coast –but there I would have caught lots of small tope with the chance of a 40-pounder, whereas over the last two days I had sat waiting for a record fish to take my bait. Rest assured, one day it will happen!