ROB HUGHES’ DIARY
Rob embarks on a memorable family fishing trip in Wales, in search of his son’s first twenty
ITHINK I’ve caught more fish this last month than I have all year so far. I’ve just had a count-up and the tally is 43 carp from doubles to upper twenties, fishing just a couple of nights a week where I can get away with it.
No record-breakers or ‘wow’ inducing monsters, just good old run of the mill carp from a variety of different venues. The point in relaying this to you is simply the fun that I’ve had watching the bobbins fly and the spools spin. This month has been about getting bites and enjoying my fishing with a bit of a mixed grill of styles.
Interestingly, though, there hasn’t been any floater fishing this month. There just hasn’t been the right opportunity, although it will be just around the corner for sure.
Of all the fantastic trips I’ve had, a short break with my son Jack has been the highlight for me. With no competitions running this year it’s been a really relaxing season so far. I’ve had more time on my hands than usual, and being the summer holidays, it was a great opportunity for a session away.
Now, my lad Jack is 13 and loves his fishing. It would’ve been very easy for me to turn him into a carp angler right from the beginning, but we both decided that wouldn’t be a good thing, so he has been learning the ‘art’. He enjoys watching a float go under and throwing soft lures around as much as catching carp, but this year he wanted to target his first 20lb fish.
A trip away was required, as opposed to a visit to the local syndicate water, as this adds to the adventure. In fact, from an early age Jack and I have been going away on what we call ‘dadventures’... sometimes sea fishing, sometimes river fishing, and they’re always a bit of an adventure. This was to be no different. A short fishing safari in Wales, including carp, river and sea.
We headed to Mid-Wales, not too far from the fantastic coast of Cardigan Bay. We pitched up at a lake called Llyn Cae Ty Nant, a smallish water of three acres but with some stunning fish in it. Our days would be spent on the beach rock pooling, out on bike rides, scoffing ice creams and a little bit of climbing too. Evenings, nights and mornings were spent targeting the carp.
Jack’s at the age now where he can do everything himself with a reasonable degree of proficiency, so it was rods set on the first night and he was first in with an amazing linear and a new personal best of 27lb 14oz. Happy son, proud dad.
I managed to join the party with a couple of good fish too, and the adventure was complete. Three nights in a bivvy, a few days on the beach, some sea fishing on the boat and, most importantly, a boatload of smiles. Memories that will stay with us forever.
I would’ve had a great time on that three-day session on my own catching those fish, but sharing the experience with my lad made the trip extra special.
A lot of the time when we do take the kids fishing with us, we sort of drag them along unwillingly almost as duty. It’s an unwillingness that is often reflected from both sides, as they can feel like a burden.
We then do everything for them, they park themselves in the bivvy on the phone and they don’t get the full quota of enjoyment.
It was just three days, but it was three days that you couldn’t put a value on, and I for one can’t wait for the next one.
“It was three days that you couldn’t put a value on”