LANDING FISH BY BOAT, EASY

A couple of weekends ago I had a day on the syndicate lake trying to catch one or two of the babies to move them to the stock pond. Unfortunately I didn't do to well and despite fishing quiet hard only managed one about 5 pound and one lost.

In the mean time there was one or two anglers fishing proper and there was two nice fish caught late afternoon/evening.

Steve Finch had the first fish after moving up the lake for the last couple of hours which was a good move. Steve had the fish under control to start with but it eventually weeded him up. I saw this and took the little boat round to him (good service) and he took to the water, in a fashion. To be honest Steve was a bit apprehensive especially with the expected stick he thought he would get from me but he did well and landed a wicked 29.08 mirror in the end.

Most of the boat battle took place reasonably close in (in my swim) and except for a couple of times Steve did manage to keep the rod over the front of the boat and didn't try to put side strain on the fish which only spins the boat round. The trick with landing fish by boat is to steer the boat with the position of the rod. In wind it's very important to keep the rod directly over the front centre of the boat. It's the end that is designed to go first and it beats struggling broad side against the wind. If you try to fight a fish broad side there's a good chance you'll have to give line, then you don't have as much control as you would on a shorter line. The fish will kite or go deep back into the weed and the whole episode can turn into a fiasco. Best to always play the fish over the front of the boat so it can tow the boat easier, on a short line so there is less pressure on the hook hold and more control of boat and fish.

Steve had been stuck on 27 pound for the most of the season but the weekend before had a 28 and now a 29 so his next fish will hopefully be bigger still.

Not long after Steve had sorted his fish out new member, Ross who was fishing his first session had a take. Ross had watched Steve play his fish so was a little bit boat aware when he had to go out to get his weeded adversary. Ross did excellent on the boat, pulling himself to the fish nice and easy, keeping the rod well back so the boat sort of slips under you rather than trying to crank with the reel when the rod is held to low which takes a lot more effort and could over pressure the tackle and hook hold. It was a pleasure to watch really and for his first time very classy, especially how he swung the boat round for the return trip by using the netted fish as drag to spin the boat. Ross then rowed over the front of the boat with the carp in the net behind, probably the best way to get a fish back to shore in a solid boat. In a dingy it's just as easy to take an unhooking matt out and to lift the fish into the boat, the buoyancy and smoothness of the inflated tubes make it an easy job to safely lift the fish on board.

Ross's first fish was a 2-tone 27 mirror, a nice start on a new water.

The syndicate lake is a weedy water and even with drop of leads some fish are going to stick their heads in the green stuff. I prefer anglers to be prepared to use the boat rather than pulling for England. Up to date there isn't any bad mouth damage on any of the fish and I really do think this is down to the availability of the boats for rescuing weeded fish. I allow barbed hooks which some say damage the mouths but I've fished in several lakes where barbless hook rules are imposed and their mouths are in a mess regardless. I'm sure it's the massive pressure that is needed to un-weed fish from the bank and regardless of barbed or not if an hook is ripped out it will cause damage so nipping out in a boat and popping the fish out of weed from directly above has to be less harmful.

I'm going to put a boat on all 3 banks soon so it isn't necessary to walk half way round the lake to get a boat. Anne has ordered the new locks to be made and I've got the metal stakes ready.

There isn't many rules regarding the boat use, try not to go through other anglers swims, lock the boats up when not in use, always wear a life jacket and be safe, it's all you need isn't it? I personally think it's terrible fishery management to not have a boat avaliable on weedy waters and laugh at the clubs/syndicates that tell the anglers it's to expensive to insure boats etc. I dispair at other waters that have dangerouse sinkable boats as well, there is no excuse with all the moulded plastic un-sinkable boats avaliable. I prefere 3 chamber dingy's, which are less noisy than solid boats and much more bouyant but need to be propperly maintained. I'm sure someone will have a miss-hap on a boat but a good life jacket will save the first loony who isn't carefull enough and life jacket or not if I hear of anyone acting dangerousely in the boats provided I will take that priviledge away from the individual. So be carefull in the boats please and also make sure they are all locked up when you leave the lake empty of anglers, an accident with kids or none members (deserved or not) could cause us more trouble than it's worth.

Good angling Steve and Ross, I enjoyed it as much as you two, thanks.

Gary