This was to be it, Myself and Beef's first Carping night session. We'd booked onto Wyreside On Saint Michael Fishery. We arrived at 8.30pm and rods were in Bivvies set up all by 9.oopm. Beef was on peg 14 and myself on 15. The place is very nice and tidy, there is no litter, the pegs are wood chipped and kept in very nice order. There is an on site tackle shop that is very well stocked and there isn't much you're left wanting for. There is also a fantastic Cafe that serves up some delicious treats alas I was soon to learn that it is closed Monday's and Tuesday's (Much to Beef's delight!) As I hadn't packed any food DOH! I was OK though as I snaffled my way through Beef's ample supply of goodies. After discussing tactics for the next day we called it a night by about midnight, it was surprisingly cold and my sleeping bag was a welcome sight I was zipped right in like a caterpillar. It seem to take me an age to get to sleep, I've not really done much camping in the past so it took me a while to get used to the great outdoors. I'd finally gotten off to sleep when at around 3.ooam I was awoken by a Visitor to my Bivvy. It was Beef! "I've Just been snapped off" "Right I'm coming mate" I said in a tired stupor. I stumbled over to his bivvy and we worked out what had happened. He had been into a monster of a catfish which had fought the length of the island until finally his braided hook length gave way and snapped. It would seem that the abrasive pads from it's mouth had ground the braid down and finally gave way. To say he was gutted would be an understatement. Which got us talking about the often raised issue. When fishing is it better to have love and lost than never loved at all? I'm not so sure as Beef was rueful all day, many a time he was in deep thought as to what might have been. As it turns out that was about as exciting as it got as we didn't see any more action the whole time we were there. After we packed up we walked around the lake and compared notes with other anglers. It turns out that in the 24 hour period that we were there a total of 3 fish came off the lake. This is due to the unfortunate timing of our visit. We fished there just as they were starting to spawn. No matter what we threw at then they just were not interested. So then from this session I will take away a few positives. I enjoyed night fishing, I had time to practice a few new rigs and got to grips with the 360 degree rig (The uni knot) which can be absolutely deadly, and will be using it to full effect over the next few weeks, a certain winner! A revenge mission is already on the cards and hopefully we'll be booking the pegs for a visit in the next 2 weeks, lets let them finish off their spawning first ;-)
