Lake Semerwater, Wensleydale, 13th November 2022
Watching the weather in the lead-up to the weekend it was looking like a great day ahead, overcast, no rain, constant air pressure however maybe a little windy.
The Sunday morning drive to get to the lake for first light was very foggy with some rain, had the weather got it wrong?
The Pegs
Arriving at the lake, it looked fantastic, the water level was a lot higher than the May trip and there was a clear “tide” mark higher up the bank where the level had been some days before.
There was already a pike angler in the area that we wanted to fish however enough room between him and the river inlet for us to get two boxes in the water without disturbing each other.
Set-up
When I grabbed the rods they were still clipped up from the last visit to Semerwater, in the bag were the following 10 foot feeder rod clipped to 25 metres, 12 foot feeder rod clipped to 50 metres. Jack had brought his waggler rod too, so we could have a waggler out and one person on the feeder at all times.
The same helicopter rigs with a 24 foot shock leader where attached and after casting around the swim to make sure there were no big snags I left rods clipped up as I found them.
Bait for the day, maggots and casters, Patrick had some worms if we needed to add some smell to the water. Groundbait mixed up was Bait-tech Pro Natural Dark.
All-in
Three guru small bait up feeders went in on the long line and then we took Jack through fishing the feeder at 25 metres and making sure he hits the clip on the cast while aiming at his target. Let's say that we fed quite a few lines with those initial casts, so a switch to a bomb was appropriate for some more practice.
Jack was getting into the swing, casting out, keeping a tight line to see any bites on the drop and then twitching the feeder and recasting after a few minutes and he was quickly into his first wild roach. Patrick was still setting up and promised he would be more organized next time.
I’d set the waggler up as the weather was, well the only way to describe it was amazing… the lake was pretty much flat and calm. This is in great contrast to the normal shot you see where the waves are like the north sea. It wasn’t long before Jack and I got fish on the waggler and feeder lines together.
Note to self – I’ve got a leaky wader… so after standing in the water my left legs was pretty wet. Jack and I did a switch-a-roo and I sat on the feeder while he jumped on the waggler. I was also intrigued to see if anything was on the long line apart from the cormorant that we’d seen earlier out there.
The answer to that question was another roach and a small perch, so the long line looked like it would be sacked off. Patrick set up a waggler too and was sneaking some lovely fish into the net and then the inevitable happened… Pike Attack!
Patrick had an angry pike on the line, so I went over to help net it as it looked like it would be landed. The pike came to the surface a few times and then just released the roach, which was now in shreds! At least I got some good photographs for you to see below.
The wind got up, and both the feeder line and waggler line died, so we re-clipped the feeder about 50 cm past the feed and got back in touch with the fish. It was also clear that a shorter hooklength was better at nailing the bites too.
2pm came around and we started to pack up to get home before dark, what another enjoyable day at Lake Semerwater!
Three guru small bait up feeders went in on the long line and then we took Jack through fishing the feeder at 25 metres and making sure he hits the clip on the cast while aiming at his target. Let's say that we fed quite a few lines with those initial casts, so a switch to a bomb was appropriate for some more practice.
Jack was getting into the swing, casting out, keeping a tight line to see any bites on the drop and then twitching the feeder and recasting after a few minutes and he was quickly into his first wild roach. Patrick was still setting up and promised he would be more organized next time.
I’d set the waggler up as the weather was, well the only way to describe it was amazing… the lake was pretty much flat and calm. This is in great contrast to the normal shot you see where the waves are like the north sea. It wasn’t long before Jack and I got fish on the waggler and feeder lines together.
Note to self – I’ve got a leaky wader… so after standing in the water my left legs was pretty wet. Jack and I did a switch-a-roo and I sat on the feeder while he jumped on the waggler. I was also intrigued to see if anything was on the long line apart from the cormorant that we’d seen earlier out there.
The answer to that question was another roach and a small perch, so the long line looked like it would be sacked off. Patrick set up a waggler too and was sneaking some lovely fish into the net and then the inevitable happened… Pike Attack!
Patrick had an angry pike on the line, so I went over to help net it as it looked like it would be landed. The pike came to the surface a few times and then just released the roach, which was now in shreds! At least I got some good photographs for you to see below.
The wind got up, and both the feeder line and waggler line died, so we re-clipped the feeder about 50 cm past the feed and got back in touch with the fish. It was also clear that a shorter hooklength was better at nailing the bites too.
2pm came around and we started to pack up to get home before dark, what another enjoyable day at Lake Semerwater!
Conclusion
By the end of the day, Jack was fed up with me saying, “that didn’t hit the clip, recast” but he faired well for his first outing on wild natural water where the fishing is a lot harder than a commercial. Did he enjoy it? Yep, so the fishing bug is still alive and well in the apprentice... well that's what he told me in the car on the way home!
I’d forgotten my scales, however, estimated that Jack and I had about 9lb of fish and Patrick about 6lb. What beautiful nets of silver beauties they are!
By the end of the day, Jack was fed up with me saying, “that didn’t hit the clip, recast” but he faired well for his first outing on wild natural water where the fishing is a lot harder than a commercial. Did he enjoy it? Yep, so the fishing bug is still alive and well in the apprentice... well that's what he told me in the car on the way home!
I’d forgotten my scales, however, estimated that Jack and I had about 9lb of fish and Patrick about 6lb. What beautiful nets of silver beauties they are!
More Pictures
Comments
A brace of bream wouldve been the cherries on that fishy cake phwoar.