Getting late in the season now and the weather is cooling down, but there is still a very good chance of a big fish. So it was Russ and brother Paul together with Dad Brian who were about to find out if the cats wanted to play…… well I hoped so as this was Brian’s Birthday. Figgy had seen bait all year so it seemed the best place to try and get a big present for Brian. Days only fishing for their 4 day stay so we put 6 rods out with a good scattering of pellets. It had been a while but first bite was going to Brian, now due to a bad shoulder Brian is a left hooker! Now that ment changing all the handles over on all 6 rods……. well call it intuition or age or how about dam good gilly skills I only changed the handle over on rod 4. If you are a gambling man it’s a good bet that 4 is likely to go first and I promise you not even 10 mins after changing over the handle the rod was bent double. Brian picked up the rod pulled perfectly into the fish and……. well I just so wish I took video…. It screamed off 100 yards of line gone and the fish was still flying so we started to tighten the drag to slow it down ……another 50 …..Brian is now struggling as the reel is close to locked up and I am starting to see the bottom of the spool!!!!! I get Brian to walk backwards then reel himself forwards which seemed to do the trick. Gradually he gained some line back but this is not easy and like I said Brain is suffering from a few dodgy joints!!!! Bit by bit Brian kept it coming in, a good 15 minute fight resulting in a cracker…… could it be the magic Ton. Well it was nearly at 95lb it really was the perfect present….. big fish and incredible scrap.
Brian 95lb Birthday Present.
Well that truly made Brian’s trip and the boys too but we wanted more especially Paul and he didn’t have to wait long as he was soon doing battle with a good fish, not as strong a fight but Paul was pleased when the scales showed it to go 47lb.
Paul 47lb
We spent the next 2 days at Figgy and the evenings eating fine T bone streaks washed down with lager and wine…….as you do on Birthday trips, fishing trips any sort of trips it works for me and Russ .
A couple of smaller cats came to the rods when Paul on strike pulled into a better fish, great scrap again even in the colder water conditions they really put up a fight and the result was very pleasing as Paul had upped his PB to 75lb.
Paul 75lb
Russ chipped in with a 50lb cat on the carp rods but this trip was all about Dad really. Couldn’t of written the script better and some lovely keepsake photos of the three of them too.
Until next time Paul
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