John Elmer had a brilliant result just before the really cold weather set in. Returning to Fox Pool on the Longfield complex for the first time this year, John proved that following your instincts and moving swims when you’d rather be huddled up in the bivvy can really pay off – and it certainly did in fine style. Well done John!
After a couple of blank short sessions on Sandhurst it was time to head back to Fox Pool. I knew of a couple of fish coming out over the Christmas period no doubt due to the mild weather conditions. As I drove into the car park I was surprised to find no other cars there, which suited me fine. I headed straight to common corner and had a good look in the snags. It wasn’t too hard to find a couple of nice spots to fish on. Two hinged stiff links were flicked on to the two spots. A Scattered Baits, Orange and Pineapple pop up was tied to both rigs.
The first twenty four hours passed with not much happening, I couldn’t help but feel if fish were there something would have happened pretty quickly. During that first twenty four hours, I kept looking at one of the open water swims. You just get that feeling that if their not in the snags then they must be out in open water. A move was called for so within ten minutes everything was relocated to the new swim.
Three rods were fanned out across the open water area. Two on hinged stiff links, with the third rod being a KD rig with a size 8 Drennan Barbel hook. It was the drop on the KD rig I was happy with the most. You know when you get that feeling that you’re in the right zone? Well I had that feeling.
After a couple of hours I started to get the odd liner. My confidence was building all the time, this sounds mad as it was only January. In the early hours of Sunday morning I received a very slow take on the KD rig. As soon as I leant in to the fish I had a feeling it was going to be a good one. The fish just plodded all the time, not taking much line at all. After five minutes she was coughing water ready for the net.
Once she was in the net my thoughts were confirmed as a decent sized mirror was looking back at me. I called my good friend Peter Bond to see if he would come down and do some pictures and he arrived within ten minutes. She was a fish known as Four Scales, at a weight of 37lb 8oz, a true winter whacker.
What a way to start the New Year! Enjoy your fishing.
John Elmer.