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Lake Bolsena 2nd - 8th September 2012

Itching to get out on the bank again after last weeks successes I decided to go and have a social night on my new syndicate with my old friend Jason Wymer. Quite shy and quiet about his achievements it would be wrong not to highlight what he did for me on this trip. This would be only my second trip to the lake and on my previous overnighter I managed to foul hook a massive Rudd which somehow pulled the bobbin up tight. If I was after Rudd my season would be off to a flyer as I’m catching them everywhere.

I loaded the car for an overnighter making sure I had enough food for myself and Jas. I had a made a deal with him before the season started that the first of us to catch a thirty would result in a bottle of champagne purchased by the loser. Well that had gone out the window as Jas had already had half a dozen thirties since the season started and also had the big common at just over forty not once but twice. At least I will get to share the bottle with him….. I really do need to put some time in on this lake and perhaps learn a little from the man in form. Anyway enough smoke blowing….. I will have a proper social with my mate soon and share that bottle of champers.

On arrival I found him floater fishing on a bank all to himself and sat with him for an hour maybe two just chatting and catching up as it had been a while since I last saw him.

The food offering didn’t go down well, in actual fact it didn’t go down at all as he’s a vegetarian and chilli is probably the least vegetarian dish, certainly the way I make it. The thought was there and I’ve promised a veggie meal sometime soon.

After watching Jas nail a 16lber off the top I offered to join him in his swim, seemed crazy watching him catching fish when I could be angling with him. With all the tackle I carry in the back of the car I never thought I’d need to borrow stuff, but it was one of those occasions and I was in luck. I was struggling to cast the distance as the strong wind hampered everything I did, Jas kindly loaned me some appropriate end tackle to make the cast and I was eventually surface  angling effectively.

It wasn’t long before a set of lips sucked in the Oily Floater and I lifted into my first fish from this water. Jas was immediately on the camera taking some action shots as I did battle on my light tackle. As the fish came up in the deep clear margins I could see the side of a mirror, bonus as this is predominately a common water. Jas asked how big to which I replied ‘a good double’, I continued to play the fish to the waiting net and Jas guestimated the fish around the 25lb mark. I would much rather underestimate a fish’s weight, hence why I had erred on the side of caution.  As we got everything ready one of the syndicate regulars arrived in the swim and immediately identified the fish as one of the lakes target fish, a character that normally goes low to mid thirty. This was actually one of the fish Jas hadn’t caught so feeling a little bad about the capture I apologised, he really couldn’t have been happier for me. Totally sincere in his pleasure to see me catch a fish after joining him in his swim, not just any fish but a target of his, surely some green eye but no. Up on the scales and the needle stopped on 28.08, even though a little down in weight due to successfully spawning what a fish to start on.

We continued to fish with Jas topping the swim up every so often and it wasn’t long before I was bent into another fish, a common at just over 17lb and another good battle on the light tackle. There wasn’t too much light left but always enough time for that ‘one last cast’, after about the tenth one of these a fish leapt from the water engulfing my hook bait and I was in again. A mirror that Jas had previously caught at just under 26lbs, also a little down in weight for my capture at 24lb 04oz

When I arrived at the lake I really wasn’t feeling it so I called it a day after a most enjoyable afternoon of floater fishing.

As for Jas, a true friend, one that takes pleasure in seeing fish caught by all and not just to his rods. I look forward to fishing with him again soon. Champers, veggie meal and fishing tackle to sort for the social later in the year….