Went to Avington yesterday for my Dad's birthday and had a pretty good day!
Arrived at 8 and after the usual abuse from Dorjee started well with my mate Kev grabbing a 7lb 8oz fish as we walked down the first lake.
We had a bit of a wander around after this and spotted one double in the first lake that wasn't in the slightest bit interested so we headed onto the second lake. Dad found a monster under the tree in the near corner (I believe the area used to be called the 'Aquarium'), waited for an age but didn't see it again so wandered off again. Lots of fish about in all the lakes, decent range of sizes. Spotted another biggie at the near and of the third lake and Dad and I tried for a while for this one but was pretty tricky as it was pretty far out into the lake and had a very irregular patrol route. Dad went back onto the second lake and promptly hooked up with a nice 6lb 8oz fish that put up a great fight.
Dad and I were on opposite sides of the middle of the third lake both casting to different doubles for an age, without any luck despite multiple fly changes so left them for a bit and continued stalking around. Kev wandered up having bagged the remaining two of his bag, both very decent 6lb+ fish. He explained one of the fish had come in and grabbed his fly when he was going for a much bigger one up the far end of the third lake.
We spotted a massive scrubbing around on the bottom which Kev said was the fish he was after but it's rounded tail gave it away as a carp of 20lb+, as I was starting to take the p1ss out of him for it he pointed out another fish that certainly wasn't a carp! We watched it for a while as it was about 15-20 yards away and not too deep so wanted to make the first cast count. It came round into view, chucked out the Firebird about 2-3 yards infront of it, a couple of tweaks and it rushed in a gobbled it up. Great fight, jumped a couple of times and dragged me all over the top half of the lake, Kev and I were both shaking by the time he netted it for me at 16lb 8oz, my best yet from Avington.
Dad was very pleased and proud for me but hid it well behind muttering and calling me names!
Chuffed to bits after this so took a bit of a break and then went back to the second lake and Kev again spotted another good fish halfway up on the right side but was difficult as was being followed by a couple of uber keen smaller fish that rushed in whenever a fly dropped near the bigger one. We were getting frustrated when we heard a crashing under the oak or willow (can't remember) that overhangs the lake a bit further up and it was Dad who had hooked into a fish that had him down to his backing from under the tree despite somehow picking up a branch on his line that was at least 3 foot on its own. We were having a good laugh at his expense when he mentioned that he had been going after a much bigger fish under the tree when he got this one. Eventually he got his in and we were both watching under the tree, taking left and right, when a biggie came round in front of me and after about 15 different attempts managed to get everything right and the fish sucked in the Firebird and the fight wasn't quite as spectacular as the previous fish but still took a good 10 minutes to get in and at 14lb 4oz I was very pleased.
So a great couple of fish on a two fish ticket and Kev and I went and gutted the fish and had good natter whilst we waited for Dad to get the rest of his fish. By this time the fishery was pretty busy and the weather was getting hotter and calmer. Eventually Dad bagged his other fish (He never has the patience to stick it out for the biggies-very frustrating!) and we had a great day and were in the pub for lunch where we managed to trade the two biggies for lunch and beer for the three of us!
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