John Bailey – The Kingfisher Diaries
September 5th 2009
The Boys Return
You might remember that back in the spring Aaron and Reece came along to the Kingfishers as very novice young anglers. In fact, Aaron's PB at that time was seven ounces and Reece's just two pounds. The first day of that first rip was very unproductive. Cold temperatures, driving rain, ferocious winds put paid to any thoughts we had of carp or even tench. However, the second day, we had a bonanza with Kingfisher pike on rubber lures. Their PBs shot up and the boys, bless them, were hooked.
Well, the long awaited return took place and what a difference! You've never seen so much gear come out of Grandfather Peter's estate car. I swear there was more new carp tackle on display than you've seen in Angling Direct. From being real novices, the boys now had become almost instant experts. The questions I was plied with...rigs, baits and technicalities that were so far above my head I could hardly comprehend!
Well, the boys caught. Perhaps the pick was a stunning, light-coloured, even ghost-like mirror probably just about in mid-doubles that Aaron picked up on a popped up boily. Reece didn't fair quite as well but a great time was had by all of us. Now, they're dying to come back in the pike season again.
I've asked Reece to give us a monthly update of the brothers' progress so we can chart their triumphs and their problems together. They're great, intelligent boys and I bet their learning curve will be steep.
Still, I'm looking forward to having them come down again and to concentrate on river work with them. Again, they're bright enough to realise that whilst carp fishing is absolutely great, it's not the be all and end all of the sport. If it's got fins, it's worth catching!