Last week I decided to target a trout Lake in Leitrim, changing tactics from trolling lures and dead baits to fishing static or wind assisted floats, I fished either side off the big rain day on Saturday, as I really do not like to sit in the rain and wind all day, call me fair weather but that’s the way I like it.

So first day I got there at first light and baited up the swim,  very small piece’s of old fish almost into a paste, a lovely job as I squish the guts and bits through my hands, a word of warning I always wash my hands properly after, so when it comes to soup and sandwich time I can eat in comfort without worrying  about a trip to the bushes at the edge of the lake and all that brings. The first day not a single bite but that’s fishing, The next day I arrive at the lake to see someone’s there before me and I hope that my baited area is clear and it is, so I sit on the same area all day with the same result, I then skip a day as the heavens open and go back for my third day, where I bait another swim with the same result not even a bite ,I now start to question my tactics but on leaving I hear an alarm going off and lots of laughter, wrong place for me but I am glad for them just!!

So the next day I decide to change venue, I arrive good and early full of anticipation as a change is as good a rest  I pick my spot where I have fished in the past and know holds good pike, I bait up again but this time I decide to do some roach fishing for bait and to keep my spirits up and not be idle, Perch Perch Perch  personally I don’t use perch for bait so I put the bait rod away.

I set my floats up using a stop knot style, so when the fish grabs the bait they should not feel too much resistance as the lead and beads all flow smoothly most of the time, and you get an instant indication of interest if you set the top stop knot up at the right depth,

The business end, with a Fox pop up, I tend to use pop up baits on dirty bottoms as to avoid leaves and weed but keeping it as close to the bottom as possible.

I try to let my floats lie flat but if they just sit up I’m ok with that, this is my typical boat set up.

After six hours (and three days ) I get my first bite I take up the slack and gently lift into the fish, immediately I know its small, I bring it to the edge of the boat and give it some slack and it obliges and spits the bait, well at least I have broke that three day run, so I recast placing the bait in the same place the float settled for about one minute and stands up and away again, after three days and two bites in 5 minutes this time a 3/4 pound fish , now I’m a happy man,  I land the fish, a quick photo and pop him back,

I rebait,  recast, back too the same spot, maybe three minutes and the float stands again, now I’m buzzing but this time she feels like a decent fish and after a few seconds she screams off on a thirty or so foot run, after four or five big runs I can feel her slowing up and as I get her to the boat and in the net now I’m really buzzing, I unhook her take her photo and as I am placing her back into the water my other float stands up now this is getting unreal another nice feeling fish and another good fight, The still warm water must be giving them extra energy.

A 20lb and a 13lb , now I have no baits in the water so a few minutes rebaiting and casting  and another 2 minutes my left float pops up and away, I lift into the fish and my other float stands up and goes on a massive run I’m desperately trying too unhook the first fish as quick as possible to get to my other rod, I drop him back, lift the next rod just as the fish spits the hook but gets a free meal, and then like a light being turned off its over, not another bite all day this all took place over 30/35 minutes I don’t remember any day quite so frantic in such a short time, and I have had plenty of days with fish feeding all day but this one will stand out in my memory for a long time especially after the three days leading up to the half hour, All the best tight lines Dave.