Mini Driftbeaters....The Christening

May 14, 2023

Morning all,
The day had come to christen our new prototype Mini Driftbeaters.
With Salford Pete in tow we arrived at a local venue and set up ready for a days float fishing.
I marched off in front to secure our pegs while Salford Pete seemed to take an age to arrive.
He was talking and walking slowly to some other bloke I did not recognise.
It was only when he got closer did I recognise my old mate
"The Castertman"
He popped down to see another mate of his who was also fishing.
We had a chat for five minutes then Casterman skipped off stating he would be back when we had both set up and started fishing.
Ten minutes later me and the oldman were ready for the all in.
I was fishing off the bottom initially to see if I could catch some of the good quality silvers which were present in the lake.
The driftbeater was set up with three segments showing plus the sight bob with just one number eight dropshot ten centimeters from the hook.
"The Casterman" arrived just as I had my first cast which resulted in a missed bite straight away.
On my second cast the float just burried even before it had time to settle and we had our first fish of the day.
"Flippineck Mike look at that !!!! "
"I could catch them all day"
said Derek

as I swung in a small but fin perfect rudd........
a golden rudd infact !!!!!
It was gorgeous, it looked like it had never seen a hooked before.
"Hey, D. I didn't know gold rudd where in here" I said while un-hooking the fish.
"Neither did I pal.....look at it.....wow....I think I'm going to go home for my gear" he said laughing.
"Let me get a picture for you Mike" said Derek and he quickly took a snap........ as did I.
We then both heard a splashing noise an looked aroud inquisitively to see where the noise was coming from!!!!!
Salford Pete was into a nice roach.....
A great start for both of us on a new water.
Derek hung around chatting for a while before his time was up and had to be off.
My dad and I spent the next few hours steadily catching silvers and having a laugh.
I must have clocked up about half a dozen of these lovely golden rudd yet my dad had not had a single one!!!!

A little one while Casterman was watching.

Salford Pete did make me a little jelous with his next capture......

"Mike, come here". "Do you know what species this little fella is". Said Salford.

It was the biggest one I had ever seen and Im in my 50's.

Salford Petes first ever ruffe...... and look at the size of it.......its a monster !!!!!!!!

After a couple of dozen silvers it was time to try for tench and carp.

I changed my shot pattern to fish a version of the lift method but alas the specimens did not show today.I did have a few roach/bream hybrids, roach and some more rudd. It was also great fun watching the slender stem of the driftbeater shoot out of the water indicating a bite.

I have not seen my dad so happy with a days fishing for ages. He is already planning the next trip to another new water and his other mini driftbeater should be ready by then.

😁

TTFN