It was a pleasant surprise when I pm'd Bill Livingstone, seeking some much needed inside advice!, to then find out that he would be the third member of our group...the fourth unkown.
When we arrived early at the famous Bernithan Farm sign we pulled alongside a fishy looking vehicle...the Owner being Stuart another Carp Forum member whom by coincidence was also treated to a weekend fishing by the his other half for Xmas!
So off we went over the cattle grids and through the gate and down to the little pool. It is at this point that it really kicks in that you are now on holy ground where legends of our much loved sport have spent many hours. It was only the previous night that I re-watched Redmire Legends and sat on the toilet re-reading the Carpworld's featuring the historic little water! Nice image…but it’s sadly true!
The initial feelings one gets are simply indescribable unless you are physically there experiencing the first glimpse of the water, the dam, the overflow, the willow pitch, the submerged trees, the undergrowth, the sound of the wild-life and that ****ing pesky swan whom became literally attached to my right boot!
Bill arrived shortly after the three of us had trudged through each swim and completed a boggy lap of the lake, we then decided on where we would like to pitch-up for the week-end. Bill generously made it quite clear that he would like the three of us "newbies" to have first choice and as Stuart was also not that bothered...it left Lee and I to toss for the Willow...."Tales" it was and I asked Bill where these hot spots were that he told me about on his last few productive sessions.
Before carting the mountain gear around to the Willows...I wanted to get a snap of the four of us on the dam wall with a glass of Moet raised for nostalgia sake of course! I even splashed out £2.50 on four new wine glasses from Tescos just for the occassion. It was after this memorable moment of bliss that Les Bamford joined the four of us with tales of famous names and moments passed, that really added to the experience and got us in the mood to get a bait in water!
I've not had time to sort out the photos out but will edit this post with the necessary snaps over this weekend.
Bill ummed and errrhhed and finally set up opposite me in Cranstons...it was a toughie because a lovely south westerley was blowing down in the general direction of the shallows and everywhere looked perfect for a bite.
Stuart set-up two swims down from Bill and Lee was in the next one down from me in the Willow. Everyone appeared super confident and had a sense of well being, happiness and calm...well I was at least....I'd managed to drink some champagne, find some good spots, (with Bill's help...thanks again), drink a stella, tie some rigs to match the spots, drink a stella, place baits and rigs, set-up my bivvy, drink a stella, cook-up a ruby and drink some more stella and all before night fall.
I always proclaimed that a blank was neither here nor there at Redmire but deep down I would love to have some kind of action and not before long I was startled by my first bleep! It was like a shot of adrenaline! Did I just imagine it? Lee was soon down to ask if it was me....it was like we both had never heard what a Delkim sounded like before!
The night passed by all too quickly without anymore bleeps coming from the four of us. I was like a kid at Christmas before first light wanting to go down to the shallows for my first Redmire stalk. I'd already previously set-up and organised my stalking gear and was up a fantastic climbing tree down by the boards before the others stirred.
I peered down and across from my perch but the coloured water made it difficult to pick anything out when all of sudden a common of about 10lbs thrashed under a submerged tree on the other side of the look-out! That will do for me I thought!
My only quandary was how to approach this area...and after careful consideration I decided to stay on our side of the pool and cast across to the showing fish. As I unravelled my net another fish surfaced to the left of the first fish and I was then happy that the decision to bring two rods was a good one but then again...I was just happy to be there remember!...one fish would be a miracle and two unbelievable! I quickly brought myself back down to earth and threaded a stick onto my single bait presented on fluorocarbon and a 1oz running lead set-up and gently flicked it out first time into position. The second rod went near to the other fish...I didn't want to spook them...so no bait was added.
I settled back with a cup of tea and simply soaked up the incredible atmosphere...what a special place and I had the entire bottom of the lake to myself... Awesome.
It didn't take long before my left hander received a steady take and I simply stared at my bobbin and Delkim in utter disbelief! Surely Redmire couldn't be this easy!!! At the time it felt as though a thousand thoughts rushed through my head before I managed to flip the baitrunner lever over and bend into the fish! It was all over in a flash and the hook pulled out before I could begin contemplating the fight and come to terms of what had just happened.
I was a trembling mess with BPM's off the scale! After trying to check the rig for any obvious causes other than bad luck, I literally ran down to Lee to give him the Good and Bad news! By this time, Stuart was up and about and Bill was making his way down to the Shallows for a stalk. I was soon back angling again in the same spots with no rig or bait changes deemed necessary.
Would this be the start of good things to come for all of us I thought!!! Another fish showed right in the corner and Bill recognised this Mirror and I soon had it covered but to no avail.
We all spent the rest of the day enjoying the fantastic overcast warm conditions without any luck although Bill did have some enquiries and we all seemed to experience either getting done by these tricky, clued up stunners or had some form of liners.
Saturday evening I made my way back to the willow to get the rods in position for the last night...it's proper crash bang wallop at Redmire and I'd definitely be looking into a five day trip next time as the weekend is simply too short!
All the rods were topped up with the proven LT94 and Lee and I settled down with a Thai Chicken stir fry and a few more stella's.
Later that night Bill joined us for a glass of red wine and lot’s more carpy conversation. That night I slept "Like a stone" to quote Chris Yates although he and Bob had already bagged a couple of 20's by now and so not to be deterred Lee and I decided to set the alarm early and get down to the shallows even if our evening pitches were productive.
And so back down to the shallows at first light without a bleep the previous night although confidence remained high when Lee spotted a good fish show from up the same tree and it was in a similar location to yesterday's action! Could this be the moment we were both waiting for??? The conditions were absolutely perfect again with the threat of light rain and the wind picking up...surely we would get another chance before we would have to face the dreaded pack up!!!
Unfortunately it was not to be....But wait a minute...we've just had the most amazing experience in our carping lives. Redmire is not all about catching but simply being there...never a truer statement in my book and when I look at the photos of the punt and boat-house or when I think back to fishing the exact same swim Richard Walker caught Clarrissa or stalked where the Bishop was landed...it brings a sense of great joy and satisfaction.
Thanks again to Lee, Stuart and Bill for making the experience even more enjoyable.
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