There is a little pool in Barton under Needwood, the fishing controlled by the Parish Council. About an acre or so, quite shallow but nicely coloured by a healthy stock of modest sized Carp. I hadn't included it in my list of waters to try any time soon until I heard there were Crucians present. It leapfrogged to the top of the list and last Sunday I gave it a go. Local knowledge pointed me to one bank favoured by my target species and happily the moderate breeze was angling into it.
Four hours later I had nine Crucians to a pound and the same number of Brown Goldfish to two pounds. Several Carp put in an appearance, two three pounders landed along with some half decent Roach. In truth I felt it was a bit 'easy' but today decided it would be the ideal place to try the rod out.
As often happens the fish were nowhere near as obliging today. I fished the same swim to begin with but the breeze was totally opposite to last time. A small Rudd was the first fish to fall to the rod, no test really but soon after it took on quite a curve. I thought it might be one of the Brownies but a nice Tench eventually surfaced, a Male around two pounds. Two nice Crucians came at intervals with Roach in between but by lunchtime all was quiet.
I decided to move to the opposite bank facing the wind, hoping the fish had followed it. Here I had a run of nice Roach with one nudging a pound. I also hooked two 'Torpedos', the hook pulling on both. All fish came to Breadflake with mashed bread for feed.
All in all I'm well pleased with the way the rod performed and I've suspended my prejudices for the time being. It's a very nice rod in the hand, it only weighs ten ounces and has reasonable balance. It didn't feel out of its depth with the Carp bending it, in fact it put me in mind of my B&W CTM 12A which again is quite a 'tippy' rod? I think it will see quite a bit of use particularly on the canal.
