Sheppey Fish Tales

Wednesday, 21 August 2019

Ruddy Stinging Nettles

Well it has been ages since I wrote a proper blog post. I've been focusing a lot on YouTube videos as I do quite enjoy filming them and will hopefully get a bit better over time!

Anyway today I just fancied something simple. No camera stuff, no long journey, no cash spent!

So I headed to the South Drain. Shapwick Bridge to be more precise. The water had a brownish tinge but wasn't to bad and the drains characteristic slow flow was in full force, plodding along like an old tractor. Ideal really.

That bloody stinging nettle...

Perfect bit of Somerset Levels

I set up the float rod. Super simple. Float rod. Little float 2bb shot. Size 18 hook. Bread and sometimes hookable krill pellets. I also brought along some Robin Red pellets in case any Tench or Bream made an appearance (I'm forever hopeful)

Not just fish who love some pellets.

I'm not sponsored by this bait company, although I would recommend them

The drain was packed with Rudd and as soon as plopped in some ground bait they swarmed all over it like ants.

Amidst the chaos I dropped my rig in a bang the float was under in seconds. But I missed the bite. This happened a Lot before I finally pulled in a small but perfectly formed Rudd.

I unhooked, admired and then it flicked into the under growth. Arhhh!

I fumbled about in the stinging nettles trying to find the little bugger. I had almost given up after being sting up teen times in my search. But eventually I found a small golden body. I quickly grabbed in and away he went.

My left hand was throbbing after plunging it into the nettles but I carried on, (what a little trooper)

Time after time the float buried. I missed more than I connected with but still had 20h Rudd in the 2 hours I was there.