63lb 14oz Catfish from Hazel Court Ponds

Posted by Keith on September 25, 2009 under Carp and Coarse Fishing, Catch Reports | Be the First to Comment

Keith Supple recalls the capture of a Personal Best Catfish from Hazel Court Ponds

The session was a short over niter which only came around because of a cancellation that occurred in my diary this week. With the Mrs and sprogs all having a dose of the dreaded flu lurgy, it meant that the usual 4 day excursion to Berkshire had to be put back a bit.

Never mind a quick session on a local pond with a few pulls was pretty much all the doctor ordered.

I decided to fish as close to home as possible as money’s been a bit tight this last few weeks and running back and forth to Reading cost’s a few bob I can tell ya! Venue choice…..Hazel Court Ponds near Cowbridge.

I popped into the site shop and purchased a bag of 24mm halibut pellets and headed round to the swims. This time I had the lake to my self. Pukka! A quick drive round with the bait boat and a few likely spots jumped up.

Quickly deciding on the places to plant my traps, I sat back with a sandwich and awaited some action which only took around 3 hours to come.

Propping my eyes open at 9.30pm wrapped up snug from the rapidly cooling air in my 5 season bag. I was sure something was soon going to happen.

The air was chilly, misty and had the feeling of fish action to it! I’d just shut my eyes when I heard a few quick bleeps ring out from the receiver perched on my bait bucket.

I looked at the middle rod which had been placed about 2 yards short of a lily bed in a slight bottom depression. The bobbin was slammed to the rod blank.

I flew from my bag and kind of ingested my Skeetex boots, picked up my headlamp and grabbed the rod all in one fowl swoop!

It instantly felt like little else I’ve hooked before on rod and line…..The first run it made left me with sore knuckles and fear of a broken finger.

The rod squirmed under the pressure I was having to apply to keep her from snagging me up.

After about 3-4 minutes of arguing with the fish over who was going to give in first….she buckled and let me gain a few yards.

This felt great and I was sure I’d got the upper hand. Ummmm, not likely….off she blasted again and I was just left in awe of the shear immense power of whatever was on the end of my line???

A few more serious pulls with the rod under some of the most load I have ever put it under and she was nearing the spreader block.

I lifted the head under headlamp light and saw it was definitely a catfish. My first thoughts were that it may go 30lb?

My first attempt at trying to net her were almost laughable as I got the head into my 45″ net, thinking she was all but in the net I lifted…….oh god!

There was another 3 and a half feet of fish still to get in and certainly not enough net! Another 2 attempts made me quickly rethink my approach.

She came close to the bank with her nose up so I gave her a tap on the nose.

She sat quite still so I threw the rod down and chinned the fish. I slid her onto the waiting wet mat and nearly fell over when I saw how long it was!

I somehow managed to weigh her on the tripod and after watching it spin around twice…..It settled on 63lb 14oz!

My first coarse fish over the 60lb barrier! I can’t honestly describe how I felt.

There was a massive feeling of total overwhelming excitement, contentment, fear,……….I must have woken the whole of Glamorgan up as I let out the biggest ‘Hoorah’!

Tight lines Guys

Keith

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