After over doing it last week and putting in as much time on the bank as possible this week was going to be a wind down period, to recharge the batteries, however not before a night session on a southern Stillwater with Korum’s newly appointed product manager, Paul Garner.

Paul and l have known each other for a few years now and over these have come to respect each other in the best possible way. Knowing Paul rises to a little bit off competition we were both on the top of our game and enjoyed a mixed day using contrasting tactics. Knowing the water from the odd visit at the end of last year l knew that both the waggler and caster approach worked as well as the long rod, pole float and maggot. I attack the lake with the waggler whilst Paul adopted the long rod approach, both feeding the opposite line, which would allow a quick change if one or the other started bagging! The weather was far from ideal, high pressure, blue skies, variable wind and a very cold night forecasted. Over the daylight period l probably had the upper hand taking a dozen net roach to 1lbs 15oz, however at dusk Paul took a string of net roach to bring the scores equal. After dark we both tried our appropriate tactics incorporating night-lights but these failed to produce and we both switched to the feeder.
My choice was the maggot feeder incorporating a short hooklink fished helicopter style while Paul opted for the groundbait feeder. I’m not completely sure why things turned out as they did but whilst my rods continued to produced whilst Paul’s remained amazingly quiet. Looking back it’s probably due to the fact that an hour before dusk l started to introduce maggot on the waggler line whilst Paul kept to the caster. Whatever the reason l continued to catch up until close on midnight when the weather, which was now well below freezing took its toll and tiredness, got the better of me. Paul had long hit the sack, however l knew he would be up well before dawn trying to regain the ground lost and true to form he did exactly that taking a common carp of exactly 21lbs plus another around 10lbs on the float.
The session ended with well over thirty net roach, most over 1lbs 8oz with lots just missing the two-pound mark by an ounce or two, however just into darkness l did manage the target roach of 2lbs 2oz. During the session we talked about features for the coming season plus new products that will be slowly filtering into the already quality Korum range. Watch out, these are exciting times.