EVERY ONE BROKE THEIR PESONAL BEST.

             Well the story for this particular piece, started while I had been on my P.C (when it was working) catching a few anglers on the Carp talk chat line, I came across an e-mail address, which I thought might be Tony Davies Patrick's. Now he was an angler who I really respected, from his writings and photography, although I had never ever meet or spoke to him.  So seeing the e-mail address, which I thought could be him, I decided to take the bull by the horns and I send off an email to the address, stating that I wrote the odd article myself and had always enjoyed his writing and his excellent photography.

Well I was totally surprised the next day, as I not only received a reply, but Tony also stated he would like to go fishing with me, as he would like to Add a 100 lb + Catfish to his impressive list of captures.  So I replied with some information on two planed trips that I had coming up shortly, the first one were I would be returning to Spain to visit and fish with Colin again, this first trip would be for 6 days, taking place from the 23^rd of July, this trip had been planed by me and Colin in April, to do some more filming for the video's we are putting together to advertise his trips, as the filming conditions would be far better at that time of year for all the scenic footage. I would be taking my oldest son Lee (18 years old ) with me, as he could not come on the second trip, which was to be this years annual family outing abroad fishing, the reason he could not accompany us on the second, was due to him starting a new job and being unable to book the particular week's he would need to accompany us. It would be his fist time we had not been away as a complete family fishing that time of year, usually Lee actually has his birthday while we are away on the family holiday fishing, so it would be a double blow for him this year, so not to disappoint him, I had arranged to take him over on the first trip.    

After a couple of emails to each other and several phone call's, Tony had committed to joining us over in Spain on that first trip, as he would not be travelling with me and Lee, so I had arranged that Colin and I, would pick him up from Barcelona airport the next day, as Lee and myself would have arrived some 10 hours earlier that day and would already be at the apartment's.

 Well to cut a long story short, My son and I arrived in Spain at Barcelona airport on Sat 23rd June at around 1.30 pm . We were slightly early so waited in the departure lounge for Colin to arrive after he had seen off his customers from the week before on their out going flights.

We did not have to wait to long before Colin came walking towards us from the departures end of the terminal, he greeted us and I asked him what sort of week he had just had, he informed us that it had been a very slow week and he had had to work hard for the fish his clients had caught, but they had all  gone home happy, as they always do.

I commented if the cats had not feed much, the week just gone, it was a good sign as they would be hungry the coming week we were there fishing.

As we passed through the large doors out of the air-conditioned airport terminal, and into the sun on our way to the car park, the heat from the sum was blistering; it was absolutely scorching. I could see we were going to have a hard week in front of us, as there is little to no shade in several of the swims we would be fishing and in the middle of the day, it usually becomes unbearable hot.

As soon as we got to Colin’s people carrier, we loaded up all our gear and started of on our hour and a half journey to the river and the apartments. (when you are on one of Colin’s trips he supplies all the tackle you require to fish from the bank, he even supplies bedchairs, profile brolyies, cooler boxes for your drinks, ever think to make your stay comfortable, the only thing you need to take is a sleeping bag , change of cloths and your toiletries).  Once we arrived in Mequineza, we followed the road down to the apartments and the river which ran along side it looked ready to give up a few of its monsters to us, if we were lucky.

We arrived at the apartments and unloaded our bags and settled in to the apartment's. Once we had freshened up, we decided to go and have a look at some of the swims, to see which ones were occupied and what sort of choice we would have, as it turned out… we were very lucky and they were all empty, this was a very good sign for the coming week, as we would have the pick of several swims and also the opportunity to move, if the first swim we chose was not producing the right results for any reason’s.

 As we were still waiting for Tony to arrive, we did not start fishing straight away, so that night we were going to get a good nights sleep in the apartment's, instead of on the bank and to kill some time we decided to drive into the next town, were there was a Chinese restaurant, we could have a look around and have our tea at the restaurant. Then back to the apartment for a bit of shuteye.

Next mooring we picked up Tony at Barcelona airport and got down to catching a few Catfish , it turned out to be an excellent few days fishing, with everyone achieving new P.D, not once but at least twice.

      We decided to start of in the pump house swim and this swim actually ended up as base camp for the next 5 days fishing, as we never moved out of this swim. We had already decided to fish runs, so every one would get some action, Colin had said he was not fishing just wanted to have a relaxing week on the bank, so I said I would go third, in order to give the other two chance of the first fish, so this just left my son Lee and Tony to see who would have first fish, so I tossed a coin between them and Lee was the lucky winner (but it does not always pay, to have first run) as Lee had found out a few years ago with his brother Ross, while we were on dream lake 4. On that occasion Lee jumped in for first run and had a 16.00 ponder, then Ross had the second run and that carp came in at 42.00 lbs.

Well back to the trip in Spain, it was Sunday night and all the rods were out, and as we sat there listening to some of Tony ’s exploits about his travels around the world fishing, the first rod had a take, Colin struck the rod and passed it to Lee (we had decided to strike Lee’s fish for him as it was his first trip to Spain and he was not as experienced as myself, Colin and Tony ).

Lee played it in and as it came to the surface I could see it was only a kitten, Colin gloved it in and we weighed it, it went 14.00 lbs, we quickly released it and I gave Colin a had put the rod back out fishing again. A couple of hours went by and we had our second take, it was Tony ’s turn this time, so he hit into the take and started playing it in, as it came in I could see it was another kitten, Colin landed it and it went 18.00 lbs, we quickly returned it back to the river and reset the rod.

I started to think we had hit into a shoal of small catfish and my run of 100 pound fish on my first take was about to come to an end. ( I have now been Catfishing 5 times and my first take on every trip has been a 100 lb + fish )…. and who said luck does not help ??, well some one up there must like me, as when the third take went early the next morning and I bent into it, I could feel it was defiantly not a small fish, it put up a spirited fight and when I eventually got it close to the bank and it surfaced we could see it was defiantly over 100 lbs ( Mr lucky strikes again ), Tony was clinking of shots on his camera, as the lighting conditions were good and as Colin gloved it, I thought that takes my run of fish over 100 lbs on my first take to five now (lucky B****rd I am).

Ps…..I have been back out there since compiling this article and not only did I have cats to 153.00, but also took my run of first takes over 100 to 6 , as I said earlier  that great fisherman in the sky, must like me. Right back to this trip, we weighed the fish and it went a 112.00 lbs on the scales, we then took some video footage and more photos of the fish on the bank and then retuned it back to the river. It was then a case of taking it in turn’s going back to the apartment’s to get washed and cleaned up and have some breakfast, one would stop in the swim to gaud the tackle, while the other's visited the apartment for a wash and bite to eat.

 As it is very slow on the cat front in the middle of the day and we usually start setting up and rebating around 4.00 pm for the cats, Lee and Tony had put out a carp rod and while Tony Colin and Lee were at the apartment, I managed to land three Carp, no monsters, but they were all good fun while you are waiting for some cat action.

When the lads returned, we set up for the coming night and some more action, Tony and Lee had only had a couple of kittens so far, but were hoping for the chance of a much bigger fish over the next few  night's.  Well they did not have to wait long as that night, they both broke there P.B's for the first time on the trip. That Monday night saw another two cats landed, Lee with a 95.00 ponder ( NEW P.B as his best till then was a French 85 lb fish from Abby lakes in France ), Tony 's second fish was a superb specimen of 125.00 lbs ( new P.B for Tony and his requirement from the trip achieved , a fish over 100 lbs ). Next morning we followed the same pattern, photographing and videoing the fish, then returning to the apartment for a shower and clean up, something to eat and retuning back to the bank totally refreshed. Lee had several carp while we were waiting for the temperature to lower and we could re-set the traps for the coming night and what a night it turned out to be, I started it off with a 151.00 ( new P.B for me, as my best up till then was 146.00 lbs ) , then Lee followed that up with a 33.00, Tony next with a 30.00, then me again with a 154.00 ( yes my new P.B had not lasted the night, what a brace 151.00 and 154 ) , then Tony had a 90.00 and Lee followed that with a 129.00 ( another New P.B for him and also his first fish over 100) he was over the moon, we also as we had several mistakes as well, as you usually get a few mistakes only fishing a single hook, but all in all it had been a very good night’s fishing, this meant that every one now had, had, a fish over the magic 100.00 pound mark and we had only fished two nights, an excellent result so far, as I had been the luckiest angler with a superb brace of two fish over the one fifty mark , I decided that the Tony and Lee could have all the takes from now on, in order to try and catch them moor better fish.

Well the next night (the Wednesday) was totally the opposite and a very slow night with only one fish being landed by Tony at small one at 34.00 pounds, just a kitten (but that’s fishing for you).

But in one way it was good that we had had such a slow night, as this had given every one a chance to recharge there batteries, it becomes very tiring when you are up each night and then cooking with the heat of the mid day sun each day. It can be very draining.                           

   Well Thursday came and this would be our last night together fishing as me and Lee would be flying home Friday morning, Tony would be travelling back with Colin in his car.

As it was the last night and I had my fingers crossed and hoped that Lee and Tony were still in with the chance of a couple of really good fish before we had to returned home. We were all very happy anglers as we had all beaten our personal bests, but just a few moor nice fish would have really made it a trip to remember.  Well as it went, that last night turned out to be a night that Tony and Lee will not forget for a long time, Colin accompanied by Lee had set of to drive to the next town to get the Chinese take away ( which was to be my treat, as I had the biggest fish up to then ), they had been gone about ¾ of an hour and as me and Tony sat there watching the rod tips and talking about the one that got away, as all anglers do !, one of the rods sprang back and indicated a take, Tony looked at me as he had had the last fish, Lee was not there, so I should have been next take, as I had already decided that I would let Lee and Tony have the rest of the runs, I turned to him and said hit it, it yours mate. Tony jumped up and struck into the take, it was coming in fairly easy and Tony commentated to me,  its only a little one again Ron, is that why you let me have it ? I replied….. you don’t always know if it’s a big one, as they some times swim straight in to the bank and you feel little resistance, as it got closer to the bank, the fish must have realized it was hooked and it suddenly woke up and started to take line and made several very powerful runs. It gave Tony a tremendous fight and I had to put the butt pad on him, after about half an hour, as the fish started to tyre and Tony was starting to feel the effects also, he got it  closer to the bank, just then Colin and Lee arrived and the fish was landed and weighed, it weighed in at 160.00 lbs ( another P.B for Tony , he was well pleased ), we strange it up and attempted to sit and eat our curry, or at least we thought we were going to. I had only just managed to get a couple of spoon full’s in my mouth when one of the other rods went, I jumped up and struck in to the fish and said to Lee, this one is yours son, I quickly passed the rod to him and he started to play the fish, when I struck the rod, I knew it was a good lump, you can feel the different resistance’s sometimes between the big fish and the small one’s, as he started to play the fish he soon realized he was not hooked up to one of the river's small kittens but yet another monster from the depths of the river, Could it beat his 129.00 ?? Only time would tell, it was a very long very hard battle and at one point he tried to give me the rod back, as he was hurting all over, eventually he got it close to the edge and I wallow griped it out, as I felt the weight of it I knew it was going to be his third P.B of the trip, it was much bigger than the 129.00 he had had earlier, we weighed it and it was a very good fish, at 155.00 not a bad result for his first trip to Spain. We had another small one that night at 31.00 lbs, it was returned straightaway. Next morning we went through the usual process of photographing and videoing the two fish, before we set off on our separate return journey's back to the U/K. Every one went home with new P.B's and also every one went home with fish over the 150.00 mark, all in all for 4 nights fishing it turned out to be an unbelievable trip and excellent material for this article.  

 Hope you have enjoyed this update on another of my visits abroad to Spain and I hope to be updating you on any forthcoming trips that I make also.

My thanks go out to all my good friends for there parts in these trips, Especially to Colin, and Tony for putting up with my snoring for 4 nights, Tony has suggested we fish together again, he must be a sucker for punishment! But on a more serious note if you are a carp angler, thinking of trying a bit of catfishing, Tony and myself would recommend Colin’s Catmaster tours set up in Spain, if you fancy a go……. hear are his contact numbers. He is also doing winter carp fishing trips this year and take it from me, there is some excellent Carp fishing over there, which is virtually untouched. If you are interested, see below for Colin's contact numbers

                       Home 0121 451 1861    Spain 00 34 620 605 113

              E.mail   catmaster@telinco.co.uk   Web site   www.catmaster.co.uk

        Well all the best till next time, I hope all your trips are as good as the one I have just reported on and you all enjoy your fishing.

                                            All the best.

                                                        Big Ron Woodward.