| The feeder went out again for the second time and at 11.38 the tip went round once more and stayed there. Another fish that again was soon in the net. Steve quickly re-baited and from unhooking the fish to the feeder hitting the water, I timed the event at 12 seconds. This wasn't a display of speed, far from it cause I dare say he could have been faster and he wasn't aware I was timing, it was just his natural rhythm. The rod was on the rest once more and the baiting needle was prepared ready for action.
Steve's feeder packed with pellet and plugged with groundbait.
11.50 and another small carp was in the net. Things were going well, probably better than we had anticipated considering the weather. But what happened next showed Steve as he really is, a top class angler. You see having landed three fish in the space of the first 30 minutes, things slowed right down and getting things on track again is, in my opinion, where class shows through. What will he do, what are his thoughts? After all anyone can sit there bagging when things are going well, but when they are not and fish are not responding as well as they could be, what do we do, or should I say what does Steve Ringer do?
I'm not going to tell ya. . . . .oh go on then I will.
It's simply down to graft. That's it, graft. Forty five minutes went by without a single indication. However the feeder was not in the water longer than four to five minutes before it was out again. Whilst it was out there he was preparing more hook lengths and hair rigs, bigger hooks with a longer hair to try an extra large pellet, shorter hook lengths with finer line and hooks for single baits. " Its all about finding out what the fish want. It may be quiet because a lump has moved into the area and a bigger bait may just tempt it. Or the fish may not want a big bait and will be looking for individual pellet. Without trying each we will never know. So what I'm going to do is have a couple of chucks on each to see how it goes."
 
Steve's chosen hook baits.
At 12.35pm, Steve was on a single pellet with a size 18 PR 27 and 0.14 dia silk shock when the tip pulled sharply forward and dropped back. It was a liner, an indication that fish were in the area. Again the rod was cast and within a minute or two the same happened again. However this time when it was retrieved on went a shorter hook length, one about 6-7 inches long. Steve explained. "The hook bait may be to far off the feed even though it will be within twelve inches of the feeder. The fish may well be attacking the cage to release the feed. We have nothing to lose by trying a shorter hook length, if it doesn't work we can always go back to the longer one."
The shorter rig was cast to the same spot and Steve tightened the set up. Within a few seconds it went round and another fish was on its way with a white flag showing. Through all his graft and 'experimenting' he was again into fish. " Never give up" he grinned.
   
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