Catching The Fungus... Nathan Highley

This entry was posted on 28th February, 2014

Catching The Fungus... Nathan Highley

Whenever I think of Cobbleacre lakes in Norfolk it brings a smile to my face, its somewhere I've fished on and off since 1994, it’s also run by my best mate and BCAC partner Bob Anderson.

In this time I've been lucky enough to land most of its residents and many of them on more than one occasion, including the lake record, a Common of 35lb 9oz, landed back in February 2007.

Every winter I try to do at least a couple of sessions there, in pursuit of 3 fish that have eluded me so far; 1 being a stunning Mirror called Starburst, a Common called Dip Back and another Common called Fungus.

My latest session was to be 36 hour stint, arriving late on the Sunday and leaving early on the Tuesday.

On arrival the wind was blowing from a South West direction, straight into a swim called Mikes, from my experiences I know that whenever the wind blows into that area of the lake, the fish aren't normally too far away.

The rods were soon ready and put out in different areas around the swim, the first, flicked out to the left onto a hard area amongst the bottom silt, the second in a similar direction to the first, but this time straight amongst the silt, with the third and final around 30 yards out, onto a gravel strip.

All rods were roughly baited with around 30 Sticky Baits Vortex freebies, a bait I’d done so well on the previous year.



Rigs were kept simple, opting for standard bottom baits on all 3 rods, with size 6 ESP Raptor D7 Hooks, 10 inches of ESP 15lb Brown Stripteaze, ESP Leadclips, 4ft of ESP Leadcore and 2oz leads.

With the rods out and the traps set, it was time for a brew, I stuck the kettle on and settled in for the night, I felt extremely confident with where the rods were and in all honesty, I thought it was just a case of when, rather than if, things would happen.

I woke up around six the next morning and the hangers hadn’t moved, I wasn’t too disheartened as ‘bite time’ was approaching. Through years of fishing of the venue, I knew this was a prime time and a time when I’d landed many of my previous captures.

Unfortunately my supreme confidence slowly started to ebb away, as ‘bite time’ came and went and I was left wondering what to do. Standing outside the bivvy with my morning coffee, the wind was cold, perhaps this was the reason for the lack of action! I decided on a reel in and a walk around the lake, one to spot any signs of fish, and two to try and warm up a bit!

On the walk round I stopped at a well known swim called ‘The Beach’, sheltered from the wind it felt a good five degrees warmers than the area I was currently fishing. As I watched the water for any sign of activity I noticed a few small pin prick bubbles break surface. This was the only sign I needed…

Without hesitation I quickly left, returned to my bivvy and started to pack, ready for a move.

In double quick time I had the rods back out in ‘The Beach’ swim; all three of them were cast around 15 yards out and fanned around 20 yards apart. A few good handfuls of the Vortex over the top completed the trap; I was fishing once again.

Bob popped over for a chat and a cuppa at about 11.00 and stayed for an hour before heading off to get on with his work, he couldn't of been gone more than 10 minutes when the left hand bobbin pulled up tight as the first fish of the session was hooked.

As soon as I picked the rod up it felt a decent fish keeping deep and making many slow ponderous runs, after a nervous battle lasting nearly ten minutes the fish was mine.



On parting the mesh back and observing my prize I noticed this was one of the fish I was after, the tail of the Common blemished with a distinctive fungus… I couldn't believe my luck; I'd only gone and banked one of my targets after being in the swim less than an hour!

After a quick call to Bob, he was round in a flash and after some nice pictures, we put the big girl on the scales, where the needle on the Reubens swung round to a very pleasing 28lb 2oz, the biggest she’d ever been recorded at! After slipping her back we celebrated with a quick Coffee before I carried on fishing and Bob returned to work!

I fished the rest of the morning and into mid afternoon before re-doing all the rods for the evening, I was brimming with confidence as every one of them went bang on the money. However once again my confidence was misplaced as the whole evening passed without incident and when I awoke the next morning I was surprised, to say the least.

At around 7.00, just as I was mooching in my bag and enjoying my morning cuppa, finally another fish came my way, this time the left hand rod producing another nice Common, a smaller fish, but another over 20lb, 20lb 12oz to be exact.



I packed up an hour after the fish, happy and content with my session.

It just shows that spending an hour in the right area is better than 24 in the wrong area, go on your gut instincts and follow the bubblers!

Tight Lines and be lucky…

Nathan "bumpy" Highley....

The Tackle Box Sticky Baits Vortex Boilies ESP Leadcore ESP Raptor D7 Hooks ESP Stripteaze ESP Leadclips