A 24-Hour Catfish Quest—Patience, Peg 12 & the One That Bit!"

A Long Road to Oakland Waters.

Fishing, like life, has a way of throwing unexpected obstacles in your path. Mine came in the form of a crash on the M62, turning what should have been a straightforward drive into a two-hour crawl to Goole in Yorkshire. Frustration definitely brewed, especially when you're super excited to get fishing! But I guess the whole adventure ahead was what made the delay worth enduring and I hope no one was seriously injured in the crash.

Rolling into Oakland Waters at 12:30 pm, was met not just by the picturesque serenity of the lake, but also by the warmth of the anglers that had already settled in. One of the first faces I encountered was Kev, fishing the second peg. Super friendly, full of knowledge and advice about the water. He was the kind of angler who makes the banks a better place, chatting, helping, and sharing his insight like a seasoned pro. Moments like these remind you that fishing is just as much about the people as it is about the catch.

When I called to book the water, only Peg 12 was available, of course I still booked it but it was reportedly the worst peg for catfish on the lake! Nevertheless, I settled in, knowing I wasn’t exactly in the prime spot for monster moggies. But what’s fishing without a challenge? The bivvy was pitched, rods were set, and the waiting game began.

My set up consisted of my Sonik DominatorX 10ft 3,5TC rods sat on my Sabre 10000 Mini Pit Reels loaded with the Berkley Inshore 80lb Braid. I will talk a bit later about the actually rig.

The Long Wait Begins...

The afternoon stretched on, the lake's surface being broken by surfacing carp and the odd cat slapping the surface throughout the day, but my alarms were silent. However, the first flicker of action came when my alarm sang out. I lifted the rod in anticipation of a cat, but alas, I was probably a bream that was off as soon as it was on. Not quite the whiskered beast I was after, but hey, it was something.

Cooking Up Something Special

Fishing may fuel the soul, but after hours of waiting, your stomach demands attention too. And this time, I wasn’t settling for just another bankside ham and cheese butty! Ostrich steaks were on the menu, sizzling away, rich and gamey, something a little different, a little extravagant, a reward for enduring the heat and no bites!

As I tucked in, watching the lake in front of me, I couldn’t help but appreciate it, this odd little life we lead as anglers, chasing fish throughout the year, swapping stories with strangers, and turning the simplest moments into experiences we won’t forget is exactly why I do this.

The sun set behind the treeline and still no cat in the net by early evening but I wasn't panicking just yet, the night session was about to start and while Cats are not scientifically nocturnal, they do become more active during the twilight hours so I was hoping this was my window!

At 2.17am my Nash S5 alarm shattered the silence, sending a jolt of adrenaline through my half-asleep head. Scrambling out of my camp cot and stumbling through the bivvy door, I grabbed my rod thinking, 'please be a cat, please be a cat'. The rod bend and the jolting pull that cats give, gave me the reassurance that I had a cat on, not just a cat, but my first cat of 2025!

As it approached the net, its head glistening in the clear moonlight I was absolutely buzzing with adrenalin. It wasn't a big cat, but it was a cat and after a tough first day without a proper bite (apart from a possible bream!), this was an absolute blank saver and I couldn't have been happier!

As I mentioned, not a giant, not the Oakland monster moggie I’d envisioned, but even the smaller cats put up an insane fight. The surge, the struggle, the brief flash of sleek muscle beneath the water is proof that even the "worst peg" has its moments. This cat came out on a Dynamite Baits 21mm Halibut Pellet to a Catfish Pro Size 2/0 Circle Hook on a standard running rig.

The One That Got Away...

Sleep came in short bursts from that cat as I was hyper aware of everything hoping for another bite and listening to other alarms going off around the lake too made it super hard to drop off to sleep, but at 6am, just as I have dropped off, my alarm screamed to life again, jolting me upright, groggy and disoriented. Half-stumbling, half-racing out of the bivvy, I grabbed the rod, only to find the run had stopped. A cruel tease, a near miss, and the last bit of excitement before the session drew to a close.

But even with just one catfish landed, Oakland delivered something else, the community atmosphere, and the kind of camaraderie that makes every trip worthwhile. The anglers here? Top-tier. Friendly, sociable, and always up for a chat. Fishing can sometimes feel like a solitary pursuit, but here, surrounded by good people, it felt like something bigger—a shared experience, a collective love for the sport.

As I packed away my gear, ready to leave the water behind, I knew I’d be back and just maybe, I will land the beast I came for.

Until then, tight lines.

***Coming Soon***

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Author: Stuart Repon.