Passes and fails!

Back on the small ponds for spring....

Welcome at last to British Springtime all! Lets hope the warm weathers just around the corner now.... The last few days have felt slightly warmer in the sun and after the magnificent solar eclipse this week, we sat in the garden and felt like we were burning in the sun!

Great stuff! The night time temperatures are still falling away pretty dramatically though and this became rather apparent last week when I did a brief double overnighter session with a mate, Tom.

The Monday evening was wet and windy but fairly mild around 3 degrees C and when we awoke Tuesday it started off warm and dry. In fact the carp could be seen milling around on the surface in one of their many summer haunts! All looked good for a take that night and I left the lake for a few hours to give my wife a last few hours driving instruction before her dreaded test that was set for the Thursday of last week. Oh, she passed with flying colours too...I'm very proud of her! Well done Marianne!

I took a bit of time out to film the solar eclipse this week.

The Monday night passed by with just a few liners and Tuesday night was considerably colder at minus 4C at the lakeside! This really put the fish back down and all we had were again a few liners to show for our efforts. Not what we wanted but at least the carp are showing signs of waking up in there at last.

The final day of the fishing season was spent on a rapidly rising River Wye in Hereford. Bob and Dougie drove up from Newbury for the day and got the tickets for us all from Woodies in Hereford. I was a little behind due to traffic and taxiing kids to school etc. We started in a large swim with very steep mud banks and my first introduction to Dougie was a very personal one! I slid straight down the mud into his waiting arms!

We sat and waited and waited and waited........and waited!

The first 2 hours were incredibly slow with nothing to show for our straight lead tactics. We decided on a move to a section slightly lower down and we split our swims up slightly. I took the head of the swim, Bob was in the middle and Dougie at the bottom. We all fished at different lengths out and I covered the very fishy looking far marginal snags. Again we struggled to get a bite and at 6.30pm we found ourselves heading back across the wet and muddy fields to the cars empty handed.

At this point I'd add that on the way back, loaded up with the usual kit on my back.....I did my usual of slipping on a slightly muddy section and ended up with my knee trapped underneath me and laying on my side. Thanks to Dougie and Bob who took the majority of kit off me as I just couldn't get back on my feet after the fall. As it happened my knee swelled up and I bruised my hip and gave myself mild whiplash too. Must remember this year to travel lighter and take it easier as I am no spring chicken anymore!

Well done Marianne. 3 minor faults and passed first time!

The blank session can only be put down to poor swim choice or/and rapidly rising river, which came up over a foot whilst we were fishing. Not the easiest of conditions at the best of times let alone in the middle of a cold spring!

I was supposed to be having an overnight session tonight at my local club lake again with Tom but he's been dragged into work for overtime and in all honesty I'm up to my eyeballs with Tax Returns and banking etc....

Not my favourite of jobs but a much required necessity I'm afraid. Not 100% sure when I'll be back on the bank at present with Easter looming and a trip down south to see family in the diary for a few days.

Hope your all in good health and I look forward to seeing some of you on the bank side again soon.

K x