Andy Spreadbury's Fishing Blog

Friday, 13th.July When in desperate need, help often arrives un-looked for. I was in the fishing shop yesterday and ran into Ray Harris - an old mucker from the past. Ray has many contacts throughout the angling world, one of which is fishing - and catching, at Bough Beech. “Can you find out what he’s using Ray! I’d dearly love to know!” “Sure; I can tell you now. He’s using Webb Baits Squid and Octopus on a fishmeal base and he’s fishing in the car park (?) He bought a motorised barrow ‘specially for the purpose of dealing with the long walks at the res but hasn’t needed it because he’s fishing right near the car!” This is just the news I have been waiting for. It all makes sense. A really smelly bait that gives off a powerful signal through the water column (unlike the ‘Pokernut’ I’ve been using) and fishing where I imagine to be the corner of the Dam. This is one of the places I have investigated and is last on my list of locations to try. Looks like I should promo

Tuesday, 10th.July Bough Beech, Estate Yard Bay 13.00 So I’m back down at the reservoir having another go. There is news… I had a quick look in at the Clubhouse before driving round and got talking to an ex-carp angler - now a bird-watcher, who said that a 45 pounder had been caught. If this is so it is fantastic news and well done to whoever caught it but I have to say - I’m insanely jealous and wish I could get one even half that weight! Any carp would be more than welcome! At the mouth of Estate Yard Bay fishing twenty-five yards out over a bed of 'Pokernut' boilies. I haven’t been fishing lately, apart from a short session (recounted below) to The Back Lake and the reason for this has chiefly been because of the weather. We’ve had the longest, hottest spell of dry weather in years and I just haven’t been able to summon the enthusiasm to get out. Not because I I think the hot conditions are not conducive (which actually, they aren’t) But I just simply c

Thursday, 5th.July The Back Lake, Exit Path Swim 12 Noon Have you ever had a water that for years you’ve been meaning to have a go at - but never quite found the time to actually get around to fishing? So it is with The Back Lake. I’ve known about it for years, several friends having fished it, caught its inhabitants and moved on to pastures new. I’ve only held back because of the very bad reputation it has of being local to one of the less salubrious neighbourhoods of the town; new, modern houses, but populated by scumbags. Indeed, it’s only a year or so ago the club’s bailiff was so badly beaten up whilst confronting someone who refused to buy a day ticket, that he was put in hospital. A sad state of affairs, not to say absolutely disgusting. You can understand my reluctance to even come near the place! Lately, my interest was aroused when an acquaintance told me about the fish he had caught here during the winter months, fish that were over thirty pounds! I felt I ha