Andy Spreadbury's Fishing Blog

28th.-30th.November 2019 Paddlesworth, Pollard, Peg 30 12.50 All baits are out; some spodding completed (although there is still some to do. I’m just having a break for something to eat). Two baits are on the usual mark whilst the rh rod is cast speculatively towards ‘The Brambles’ opposite. I’ve seen a couple of ‘shows’ in front of P31 and it makes sense to put a bait over there although I have introduced no spod mix over it. I’m hoping to pick up an opportunist fish rather than set my traps to a specific plan. I have become more and more convinced that feeding is the key to catching carp on Pollard and I think the principles I have established for here would be equally successful on other waters of my acquaintance. Not all of them however because I think only on those which share the same characteristics as Pollard, will it work. Pollard is in relative terms a ‘barren’ water. By that I don’t mean it doesn’t hold any of the creatures, organisms, flora, and fauna that

19th.-20th.November 2019 Paddlesworth, Pollard, Peg 30 13.00 At last, an opportunity to fish P30. Lunch configured by my dear lady, Christine is a confection of hot soup, bread and butters, some cold sausages, and an unexpected jam doughnut! The greatest of benefits of married life is the loving care of a dear wife! Eighteen wraps, straight in line with the rooftops of the houses opposite and seventeen and a half on the spod rod. Steve in The Box had a fish this morning although Ryan in ‘Nolan’s’ two swims along blanked; he has now moved into The Box vacated by Steve who has now left the lake. More spodding to do. I am determined to ‘spod-the-granny’ out of my swim again like last week the only drawback being the 4lbs. TC spod rod will not make the distance with the large size Spomb; a ‘medium’ it is then. Back to it - there’s a lot of bait to get out there… Taking a well earned break from spodding. I never knew that continual casting and retrieving co

12th.-13th.November 2019 Paddlesworth, Pollard, Peg 44 (The Brambles) 11.40 My first chance to comment after what was an early start at the crack of dawn. It was just getting light when I left home this morning but I got stuck in traffic on the M20 for an hour which delayed me somewhat. Why is motorway driving in the SE of England such a pain in the rear end? Rarely do you complete a journey without some sort of hold-up. P30 was occupied as usual so I barrowed up the ‘House Bank’ to find ‘Ryan-the-Bait-Man’ in ‘The Box’ (P46). Good opportunity to order some more bait as I had used up everything I’d got in my spod mix. My spod mix. Yes. I’ve got a bucketful of it with me. A mixture of Hemp and Ryan’s ‘Maxinut’ boilies - I had every intention of ‘spodding the granny’ out of my peg which is what I have been doing here for most of the morning. I want to keep feed going in for the duration of the session and not fail again by under-doing it. ‘The Brambles’ I fish

5th.November 2019 Paddlesworth, Pollard, Peg 44 (The Brambles) 12.40 Very late start today due to sleeping in late… very unusual for us - we’re normally up and about at the crack of midday! Finally, after one month since my last session I am out on the bank again. Holidays, social events, and some of the most appalling weather we’ve had in a long while have all conspired to keep me away from the bankside, but I have not been entirely idle… My birthday brought forth enough funds to buy a set of three ‘Sonik Vader X 12ft. 3.25 lbs. TC’ carp rods; more than capable of casting the distances required at Pollard (or anywhere else for that matter). My Wychwood ten-footers are lovely rods but under-gunned for what is sometimes required here. Horses for courses. A bit soon to cast judgement on the new 'Sonik Vader X rods but one thing is certain, they are incredible value for money. £40 each! You must be joking! I got really excited to find only two cars in

Tuesday, 8th.October 2019 Paddlesworth, Pollard, Peg 44 12.00 When I arrived I quickly scooted down to the lake to see who was where. ‘The Boss’ (Ryan-the-Bait-Man) had dropped into P30 only minutes before my arrival and had ‘pipped me to the post’ so to speak for I really wanted to have another go in there - but this time ‘fish it properly’. However, I had planned for this eventuality (inevitability) and opted for one of the swims on the opposite bank. Fortunately for me, Ryan was still spodding when I got round to the peg and I could see precisely where his bait was landing. I’m not cheeky enough to cast into his baited area (although some I know wouldn’t hesitate!) but to the left, in line with P29. Peg 44 and surrounding Pegs. Pegs on the far bank make useful 'markers' when deciding on where to deposit bait and hook-baits. Having an understanding of where you want your baits to fish, and what pegs are available to enable you to do so is vital in

2nd.October 2019 Paddlesworth Pollard, Peg 29 11.45 Set up at last after many machinations… Peg 29?… Hmmmmm. Alan has just been along and described the ‘bowl-like’ characteristics of the bottom between P27 and P30 (where the bottom shelves up). It’s October and the fish should be moving into their winter ‘quarters’ soon and usually this is into the deeper parts of the lake; P29 seems to fit the bill. All baits out at seventeen wraps. Peg 29 There's weed all the way out as far as I can cast with the 10 ft. rods I've got. Problem This is a bit of an issue because I was hoping to fish at eighteen but the ‘Wychwood Extricators’ can’t make the distance with the three-ounce weights I’ve got on and I haven’t got anything heavier with me. It’s not surprising as they definitely aren’t distance-casting rods; I did give a couple of casts some extra ‘welly’ but got terrible ‘frapping’ through the rod-rings which cut the distance down considerably. A mor