Tuesday, 28th. July 2020

Paddlesworth, Pollard, peg 36

13.00

All it takes is one bite. Just one. You don't need two or three. Just the one.

Peg 36. The 'W' on the tree-line.

I'm here in 36 with all three baits on the 'W'. Three times the chances I reckon. Only put a few spombs of boilies out there. A right 'Bertie Bassett's mixture of Ryan's, Manilla, and D & A baits in various sizes and flavours. No particles at all. Seen no fish but not bothered by this. They can turn up any time on here.

3 oz. in-line rig. Size 4 hook and short hair. Bait is a Cell Wafter

Solid bags on all three rods. Totally confident in this presentation. Don't have to worry about weed, silt, or anything else.

I pondered much during the week. I can not believe it has taken me so long to get on the bags. My favourite method of all time, I have caught so many fish on them over the years. Given the presence of the Eelgrass, they are the most obvious way to go.

Solid Bag. Why did it take so long for me to get on them?

Hookbaits are a Ryan's Maxinut Wafter (although it doesn't waft - it sinks), a Mainline Cell pop-up, trimmed down so it only just sinks, and a Cell Wafter (that actually wafts).

Wind all over the place. Left, right, and centre. Super-confident.

A right mixture. A veritable Liquorice Allsorts of different boilies.

14.35

There are a small number of pegs for which there are well-known marks. Here, it's the 'W'. In 30 it's the roofs at 18 wraps. In 12 there are specific marks again. I think it's a matter of choosing the general location and plumping for an available peg with known, consistent, marks.

15.00

I don't have to remind myself of why I'm fishing here. I know. Steve has told me stories of the forty-pounders he has caught. I want to do the same. Catch a forty that is. Why? Why do I want to do that?

I don't want to do it. I need to do it.

16.00

Change of tactics. Withdrew the left-hand bait and replaced it with a Manilla Wafter, underarm-lobbed to the left in front of the bush. About 2.5-3 wraps out. Aim is to intercept margin patrollers. Have never caught a fish from the margins here but I know plenty who have. About time I got one myself. Put three spombs of boilies over the top. Seagulls a nightmare!

17.07

Still haven't seen or heard from a Carp. Looks dead. I've seen it look like this before. Sometimes it means a blank. Sometimes it doesn't. Let's hope for the latter.

🎵Luck be a lady tonight 🎵

17.25

Just seen a fish. 8 wraps out from 'The Brambles'.

17.30

And another. This time a couple of feet out from the bulrushes between 31 and 32. Vicinity of the dot island.

19.30

Still nothing to report. One or two minor 'shows' which may or may not have been Carp. Nothing has made sufficient noise to draw attention to itself. Unless they feed tonight it's already looking like a blank.

19.43

A show. 8 wraps in line with The Brambles.

20.38

A show in front of 31… and again. And again.

20.49

Huge line-bites on the centre and right-hand rods. Both at the same time. Must have picked up the rods simultaneously.

22..50

First Bream of the night on Maxinut.

23.20

Bream number two on the Cell Wafter.

23.50

Bream number three. All on the same rod. Hmmmmm.

00.10

Found out why the right-hand rod was doing nothing. It had landed on a snapped off Spomb which I dragged in. This has now been recast. Holding off on the middle rod for the moment.

Dragged a Spomb in someone had cracked off with. Notice how a colony of Zebra Mussels has developed on it. I wonder how long it takes for this to happen?

00.30

Holding off on the third rod to see if the Bream are still out there.

01.10

Number 4 on the Cell Wafter.

1.54

All rods back on their spots.

02.19

Number 5. Rod withdrawn.

04.00

Number 6. It's Bream City out there!

Wednesday, 29th. July 2020

08.45

Managed to bag a couple of hours sleep. Woke to a lovely morning. Quiet as the grave. No sign of Carp anywhere.

At least the solid bags and rigs worked. If they can catch Bream they can catch Carp.