Andy Spreadbury's Fishing Blog

Wednesday, 11th.September 2019 Moulin de Gassas, Cahuzac nr. Bergerac, Dordogne, France 22.30 Just got back from a fantastic welcome meal with our hosts Peter and Madeline Bartholemew at their little gem of a home on the Dropt river in the Dordogne region of France. I am so full, my stomach is fit to bursting! A gorgeous steak, foie gras, green beans, wine…. ah! The decadence of it all! I managed to get some baits out before we went to the Moulin for dinner and had my first fish, a common of 26lbs. thirty minutes after starting. My first fish of the week! A typical old, original fish from years ago, long, skinny, and a bit moth-eaten. Fortunately, the newer stock are nothing like these. This was a spectacular fight from a common I was convinced was going to go thirty - but was a long, skinny, lean example of its type that went like a train before I managed to get it in the net, weighed, photographed, and back in the water before the middle rod went! This...

Tuesday, 16th.July 2019 Paddlesworth, Pollard, Peg 36 13.00 A clandestine meeting yesterday with ‘Ryan The Bait Man’ who not only sorted me out a batch of ‘Maxinut’ - the going bait, but also added information to my growing knowledge base concerning Pollard Lake and its carp. Ryan is the ‘top rod’ on Pollard; no-one knows more than he and he gave me so much to think about, it was perhaps almost too much! Peg 36. Eel Grass from the bank out to about 5 wraps, then a gap, then more weed. The feature at 9+ wraps is in line with the single 'vee' in the tree-line. He confirmed what I already knew about P36. The feature at nine and three quarter wraps in line with the ‘vee’ in the tree-line next to the ‘W’. He also warned me of the deadly nature of Zebra Mussels which grow in areas of the lake. I had already had acquaintance with them on nearby Burrows so knew they would slice through mono and fluorocarbon like a hot knife through butter. Braided leaders and ...

9th.July 2019 Paddlesworth, Pollard, Peg 41 12.00 Today is a continuation of the previous session where hopefully I can put into the equation some of the things I learnt last time. There was nothing to see or hear on the pre-session recce and when I saw Peg 41 was free I put my bucket straight in there. Encouragingly, the water was coloured which was a sure-fire indication there had been carp-activity. Two bottom baits along the left-hand margin at 13 wraps and one zig aimed at the pylon. In view of the fact it was windy, there was no apparent surface activity, and the barometer was falling so I pulled it down to seven feet. I’m persisting with the black zig-aligner although if something doesn’t happen on it soon, my confidence in the method is going to take a hit. To be honest, I’m fishing it on reputation alone at the moment, rather than expecting something will happen on it. The two bottom bait presentations I have total faith in; I’ve caught loads of fish on the...

3rd.July 2019 Paddlesworth, Pollard, Peg 41 13.20 I set off early this morning with the full intention of conducting an extensive recce of the pond. All the way up from the bottom car park to the end peg, 41, I neither saw nor heard a thing on a bright, sunny morning that absolutely screamed “ZIGS!”. I had a plan. I would look for fish and set up on them (if I saw or heard any) but failing that, I would go in Peg 41 (the last peg on the House Bank, or dead opposite in 40, the last peg on the far side. As it turned out, both pegs were occupied so I had to think again. Not surprising really; these are two of the most popular pegs on the lake and invariably get taken first. There was one saving grace however, both anglers were day-only fishermen so there would be an opportunity to move in at some point during the evening. I hate swim-queueing as it is dead against my principles - but hey-ho, I couldn’t come up with an alternative plan; it was one of them or nothing. I ...

Tuesday, 25th.June 2019 Paddlesworth, Pollard, Peg 43 13.00 Violent storms last night throughout the SE of England and it’s still warm and muggy this afternoon. This means only one thing - the carp will be in the upper layers. I was ‘tipped the wink’ that the fish were at the far end of the lake. As far as I can tell they have been up there for most of the Spring. I fished 44 last time and heard fish to my left, so 41-43 were definitely worth a look. Because there was someone in 41 I couldn’t fish there and wanting to always leave at least one swim between me and anybody else I plumped for this peg. Peg 43, Paddlesworth, Pollard Lake There is Eel Grass on the bottom from the near margin out to where the fifteen-twenty foot line begins; it's clear after that over to the far side and then it's the Eel Grass again. Dead opposite is 'The Dot Island'. this is one of the more remote area of the lake because you can not get baits to it. the fish definit...