28/12/08 - Fishponds

Weight – 7lb 12oz
Catch – 3 Bream, 2 Roach.
Weather – Cold, bright, easterly wind.
Water Temp– 5.0c > 5.0c

After the festive period I needed to go fishing, just to get out of the house. I had some maggot in the fridge so decided to go to my club water. The only problem was the cold weather, the temperature hadn’t got above 4c in the last couple of days and the wind made it feel even colder. I almost reconsidered going and tried to convince myself that it didn’t matter if I caught, but of course it did.

I doubted whether the carp would feed, but hoped the roach & bream would.

Whilst setting up my pole rigs, I chucked out the lead with double sweetcorn and a small tea bag filled with 6mm pellet, towards the aerator. Initially I set up 2 pole rigs, a 1g Jean Francios at 13m, with .08 bottom & 22 silverfish hook and a 4x16 chianti with .13 bottom & 18 B911 which I intended to use 12m 2o’clock to my right along the bottom of the marginal shelf.

2 balls of groundbait were cupped in on the 13m line and a little micro pellet & 3 bits of corn to my right. With no bites on the lead, I switched to the 13m line, but after 30 minutes with no bites I was beginning to wonder whether I had made the right decision to come fishing, however despite the cold it was a lovely day.

I needed to catch a fish, so decided to start feeding maggot tight to the marginal reeds, hoping for a rudd, but I only had 1 small roach for my efforts. I had tried topping up my long lines, but still nothing by 2 o’clock, so I decided to pack up. After pulling out my keepnets, I thought I would have 1 last put in on the 13m line and bugger me the float dipped. Expecting a small roach, it became immediately obvious I was attached to something a little more substantial. A few minutes later a near 3lb bream was safely netted. A few minutes later I had a 2lber on the lead & double sweetcorn. Now I was interested again.

I couldn’t get another bite, so I topped up the 13m with a small of groundbait, plus some maggot and tried my right hand swim, but again no bites, so another top up with a little micro pellet & corn. Back on the 13m line a lift bite and I hooked a carp, unfortunately I only managed to hang on for a few minutes before the hooklength gave way.

With the sun close to setting, I switched back to the right hand swim and missed a sitter of a bite, fortunately I connected with the next one, which resulted in a 2½lb Bream. A small roach on the 13m line was my last fish before I had to pack up or freeze.

Although it was freezing I enjoyed the day and at least I managed to catch something. Speaking to Steve at Viaduct he confimed the recent weather has really knackered the fishing with many struggling for a bite. With the final round of the Veal’s Winter League next Sunday, a good draw will be required.