Hey everyone.

Not been around for a while due to work commitments and various other things, but I've managed to actually find some time to dust off my rods and get stuck into some serious BG action.

Did a day sesh on the bottom lake last friday for just one fish (common), angler pressure and really hot days don't usually lend themselves for good fishing days....so tbh, I was happy with the 1...anything is better than a blank.

The one I did manage to winkle out was on the ever reliable Pineapple popups down the margin.......nothing huge, tbh I didn't even bother getting my scales out, just guestimated it at about 6-7lbs

Had a wander over there at the weekend and signed up for the night membership, and booked myself in for a 24hr sesh on the top lake from tuesday morn - weds morn.

Tuesday was pretty unproductive......6 anglers fishing.....4 fish out all day and 3 of those to 1 angler.....fish cruising upper layers all day, not even taking surface baits so pretty uneventful really......

I'd put a bit of bait out in various places during the morning, so when evening came, and the day anglers pulled off, I had the whole lake to myself, so was able to spread my rods around a bit, but I hadn't even had a knock on my bottom baits, so decided to wang a 6ft zig out into open water and see if that did owt.....

Just after dark.....the rod with the Zig roared off resulting in a mean spirited little leather which would have gone about 6-7lbs, but I didn't bother weighing him cos he just went balistic once on th bank...little git, he had that much attitude anyone would have thunk he was about 30lb

Anyway, managed to wang that rod back out, and got myself settled down for the night.
Same rod went off again about 12.45.....had heard a few ducks and geese mooching about after dark so when I struck the run and heard the god awful honking the geese make, I thought I'd hooked into one of em, was only after a minute or so I saw the fish boil just in front of me that I realised I must have spooked the goose when I struck into the fish and raised the line out of the water... Thank Fug for that....Anyway after a brief fight another fish rolled over the net, this time a lovely looking common which took the scales round to a pleasant 17.4oz.

By this time, a pretty dense mist/fog had descended on the lake so it was impossible to see where I was casting, so I left that rod out for the rest of the night, and jumped back in my bag.......The layer of frost on my bivvy and mat in the morning would have suggested it was still febuary & not bloomin April......thank god I had my thermals with me,, Bloody Taters it wuz I tell ya!

Happy with just the two fish, I packed up early morning, but I'm planning to be back over there again next week for another 24 hr sesh, so I'll use this thread for my BG catch reports/pics and stuff.

If anyone fancies joing me next week, give us a shout

Pete.

Well done to you that is some good fishing. i agree the nights are still cold so this is the reason some fishing can still be slow early doors esp the carp and tench.

i'll be over there next week some time let me no and i'll see what days i can do, well done to

long time shadow, good write up and well done..

Cheers chaps

Been thinking, what with this extended dry/sunny spell, the water temps are pretty warm now, and after hearing the fish were trying to spawn on bridge lake last week, it may be they're all in that "Pre Spawn" period where they don't do very much, cept follow the females around. :/ not sure tbh, I just know they don't seem that bothered about feeding !

Luke, I'm booked in to do another 24hrs from tues morning if that's any good for you? .....tho I am gonna check the state of play with the lads in the office for any signs of spawning, and take it from there.

- Shadow

Cheers chaps

Been thinking, what with this extended dry/sunny spell, the water temps are pretty warm now, and after hearing the fish were trying to spawn on bridge lake last week, it may be they're all in that "Pre Spawn" period where they don't do very much, cept follow the females around. :/ not sure tbh, I just know they don't seem that bothered about feeding !

Luke, I'm booked in to do another 24hrs from tues morning if that's any good for you? .....tho I am gonna check the state of play with the lads in the office for any signs of spawning, and take it from there.

can not do the a mate has its arsenal v man u but mite do wednesday for 24hrs i'll have to see what dean is doing or my mate how would like to do a day at BG

No worries, I might actually delay it 12 hrs, and fish tuesday evening thru weds, I've just ordered some bait which I wouldn't mind trying but it wont get here till tuesday, so I'll let u know!

ok mate

Couldn't re-arrange unfortunately due to other commitments, so did the 24 hrs yesterday as planned....

Fished top lake again, but this time I fished the right hand bank (as you look from the office), toward the top end.

Ended up with 2 fish, a Parrot mouthed 10lb 2oz Common, taken on a nifty little hemp rig I've been playing about with, and a this 16lb 2oz Common which fell for a ever reliable Pineapple popup chucked about 10 ft away from my rods tips down the margin......

Quiet night fish wise, had both of those during daylight, so I had hoped to get some kip, but the bloomin wind was howling thru so that kept me awake for most of it!

well done mate

well in

Cheers Fella's!

Nice 1 m8, cant wait to hook my first fish, i wont even be bothered if its the smalles Dace iv ever seen, im buzzin just playin with my gear in the garden and practicing knots etc, (sounds daft i know but never fished before so every little helps )

I wouldnt mind meetin up with any of you peeps once im back on my feet and hopefuly learn somethin from u?

Thanks

Went over on monday to do 24hrs, top lake was busy so I dropped down onto the bottom lake for a bash.......I settled in to the long swim in the corner, which offered me a chance at the island, but also the corner margins aswell.

Anyway, a few hrs & a cpl of boilie munchers later.... I had a wander down the bank a few yrds to have a peer at a margin spot where I'd put some hemp in, on my way, I heard a carp crash out, so looked up to see where, and just continued walking, not noticing a blooming great tree root sticking out of the ground!!.....anyway, as you might have guessed.....the next thing I know, I'm lying on my ass with one foot in the lake and the other twisted up behind me somehow what a numpty......anyway, I managed to get myself up and out of the water......one leg and foot totally soaked thru and the other badly sprained.....Great! just what I needed a few hrs in......

Tried my best to soldier on, even landing a cpl more fish despite the swelling and pain, so I reluctantly packed up and struggled off home to lick my wounds....

Ended the day with 4 fish to 16lb 4oz......All commons, and all on snowman bottom baits too so happy days fish wise....

I'll be back to get my revenge on that tree root next week hopefully.....ankle is a lot better than it was, having done bugger all for most of the week.....Just a lovely purple bruise now

So, despite the swelling going down on my ankle, and the massive purple bruise a distant memory, and having done a 48 sesh since, it transpires I've actually Fractured my ankle !

It's been a bit painful the last day or so, which I'd put down to being on my feet a lot during my 2 day sesh, and lugging a great heavy barrow around.....so I reluctantly dragged my arse down to A&E this evening and after a predicatable 3 hr wait, I find I've cracked the inside of my fibula tip.
Great....just what I need... a Ruddy great cast on me leg!!!

Got to wait a week or so and go back to the fracture clinic, and see what they say, at the mo it's just a back cast which may be sufficient (hopefully) for it to heal, but I won't know till then...I may need to have a full cast....

Worst thing is, it's a no weight bearing cast, so I'm confined to using bloody crutches for the next god knows how long, so bang goes any dangling for a while......and just when I'd started connecting with the decent fish too !!

48hr sesh = 11 runs = 9 fish on the bank.
3 x Mirrors (first of the yr)
6 x Commons / Biggest 22lb 12oz = new BG PB

Various tactics employed, 6 runs on snowman set ups, 1 on bottom baits, rest on hI-attract flouro pop ups....2 of which were absolute screamers....one so much so, the line cut a groove into the ear of my bite alarm but then I did have it set up at right angles almost so it's my own fault.

Unfortunately the battery died on my camera midway thru taking shots of the big un, so no piccys aside from one semi decent one which I've uploaded to the gallery!