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Pike being predators go at the end of February to mid-March (sometimes outside the old close season!), followed by perch, then roach and the cyprinids. Tench and carp are usually the last British species to spawn.

Great write up Yonny. Does the venue allow bait boats? I know that you're not a fan but it would make fishing a spot like that so much easier and by wrapping, you can always get it back on the spot, even after dark with the aid of the boats lights or a torch. I was a bit sceptical of boats at first but it's a case of it can't beat 'em, join 'em! One of my favourite venues has plenty of overhanging trees on the islands and it would be suicide to cast close to them. I'm sure that some venues quietly encourage the use of boats as they don't want to have to go out and remove trailing tackle that can cause a hazard to other wildlife.

What else is in there? I think pike are one of the first to go.

Bit early! The water temperature is not high enough for carp and I don't think the days are quite long enough yet, be about right towards the middle of May.

Does anyone have the book? I’d like to read it, even if it’s very heavy

Could be a heated lake, won't be long now 😂

How it's done!!! well in big man ♥️

It's completely temperature dependant. I'd be amazed if the carp were spawning as they need at least 17C water temps. Even my pond is only ~12.5C at this point. They could mean a different species perhaps?

I visited a local commercial fishery yesterday to visit the on-site tackle shop. Driving in, the lake next to the entrance was 'closed due to spawning'. I know a lot of things feel to me like they're happening early this year, but I would have thought it's far too early for spawning. Doesn't spawning usually happen around May time?

OK so earlier this year I decided to drop my ticket on my syndicate lake in the Fens. I've enjoyed it there and done ok, but it really doesn't suit the handful of overnighters per year that I normally get to fish, and it works out too expensive when I simply don't get the time to be there. I decided to sign off with a few nights to bag one of the special ones. When I say special, I mean it.... a handful of old big mirrors with scattered scales and little melted heart shaped tails, and a couple of bigger commons. They share this little pit with a mixed bag of carp that have been stocked since the turn of the century. Even the stockies, as can be seen in my previous post, are a bit special with plenty of lookers to go for. The trip started as well as it possibly could, but we'll come to that later. For now, the next fish I want to show you lot is one of the bigger stockies, certainly destined to become one of the A-Team at some point. This fella came at first light after my 2nd night off a little spot that's only fishable at this time of year.... by June it'll be covered in weed. I discovered this spot a couple of years ago and it's done me a fish for the last 2 years. Obviously, I needed a rod on it. Nothing special required here, a short cast with a nice smelly pop up on a hinge. Job done. I actually caught this one last year so it's a repeat but I'm not complaining. It was 2lb up in weight so doing well. If it carries on like that it'll be a real biggun in a few years.

Was he sheeping you up for emptying the place?

The double figure pike that snaffled a purple pop-up on the retrieve before walking Sky didn't! It totally covered me and itself in mud as it went through the margins. Deep hooked and somehow didn't bite off the hooklink until I went to get the forceps at which point it slid out of the net and returned itself.

This has to be one of my favourite rod shots, taken this week, with the sunset.

If it works, then stick with it.

How bizarre.... no sooner had I posted those kippers above, when I see Korda put up some shots on FB. There are two swims in these shots - one is the swim I caught these fish from, the other is the one next door! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Cnf8bRY43/

I may be able to merge posts for you if it limits it due to picture size

I have a few to upload but file size will be a problem so may have to do it over a couple days. Lets start with the smaller ones.

Nice Fish Nick, well in mate, by eck we are both looking old these days

In fact this morning size 4 Incizor, reverse combi-rig and 12mm pop-up landed a 26lb mirror. The reverse combi-rig is around 100mm of soft braid, back to Kryston Merlin in 25lb and the stiff section to the hook was 20lb black Amnesia around 10mm long from the join to hook fished D-rig style.

In fact this morning that size 4 Incizor, reverse combi-rig(*) and 12mm pop-up landed a 26lb mirror. The reverse combi-rig is around 100mm of soft braid, and the stiff section to the hook was 20lb black Amnesia around 10mm long from the join to hook fished D-rig style.

It's lovely to see you smiling in the top 'photo , Nick . You usually seem to be grimacing in pain from the effort of lifting your catch due to your bad back . 😃

I can trouble this month's Catch report, with a 26lb mirror this morning on a 12mm Monster Crab pop-up on my reverse combi rig

This is another session that seemed to start out badly for various reasons. I got to the lake to discover someone in the swim I had been baiting up, no major problems as there is 45acres of lake, so I chose a swim opposite, albeit over 150metres away, so not going to interfere. A pallet had blown in and drifted up the lake into the margins, so I attempted to pull it out. As I did so a rotten piece broke and the pallet fell down my leg, with a nail ripping a brand new pair of combat trousers from thigh to shin, and giving me a couple of cuts on my thigh. I already knew that I had left my coffee and sugar at home, so after changing into clean trousers I took a trip to the shop in Botesdale for some antiseptic and coffee and sugar. Last night I had ducks taking off and flying through the right hand lines twice, on the second occasion for some reason my middle white Ipro indicator body broke in two, so I had to bodge a repair. This morning just drinking coffee and the male swan swan through the right hand line, getting tangled in the process and eventually smashing me up. I re-rigged and was sat with just two rods in the water, thinking I'd recast after walking Sky round. Another coffee and the left hand rod screamed off, this was a better result on the reverse combi-rig and 12mm pop-up when I landed a 26lb mirror. That puts a smile on the face!

Why are we the only country in the world to have privatised our water supply??? https://www.windrushwasp.org/single-post/referendum-for-water-please-sign Thanks in advance for giving a ....

It certainnly does and holds in the bait well, will be complex mixture of carboxlyic acids which is what made the for mentioned fishing bait classics when it comes to flavours, plus very attractive to our cyprinid friends