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Gonna have to do this one in stages, but went for a 2 night trip with the kids and the dog, arrived at lunchtime after the usual struggle and then some, but luckily got in a lovely swim with plenty of space for our bivvies I had previous in this swim having fished it last time, although there were people fishing far side so I opted to come shorter, this was a good decision. And had 2 rods on it today. And one on my banker spot. Nothing happened the first night but I had done some good big baiting and had left some line free moments (mainly because I had forgotten cutlery and plates) got back from dog walking and shopping (dog friendly garden centre) and wanged in another 8 spods on each spot, and was quite surprised when it ripped off an hour Later in the afternoon, really scrapped hard this one due to its mega paddle. 22 1/2lb Tbc......

As many will have noticed I havnt been fishing in several months now and probably not more than 4 times in the last 18 months , but this Bank holiday I made the effort , and was truly rewarded. Started with a 33lb Mirror then a 14lb Mirror, followed by a 33lb Common then to finish off the Bank holiday a 44lb Common

Then I had to wait till 10:30pm for the next action, after some more spods and prepping as well as I could I felt confident, we had an all day breakfast for tea, I heard what could only be described as a pair of idiots walking around the far bank shouting stuff, luckily the girls were asleep, and then just as they were close enough on the far bank my alarm went into a one toner and I was battling with a demon fish and getting heckled at the same time, they run off after never to be heard again. But after thinking it was a catfish for a long time I finally got it in after an issue with my left hand rod, it had done a 50yd run and back before I gained any control, I only got control when it got weeded up but I had to bite the other rod line and reconnect it to get it in the net. Anyway it was a cool one, 27 1/2lb and i had to wake up my daughter for the pics. She loved seeing it though. Then all was quiet after a late night sorting and redoing and a couple of doubts I topped up with the rest of my spod mix and redid my banker rod and moved one back alongside the shorter rod as it was a nice clean channel. I had made the girls breakfast and just served my own sausage and egg sangers, one bite and the middle rod went into meltdown. My daughter netted it about the 3rd time of asking, 27 1/2lb again. Tbc....

Whilst that one was awaiting processing in the retainer, I had another bite, this one off the rod I moved and the only one not on a match the hatch wafter. (MTH Pop up 😊) lovely fish, look at that tail 21lb 1/2lb Somewhere in all this lot I managed to lose 3 to hook pulls and one with a boulder of weed that acted as a pivot. And finally at just before lunch I had another run from the banker spot came in like a dog on a lead until it saw the net, then it took forever having seen it for quite a while I thought it was one of the bigguns. Turns out it was 27lb 12oz. but again what a creature all ancient looking and a real solid beast of a fish. I did lose one while this was in the retainer. But I'm not complaining. 5 fish in a session is mega and getting to share it with your kids and having a real good time too was awesome, I usually fish alone and while I love it, it is nice to share the special moments along the way. Also lucky to have a photographer as I had forgotten my camera 😁

Had a whale of a time down at Wraysbury on a social with @greekskiilast week. Between us we had 40 odd bites over 3 days. Conditions were PERFECT. Here's a couple of my faves:

And now packed up lol just had a mental last 24 hours, report incoming. Well done Yonny some bangers there, I think I've just had a similar experience. Love it when a plan comes together.

Not a secret at all, Megaspice. You may also find that Versele Laga Garlic Oil at around £17 for 250ml is a better buy. I go to putting liquids in eggs, get a better mix through than adding it to the eggs and base mix. Don't forget that I use the Garlic spice baits for hookbaits only, so the flavour level is that recommended for 4 eggs in a 1 egg mix. https://rodhutchinson.co.uk/product/legend-flavour-megaspice/ I did put the whole recipe I've dropped the additional liquids just relying on garlic and megaspice

Looking good Mate, bet that scratched an itch!

A somewhat different view from the bivvy for me been to a 4 day music festival just got back yesterday and I’m off for a 3 day fishing trip tomorrow somewhere in Somerset. 🤔 Had a great time with family and friends and drank very sensibly what with them charging £6 a pint 😳 so i took 3 hip flasks filled with dark Rum each afternoon and evening

17lb 38lb

I'm still fishing until Friday. Went quiet today, but had this one at 24lb, 5 rod lengths out this evening, they do like the Monster Crab.

Thanks Mate. As an aside, I was sent the stocking picture of the 21lb fish by the syndicate manager, and I am seriously shocked, it went in in January THIS year, have a look.

I'm honestly blown away! I lost a fish after the 26, where the fish ran over the middle rod, when I recast I didn't check the line and got smashed. I recast it while Michael Hawes was down chatting and just after he left I had the dark 21lb mirror, on a different pop-up, a pink Nutty Bait. I hadn't even sorted that out and had another take, this was 29lb, back on the Monster Crab.

Loving life right now, another fish at 26lb 10oz, you've guessed, Rod Hutchinson Monster Crab pop-up in a PVA bag of Monster Crab pellets only over a bed of hemp.

Good angling mate and what a stunning fish 👍 I've done one more at 14lb, I couldn't be bothered with a self take but had this one this morning just as it was getting light

Rod Hutchinson Monster Crab pop-up working again. Proper wake-up call this morning, an absolute screamer from around 40metres out and a clear spot in the weed, so I can fish my preferred running leads, 27lb 8oz

Off the mark with this14lb 12oz common 👍

I had one last weekend, 23lb, first time out with the new rods, and it was the rod with the new reel, (I have disproved the myth about blanking because of new tackle)

21lb common 👍 Done 9 nights in the last 2 weeks, had an amazing time and met some great people 🤙 lost 4 more carp and had a few more bream on the bank 🤣 Went thru 25kg of boilie and 10kg of tigers 🤣 I'm all out of bait now, need to order some more basemix ingredients and get rolling again 👍

13lb 12oz fully scalled 🤙

20lb 4oz mirror

25lb common

The new bait doing justice 🤙 26lb 8oz common 18lb 12oz mirror

I'm in this month, a lot of hard work for the result so far. 4 hours of raking and baiting with hemp, sweetcorn and boilies on Thursday, this morning I had one of this years stock fish at 15lb on sweetcorn. It went in in January at 11lb 4oz. I knew there were fish in the area, the young coot that was diving on my baits kept on coming up looking panicked, running away then return to dive again, so the run was not a surprise.

I make sure she has shade, and can reach the water for a paddle. I hope that is good news then. Not as bright today, and I've been on the receiving end of a heavy shower or two, one while I was walking Sky the 2miles around the lake.

Chainsaw & chipper. Not what you need 15hrs into a 36hr session My rods are the other side of the trees.

Don't need drugs Mate, I hardly even drink. I seem to pick out shapes in the trees, there is one that looks like Wile E Coyote.

Weather was all over the place up at this venue on the mountain.

the annual catfish hunt

Pod ain't level so probably gonna blank 🤣

Trees opposite to me look like a squirrel chasing 2 scotty dogs...

Finally decided to start my river campaign only about 2yrs late! First night last night, one small carp seen cruising along the far reeds, another bigger fish breached and rolled mid channel and I got a few bream and a nice tench from under the bush to the top right of the shot. I spodded 3kg of hemp and 2kg of pellet just upstream and fished a 7 bait stringer over the top with about 50-60 boilies pulted around it. That was the middle rod sorted, the left hand was fished tight to the far reeds in 5ft of water with just a stringer attached. Right rod fished tight to the near margin on a 4ft shelf as a single, with a few broken boilies and a handful of 1mm & 2mm pellets over it. I was worried I’d over done the baiting/spodding on the middle rod, but it was the only one to have any liners or do any bites. Gonna be a challenge this venue, miles upon miles of wild water, an unknown stock of carp (a few come out along this stretch) plus limited and restricted stretches you can night fish stack the odds against me. I can only go to certain places, the carp can go anywhere they like! 🙄

First week back after spawning, new swim another blank, loads of liners as the fish moved accross the huge marginal plateau but the swans make it tricky to fish. Saturday morning they closed the bottom end of the lake as they were spawning again.

the view from the brolly

Last weekend, same swim, same baiting - all 3 on the yellow, similar conditions. Took the baitboat in case I wanted to fish upto the island and find fishable ground with the sonar, but all this showed me was that my normal spots are deffo the one so left them there for the duration of the session no recasts just a bait top up for the 2nd night. Just a couple crashed all weekend - no feeding activity, got it wrong again lol Need these fish to spawn and be normal - taking forever with this weather. Maybe next time

Got down Fri night about 8pm, 3 of the swims down the windard end were taken and I didn't fancy fitting in between. I thought they might push them out anyway and with cold night temps they might make their way up the other end. Saturday 11am I see the first of around 15 - 20 shows over the course of an hour, some over the rods so wasn't a complete surprise when the left hander pulled up at 1pm. A low double common 12.4lb, female still full of eggs (fish are so behind due to the influx of cold water), so I was made up, another swim caught from and a spot found back in March. Sunday morning, they arrived at 10.30 with one crashing out against the island, then 3 subtle rolls at 11am just short of the rods. 11.15 I'm on the phone and notice the left hangers off and line out the clip but no bleeps whatsoever (no idea), pick up the rod and there's a weight on the other end and weeded up short of the spot, I pull it out and gain 10-20 yards and it's off, hook pull - damn! Interesting it was the left rod both times especially as the fish arrived from right to left. It was the only yellow bait - with corn in the mix so I'll take that forward next session, all 3 on yellow.

2nd night a bust still no fish down the other end so a move today after trying floaters on the small lake for an hour. Can't get the swim I really want on this new easterly, but this is the nearest one, 2 rods very close to the point, 1k of mix over the top, one close on a single pink. New swim to me, had to open it up as noones bothered - hours work before setting up, deserve a fish for that, last night so fingers crossed 🤞

Not a view from the bivvy door, but I just love how natural and neglected this pit is 🥰

Back out, another 3 nights, taken a swim that's unfished so far this year due to high water, on the end of the wind, feels banging, rods out, baiting done - come on Mr carp.

Fab weekend on the syndi - chose the windward end on a easterly and felt confident but by dawn I'd only heard one fish crash through the night deep working the bay on my left. I sat it out until 9am but couldn't believe they weren't having it elsewhere so I reeled in and drove to the other end (back of the wind) to see if they had popped up on top after eating down there at first light. After a quick walk about and speaking to the one guy down there it seemed they weren't there so I hurried back vowing to make the most of the spot I had, they just had to be there at some point. Walking back in the swim late morning I see one straight away passing my rods along the margin going into the bay, then another going the other way, I'd made the right choice afterall. I shot up a climbing tree to be greeted by many fish - basking in the sun, some of them proper units - right down the end of the bay sitting in a 5 yard gap between overhanging trees. Over hours I fed mixers into the scum that had gathered up against the reeds and waiting for my chance to wade into the reeds and cast out my hookbaits but fake mixers and cut down boiles were either being rejected or just missed completely. At a loss I went back to the bivvy and got my bag of bagels, a size 4 hook and off for another go. The fish had all but gone by this point but I tried for one in the scum line but quickly lost sight of the bait and that fish drifted away, I felt gutted all those hours feeding and having little casts here and there have lead to nothing. I was about to get out the water when I see one more fish drift in and under the scum line so I put on some fresh bagel and make a cast a couple of feet from the scum. A head pops back out then moves at speed for the bait, smashes it so I guess he's got it, strike and hang on for dear life as it tries to power away but I can't let it go anywhere, it tore through the right tree line but thankfully I just pulled like a mad man and got it back somehow, was lucky as I could feel it crating on the branches several times, proper heart in mouth stuff. Epic battle 26.14 Common in the net, made up. The next day was a real slog waiting all day for that one chance, somehow after not getting it right several times I finally managed to hook one of the stragglers like the day before but sadly lost it to a hook pull just when I felt that I was getting on top of what had been an epic and scary battle. Gutting but loved the trip can't wait to get back - I'm having em FACT - so buzzing for it this year. Best thing of the trip I saw my target fish, must be 4ft long, jet black linear, old as the hills, he's alive and kicking, and he's got some very large friends, more than I knew about. 👀

Had a run and got soaked 🙄

Sunrise out the bivvy

Spent the Bank holiday weekend at the lake , not a single bite or buzz and did not use Jungle formula or any other mozzie repellant, bliss Got back to the car and in the time it took to load the car i ended up with SEVEN mozzie bites , figure that out.