dayvid

So after losing that fish at the net and fishing every weekend of that season to that point  I kind of felt deflated. Daft really as I'd have taken anything as a bonus after the very slow summer early autumn. So  with Christmas approaching I decided to have a break for the rest of December.  As usual though I kept the bait going in no matter what. I recall no more captures to anyone for the rest of December though the weekend of the 12th and 13th of January 2 of my mates both caught. I went down to help with the photos. One mate was fishing the opposite end of the lake to where I had been fishing. So I got to his swim and the sack came out the water. Undo the zip and there was a nice 32lb mirror but what made it even better for me was that the bottom of his sack was full of my red milk protein bait.  Pictures done and off down the end where I'd been fishing/baiting.  My other mate was fishing about 150yds up the bank from my main baited swim.  He gets his fish out and once again his sack was full of my bait. Seen enough so the next weekend I obviously started fishing again and had my good session.  
After that good session the next weekend just turned into a bit of beer up if im honest. The previous weekend had been amazing for a few of us so a bit of trotting and socialising was done. Nothing was caught this particular weekend mind, though we did try, kind of haha. 
Now the following weekend and it was my usual arrival on a Friday about 3/ 3-30. Rods out, sit back and chill. It was a big full moon that weekend as it was shining down lighting up the lake one of my had a slow take on it. I instantly thought  chunk, but it turned out to be a 27lb common, my smallest fish that winter. The rest of the weekend past without anything doing but a fish was a result. 
I didn't fish the following weekend as I was out celebrating my birthday which was on the Wednesday coming up and I'd booked it off along with the Thursday and friday. So with my baiting up all through the season, I was baiting on a Wednesday and a Friday.  So this was to be the first time I'd fish a Wednesday.  I got down and one other angler on and he was fishing about 100yds round the bank from me. Sadly by this time the half dozen of us who had fished all winter had been dropped in it so to speak by someone letting on what we had been catching that winter. Still to this day I'm not sure who let it slip, but up until that point no one else had fished that winter. Still I was plotted in my swim and bang on the spots. Sadly no birthday fish for me and nothing seen by myself or the other angler.  That changed around first light  of the Thursday morning.   About 200yds up the lake a right kipper stuck its head out, that was all I needed to see. I just sat on my bed thinking he's coming down for his breakfast.  7-00 and a couple of liners on my middle rod had me set and ready for a bite any moment. 7-10, no bite but still liners. 7- 20 and left rod starts having liners, my god they are on me big time. The next thing I know my right hand rod is melting, the last rod I thought would go due to the liners. A proper battle ensued, the fish finding every rotten weed bed it could but fortunately it was dead and steady pressure had it out of one and into another. I get the fish about 20 yes out and it rolls, a proper lump.  I instantly recognized the shape of the fish and the top lobe of its tail not being rounded, it could only be "paw print", the same fish I'd lost in December.  This time though I had the happy ending. My suspicions from that loss in December were right though, it did look big and at 44lb 06oz it was at its biggest weight having never been 40lb before. So my birthday present was only a few hours late. The rest of the session saw no more action. After the fish all my liners stopped and everything, nevermind,  there was always the next session.  

Strange you say that about Berkely Big Game ,  this is a line I have used for many may years and have found it to be excellent in every way , this is roughly the lines and time I have used them 
Big Game... 20 yrs + 
Daiwa Sensor... 2 yrs 
Wychwood DPM... 5 yrs  current .

Strange you say that about Berkely Big Game ,  this is a line I have used for many may years and have found it to be excellent in every way , this is roughly the lines and time I have used them 
Big Game... 20 yrs + 
Daiwa Sensor... 2 yrs 
Wychwood DPM... 5 yrs  current .

Strange you say that about Berkely Big Game ,  this is a line I have used for many may years and have found it to be excellent in every way , this is roughly the lines and time I have used them 
Big Game... 20 yrs + 
Daiwa Sensor... 2 yrs 
Wychwood DPM... 5 yrs  current .

Having looked at the Line/Dia  tests on here , it would seem Fox are very good lines to use .

Having looked at the Line/Dia  tests on here , it would seem Fox are very good lines to use .

if there was ever evidence the lock downs taking its toll on mental stability

Probable the nicest as they dont generally dive on your bait 

You are the same as me Mate. I much prefer not using a full bivvy system unless I have to. The number of times last year I left the overwrap in the car knowing I didn't need it.
 
I have had full bivvies in the past, a bigger EasyDome is handy in a cold winter, (that is ice next to it on the bank) but even with the overwrap the brolly works

Moving on from the Barrow thread  , lets see Bivvys  in all their tidy untidiness 😁
Can you tell im Bored sat here at home . Heres mine off the barrow.

Moving on from the Barrow thread  , lets see Bivvys  in all their tidy untidiness 😁
Can you tell im Bored sat here at home . Heres mine off the barrow.

I haven’t got a pic of my bivvy as I’ll be honest I only use it for socials or winter overnighters I’m more of a brolly guy. In fact I treated myself last wk to the JRC Extreme last wk so it’s only had a quick pegging out back after work last wk. 80% of my nights are just a brolly nowt else and my old stealth brolly still gets an airing if it’s going to be blowy ! 

Very 1st bivvy £20... bargains, Chub RS plus Max.

2nd Bivvy, CarpZone 2 manner...MAOOSIVE.

3rd (Brolly) Fox Supa brolly.

4th (present) Chub Outkast Brolly System.

Yes that was the idea that prompted it. They threatened to close vehicle access to a lake I fish and the alternative would have been a very long walk with arthritic knees. It is still in use 10 years later but the Golf has long gone.

This was my first overnighter in March this year, I was planning plenty more this year but I don't no when that's going to happen now. ☹

Autumn Fishing...
 
Late Summer fishing...
 
 
Not got one of the Rod Hutchinson Cabrio yet, not had the chance to use it in a real fishing situation.
 
 

Moving on from the Barrow thread  , lets see Bivvys  in all their tidy untidiness 😁
Can you tell im Bored sat here at home . Heres mine off the barrow.

Moving on from the Barrow thread  , lets see Bivvys  in all their tidy untidiness 😁
Can you tell im Bored sat here at home . Heres mine off the barrow.

Me shop... at Redmire in Walker's Pitch (the Dam wall is in the distance )