January 2026 catch reports

[ouchthathurt]

Nothing exciting, but the boy and I managed a few commons this morning to start this years captures. 
 

now have to find a tip eye for a fox warrior 2.75lb rod (any ideas?) 

[ouchthathurt]

Interesting session today, I had a premonition that I needed  to be in a certain swim, and got up early, abandoned wife and children to their prospective fates and shot down the lake. No cars parked anywhere, so the swim was mine! 
 

only it wasn’t, as when I parked my car on the grass verge, I could see there were a couple of guys fishing it! 
 

I went to drive off and park up and discovered to my horror that I was now stuck comprehensively in the mud! My father rescued the day with a 5 metre length of astroturf, wedged under the front wheels soon had the jalopy free again. Still, try again! A quick glance around the lake and I saw a couple of very subtle shows, reeds knocking etc. then one fish put its head out at around 100yrds in the far margin. An orange northern special pop up soon landed on its head followed by a krill bottom bait against the knocking reeds in my near margin. (Not a usual go to winter bait, but my son has done well this winter on them here, so worth a shout.) 

 

2hrs later and a recast (with a small pva mesh bag of tutti fruitti crumb) and the orange NS pop up was properly ripping off! at a single ounce over the 20lb barrier, the first 20 of 2026 has hit the net.