It seems like ages since I wrote on here so I thought I'd get back up to date. To be honest the reason for not posting has mostly been a run of what I'm calling bad luck but in reality has been due to complete incompetence.

I've had only one proper session back on that little stalking pool during which I managed 4 up to 13-14lbs or so. Unfortunately with the nights drawing in there's not enough light for the after work sessions that I was fishing.

As well as that I've squeezed in a couple of nights on one of the club waters, both bringing blanks but only 1 fish was caught whilst i was there so I wasn't kicking myself too much.

That brings me up to the most recent session that's worthy of a mention, not in a positive way I might add.

12th October - Berkshire Club Lake

Following the couple of blank nights that I'd done on one of the two waters that are frequently mentioned in my blog I decided to grab this opportunity and nip out for a day session. The old man had expressed an interest in fishing the river that evening so I decided to prime a couple of spots on another water so we could sit and have a natter for the witching hour. That all went worryingly smoothly... something that is pretty rare in my life and especially in my fishing... as a result I had a horrible feeling karma was going to make me pay later on.

Anyway, after the baiting was done and the swim was effectively working itself with no lines to spook them I trotted off to the normal water and set about doing a few laps, chatting to a few people on the way.

2 laps later I'd seen enough in one area to warrant an hour or two so quickly got the rods out to little areas of fizzing, all the time keeping an eye on the swim next door that had also hinted at being a possibility. While stood in that swim next door I'd noticed a couple of areas that were regularly pin-pricking and as the original swim had gone quiet since the entry of my little 1.5oz leads I decided to make a move and get rigs on the spots I'd been watching.

It was probably an hour or so later that one of the rods pulled up ever so slowly yet deliberately... a typical big fish bite if I've ever had one. Everything about the initial stages of the fight also screamed big fish. It pretty much did whatever it wanted for 20 seconds before the bloody hook pulled out (that'll teach me for experimenting with rigs at the wrong time) followed by a throaty eruption of anguish. Apparently a mate that was at the other end of the lake heard it clear as day over the strong wind .

Licking my wounds I got a fresh rig on and flicked it back out to the spot. The next 3 or 4 hours were spent sitting on my hands expecting a take at any second. There was regular pin pricking all over the area I'd baited and the line had flickered at the tip a number of times but I just couldn't get a pick up. Infuriating.

I gave it as long as I could before packing up and zipping over to the other lake to meet me Dad.

I'd clipped up the rods to the exact same distance as the spomb I'd baited up with so it should have been a quick couple of casts and the rods would be fishing on the spots that I'd convinced myself couldn't fail to produce having been baited and rested all day. I literally jogged down the track, all excited at the prospect of the hard work paying off so imagine my despair when I turned the corner to find a couple of guys in the only two swims that interfered with the area I'd baited... not once in 8/9 years had I ever seen anyone fishing there!!

I had a quick word and found out that they were due to leave before dark so I plumped for a swim a little way up, loosing a rig in someone else's line that was festooned around a far bank tree. The other rod went in a bit easier but was only out for 5 minutes or so before the two guys came trundling past on their way back to the car. It was dusky by this point so I packed up once again and made the move into my primed swim. The one rod I had set up was still clipped ready so lining it up I confidently flicked it out to the set of snags only to see it clip the very edge and get stuck solid... another rig gone, two rods in need of re-tackling and the light fading very quickly .

I had no leaders tied ready so I bodged something together and managed to get a rod out there first cast with a tiny bit of light left. The bait had obviously done it's job as I had a take within 2 minutes. I did as I always have in that swim, clamped the spool and walked steadily backwards to usher the fish away from the snags before resuming a normal battle stance, only this time whatever was on the end didn't relent like the others I'd had, it really held it's ground. After 30 seconds of stalemate with neither of us willing to give any line the rod sprang back and I reeled in a hooklength minus the two inches of stiff bristle at the hook end . Understandably I packed up and sulked off home straight after that.

The old man managed a brownie and a small barbel of ~5lb.

WHAT A DAY!!