So it's been a ridiculously long time since I last posted in here so, as I've got some more time on my hands with the shorter days, I thought I'd recount a few of the trips I've had between then and now.

April 14th - Berkshire Club Water

So I'll kick it off with a nice day trip I had as a guest to the "other" club in the Berkshire area. A mate of mine was just getting into the fishing on this particular lake and following a visit for a brew and a chat while he was fishing the night before I decided to come down the following day as his guest.

Starting early wasn't an option unfortunately as I had to go via Tony's to get the ticket so it must have been around 9am by the time I arrived. A quick stroll around to my hosts plot revealed a blank night but the plan was for us to bait some spots in the edge and try and stalk one or two out over the day. The clear water allowed us to view our quarry, similar to how i had at Linch a month or so previously. It's a way of fishing that I really enjoy but unfortunately cannot make use of on the usual waters due to their poor clarity.

Anyway, my host already knew a few likely spots from previous trips so I left him to it and went on my first of many walks around the lake, peering into every nook and cranny as I went. Unfortunately I only spotted one fish but baited the extreme margin of the swim closest to that sighting with a couple of handfuls of crushed boilie, along with a few other potential feeding spots further up the bank.

While the bait did it's magic I planned to have a little play on the lake behind, a real runs water according to everyone I'd spoken to... they weren't wrong.

Before fishing I baited with a few handfuls of boilie, just off a prominent snag before having a wander about for 10 minutes. Upon returning the area was fizzing away like a cauldron and it must have taken 2 minutes before the first rod was off to a flier with a surprisingly pretty low double.

A couple more within the next 10 minutes, followed by 3 tragic losses and I was running short on bait and hooks so the gear was packed up and I whizzed off the check the spots I'd baited earlier.

Creeping up to the edge I checked the one closest to the sighting first and soon realised that all the bait had gone before spotting a carp sitting literally under the platform at the same moment as it spotted me and left the swim looking rather agitated. BUGGER. I'd potentially ruined my chance before even getting a rod in the water. Feeling rather stupid I rebaited the swim and after checking the others that remained untouched I thought I'd better see how my mate was getting on.

Peering around the corner I spotted him, in the water on the opposite bank with a bent rod in one hand and net in the other... perfect timing. Sure enough he'd had one, a nice mirror of just under 20lb, though he'd come agonisingly close to hooking the lakes big koi, a fish that goes 30lb+, just minutes before.

After shooting off a few water shots, only feet from where he'd hooked it, I hotfooted back to the area with renewed enthusiasm and upon checking the spot the bait had once again all gone. That was more than tempting enough for me, so a fresh rig was quickly assembled and dropped in on the gravel with another handful of bait over the top. All that was left to do now was wait for them to come back. Unfortunately I waited a couple of hours and only saw a couple of fish drift through, completely ignoring the bait below them. I'd all but given up by then so in came the rig, a handful of bait was lobbed back in and off I went for a chat with another mate that was about to leave following a successful night. This manner or fishing really does seem to wear you out, perching in a tree and staring at your spot for hours, praying for a fish to visit it grows tedious so going off and taking a break for a little while can help you to re focus your efforts.

15 minutes later I was back at the swim, contemplating packing up to be honest, but as I peeked over the branches in I was amazed to see a few fish feeding hard over the bait. Anxiously I waited for them to drift off before dropping a rig in with yet another handful of crushed baits and awaited the "inevitable". This time they did come back in, but were extremely cagey in the shallow water and avoided feeding anywhere near the rig. Seeing that prompted me to move the rod out a little into the deeper water where they would hopefully be more confident. Within minutes a plethora of bubbles erupted over the spot and continued for 5 minutes before stopping without the line so much as flickering. This went on for a good hour or more, they'd come in, clear the bait and leave... I'd rebait, they'd come back and the process repeated itself over and over, leaving me a frustrated mess. A few people had sat with me and watched and all were gobsmacked that I hadn't had a take. There was only a short while before I had to leave so in a last gasp attempt I put on the subtle pop up rig that had succeeded at Linch in an attempt to keep the hookbait just out of the thick silt. I also put less bait in this time around to try and increase the competition.

5 minutes later and right on cue the fizzing started and got more and more vigorous before finally, the alarm twitched into life as a fish made it's mistake. A short but hairy fight ensued but there was only going to be one winner after the stress they'd put me through... It went 22.15 in the end, a real corker of a common and one that left me sorely tempted to purchase a ticket myself.

This was the spot. One rod in the right place proved it's worth again.