Newbury AA Stillwater - Thatcham

1745 - 2345

Overcast, breezy with a few short sharp showers. Cool - becoming even cooler - down to 9ºC in the car on the way home.

3 Carp; 7lb 9oz, 5lb 6oz, 4lb 11oz.

Not long after Paul's funeral - his wife Kim wanted me and Geoff to come over and sort through his fishing tackle (and bait fridge/freezer). Kim was keen for both of us to have whatever tackle we would make use of and one of the pieces I took was his pellet waggler rod - still made up in its quiver - I also took some carp pellets and bait to go with it. It's not a technique I've ever tried before - and it's one that Paul only really got into for the last couple of years of his angling - but he swore by it as a method - proved by him landing a 16lb carp on a hot lethargic day last summer when no one else was catching!

My real plan for this evening was to try and snaffle one of the few/BIG crucians the lake contains but decided to start by having a bit of fun with the pellet waggler set up. And fun it was!! I started by spending 10-15mins just catapulting in small amounts of slow sinking pellets - and pretty much first cast into the baited area produced the 4lber! The problem thereafter was trying NOT to attract the geese and ducks to the bait - but each time I had long enough for the fish to move in I had interest in my slow sinking bait.

Just as well - as my planned crucian assault produce not a single bite - not even from a maraudering carp. I had intended to stay much longer - but incessant ripple was making me go boggle-eyed and I was starting to get rather chilled under clearing skies!