OK, so its the close season, and I fully understand the reasons for it. My personal opinion with fishing NAA stillwaters is that without human presence, the cormorants will be straight on them, predating. Certainly, I regularly saw them  this week and think my presence may have contributed to them flying over the lakes rather than in them. I also wonder if a 3-month stop in bait going into the lakes which would certainly be a good thing in regards to build up of nutrients etc, would leave the fish hungry. I know the NAA fed the waters in lockdown. Who knows: there's an argument both ways, but having lost 20 years of my fishing career to bringing up family/other vices, personally I am happy to continue to fish. Maybe this is why the fish gods turned against me this week...

Tuesday - Had an engagement at the club hut to retrieve NAA trophies for awarding at the April AGM, and with only 3 hours to fish, stayed at the venue. I've hardly fished there at all, and never done well. My continuation of poor performance was compounded by the Fishery Management team who rowed around the lake servicing each of the filtration pumps in turn. Blank.

Wednesday - Started to rain as I got out of the car at midday. It was pouring down by the time my brolly was set up and did not abate through the whole afternoon until I packed up at 6. Changed methods/baits/depths umpteen times, but not a single bite. Miserable. If there was any good side, it was that there was no wind, so I stayed pretty dry under the umbrella, though every excursion out to make another cast was unpleasant.

Friday - Alders. All day. One bite leading to (hurrah!) a 4lb 4oz bream. Stiff easterly wind took every degree of temperature out of the sunshine. Got fed up and walked around Willows at 4pm to find the sheltered North corner black with carp cruising in the late afternoon sunshine, despite 29 of the larger fish being netted and moved to lakes anew the day before. A beautiful sight. I knew where I was going to fish tomorrow.

Saturday - Willows - All day. Bite first cast resulting in a beautiful 12lb 2 Mirror. Seemingly identical weather conditions as yesterday, mine was again the only corner of the lake not hit by easterlies, but did the carp fraternity arrive for their afternoon sunbathe? No, they didn't. No more bites.

OK, the water temperatures peaked at only 10 degrees on the Saturday, but it was a bit disappointing. Still, I enjoyed every minute, and that's what it's all about really.