(1) My usual Tuesday evening session. With the rivers so low, I've stuck to the lakes, particularly as the temperatures have been mild. Arriving to find no one fishing but two cormorants, I managed a par two carp. The first, just before dark was a mirror of 6lb 8 was 'orange spot'. My pal Steve who surface feeds in this swim regularly in the summer says he catches it every session. Do you recognise him? He certainly didn't put up much of a fight, adopting a 'come on then, let's get this over with' attitude to the landing process.

It took two hours for my next bite to come, a real rod-yanker from far down along the margin. Strangely for Willows, I lost this to a snag a moment before the second rod tip trembled and this time a very pretty common. I guessed it's weight at 12lb, but it only came in at 11lb 14.

(2) Friday. After a week of moody cloud, mild temperatures and on/off moisture in the air, I plumped for another shot of piking at Dixons. Woke up to find it cold, clear and still - not great conditions, but by this time the car was packed and the mackerel thawed, so i followed through. One solitary run leading to a 5lb 7 fish. Swapped swims every 40 mins, fished by overhanging cover and out in the open, but nothing would inspire a second take.